Finally . . . comes much too soon!

Tomorrow Dave will start his new job.  He left me in Utah and traveled to Phoenix today.  He will stay with family and friends until he finds us a place.  Then we will make the journey (me and 2 kids alone!) to meet up with him.  We have had a very busy time saying goodbye (lots of parties) to many friends and family in Utah.  We have a lot more packing to do (oh, yeah, that's me again . . .)

As Dave left, (me, with 2 screaming kids) I realized that although this is what we've wanted for so long, it is also scary.  I don't know what it's like to be a full time SAHM.  I'm not sure I have the patience to do it well.  Dave is nervous about working full time . . . in a CAREER.  And we are definitely unsure of what to expect from Arizona.  The future is waiting for us to come and make a life full of memories and it is kind of exciting (and a little bit scary).  Anyone who knows me, knows that when I get to something NEW in my life I ask WAY too many questions and have concerns that no one in their right mind would ever think of.  But that is just my way to trying to prepare myself for a big change.  Big change, here we come!

(p.s.  Although nap time as a single parent was a complete failure, bedtime went on without a single tear . . . maybe not taking naps has it's advantages!)


In other news, we laid Jackson's most favorite and prized possession to rest after an unfortunate incident with a car backing out of the drive way.  Luckily, no one was riding it.  Jackson was devastated (and I was more attached to it than a mother should be) and I immediately found a new bike (the only used one advertised in Utah AND Arizona) to replace it.   It has been a fantastic summer with that bike and it will be missed!

SERIOUSLY?!?!

I have read lots of different books to my son and most of them I have no idea what they are about when I pick them up.  Most books are GREAT!  Some are boring, others pointless, or maybe a bit strange.  But when I got to the final page of this book I was SHOCKED!

 It begins: "It was the first day of the month and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were SIX months behind in their rent.  Pete, the owner, came to collect the money.  He told Mickey and Donald that they had one hour to come up with the cash.  If they didn't, they would be kicked out - dispossessed.  And Pete would sell the house and all their furniture!"

 They have no money so they call goofy and start moving out.

 Goofy moves the piano out the window. "Bye,bye piano."

"BY SOME MIRACLE, the gang managed to get most of their furniture into the truck just as Pete returned.  He stormed into the house and lit a cigar. BOOM!  He was standing too close to a gas pipe and the whole house exploded!  The boys escaped - JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME AND LAUGHING ALL THE WAY!

Moral of the story:  If  you can't meet your financial obligations, keep living in the place for SIX months, then STEAL all the furniture and 'MIRACULOUSLY' escape.  Oh, and just for good measure, BLOW UP THE HOUSE AND ITS OWNER.  And LAUGH because you got away with it!!

This book was printed in 1986 by Walt Disney.

Seriously?!?  WHO wrote this?  HOW was it approved it?  WHERE was it printed?  WHY would some one want our children to read this?  My mind is just reeling that this book is in existence.

The Search is over . . .

Please enjoy the music while you learn about our great news!

Bedtime is my ultimate nemesis!!

So, I have Hallie's sleep pretty much under control.  She is up a bit earlier than I'd like, but hey, it is through the night.  But Jackson's bedtime routine has spiraled out of control -  from long and a bit of a struggle to a full -fledged WAR zone EVERY NIGHT.

First, we fight to bring him inside the house (regardless of how early or late it is).  After that screaming tantrum is over, we try to calm him with a myriad of things, TV, movies, books, songs, etc.  Then we fight more and more battles of undressing, dressing, brushing teeth and saying prayers.  The book reading and song sing is usually calm and peaceful, until it comes time to say goodnight.  Then all HELL breaks loose.  Screaming, crying, "I don't want to go to bed!!!" chants, out of bed, banging the wall, clinging to us.

We've tried being nice . . . extra songs, extra books, lights on, more water, laying with him, holding him, 5 reward points in the morning, my neighbor gave him a lullaby book (he is scared of the music), bribes, rewards, encouragement, etc etc. . .But it is never enough!

We've tried being mean . . . going on our own screaming tantrum, locking him in the room (This is met by constant banging on the door), taking away privileges, not reading books, not singing songs, letting him cry for an hour (we eventually have to go in and calm him down) . . . completely ineffective!

He is going to bed LATE every night (around 9-10) not because we aren't trying!  Then he is up before 6:30 every day!!  Plus, he NEVER takes a nap unless he happens to fall asleep in the car.  I don't know about you, but those kind of sleep hours aren't enough for ME, let alone a 3 year old!!
I don't want to even fight about trying for a nap time because if I had to have this kind of war TWICE a day, I would quit my job!

When he was a baby I tried to let him cry it out and he could outlast me everytime.  He eventually just got old enough that he slept through the night.  I don't feel like he is the type of kid that can cry himself to sleep.  He has so much determination and fight in him.  He did sleep through the night and go to sleep at a reasonable hour every day last year (plus a 2-3 hour nap daily!)  Every since I took over as a full time mom, he won't take any naps and bed time is crazy hard.  Dave was so good with him!

I seriously am at a loss!  I am so frustrated every night (Luckily Dave takes many nights, but we are both frustrated by the end because he uses "I want my mommy" "I want my daddy" as another of his fights.

Even when we have great days and I feel like he is such a wonderful kid, by 10 pm I feel so much anger  towards him.  What can I do?  Does it end?  Any suggestions?

P.S.  This is written precisely 5 mins after tonights hour and a half battle ended . . . it may or may not be written with more drama than is actually existent!


Edited:  I just spent the last 5 minutes cuddling with a peaceful, sleeping 3-year-old and my heart is all filled up with love again . . . until  next time :)

Sleeping through the night

Day 4: Slept 8 - 5:30, up for the day
Day 5: Slept 8-5:00 cried 20 mins woke up at 6:30
Day 6: Slept 8-7 with an unknown, but minimal amount of crying
Day 7: Slept 8-5:00 cried 20 mins slept until 6:30
Day 8: Slept 8-7 with 5 mins of crying at 5 am

I have also noticed (with the exception of today) she is going to sleep for her naps with a lot less hassle and crying.  Is that related to using the cry it out method?

I am so glad that this actually worked at the few hours of crying was not in vain.

Hallie has been making this hilarious face the past few days and we all love it.

Everyday living

I feel a little sad that I usually blog about big events, or anything change of pace, but rarely have anything from day to day living on.  Nearly everyday, Jackson and I head outside (Hallie may or may not be sleeping) and play with at least one friend and neighbor in the cul-de-sac.  They ride bikes, play in the tree house or play house, fight over power wheel and have a blast.  All while Stacy, Allissa, Terra and I talk and talk until we're blue in the face (but we've never run out of things to talk about).  We rarely get to finish a conversation due to the kids fighting, falling, disappearing, checking on the napping babies, putting the babies to bed, or a myriad of other distractions.  It is so much fun to have neighbors that I love!  We get along so well (at least I think so!) and our kids just love each other.  This morning at 6:30 am Jackson was begging to go to Porters to play . . . What he didn't know is that Porter was over at our house last night at 8 pm asking Why in the world I would be putting my kid to bed when the lights were still on outside!

I love having other moms to bounce ideas off of, get party plans from, vent to, share exciting news, worry about our kids, and just to love and support each other through the day to day.  I am so glad we had the chance to be close to our friends again.
What I am sad about too, is that we never take a photo of our daily play groups so I don't even have one picture of Stacy (she takes all the GREAT photos of Jackson and our family!) or Terra. . . but here is one from a family night walk to the ice cream shop with Alissa's family.  (Their baby's name is Hallie just like ours!  Friends who name their kids the same thing MUST like each other!)

I love the day to day life we have this summer!  I hope these ladies and their kids know how much it means to me to have friends so close!

Night #3 . . . I'm a believer!!!

I can't believe how dramatically improved last night was!!  I woke up at 4:30 and hadn't heard a thing.  I started having those terrible images that no mother should ever have of the blanket wrapped around her head or something more dramatic.  Anyway, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I opened her door a crack and she started crying, but it only last 10 mins and then she slept until 6:30 and woke up happy.  I wonder if she could've slept through the night if I didn't wake her!  I am really shocked!  I didn't think it would work . . . and so quickly.  (I'll admit I am a little skeptical, but I'll take a solid 5 hour block of sleep for me at this point!)

The morning was wonderful as well.  Hallie ate TWO bites of rice cereal (albeit mixed with vanilla ice cream) and then 1/2 jar of squash (her first vegetables in over a week!) AND her usual jar of bananas.  Then she went to sleep for her nap without a peep.  I am so hoping this gets to be 'normal'!  So enjoyable!

The benefits of a waterproof camera!  Hallie will not perform once the camera is on.  She was making the silliest faces, but once she sees the camera she gets determined (you'll see it in her eyes)