Conversation with Emily this morning:
Me: Emily, what do you want for breakfast?
Emily: Cereal.
Me: Okay, we only have one cereal. It has little balls (Kix). Do you want that?
Emily: Yes, I want the little balls.
Me: Okay, climb in your chair and let me get it for you.
I proceed to get the Kix box, take a little pink bowl from Emily's drawer and get a spoon.
Emily: NO! Mommy, don't do that!
Emily starts crying and whining.
Me: Emily, stop. What do you want?
Emily: I don't want cereal!
Me: Okay, what do you want to eat for breakfast then?
Emily thinks.....
Emily: Cereal.
Me: Okay, we only have one kind of cereal. Do you want it?
Emily: Yes.
Me: Emily, why don't you grab a bowl?
Emily climbs down from her chair, grabs the little pink bowl from her drawer and hands it to me.
Emily: I want little balls cereal, Mommy.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
I love you...
Just pictures today.
Emily reading about Clifford with Daddy. I think she likes that the main character is Emily Elizabeth.
Isn't she beautiful?
We're raising her to be a sumo wrestler.
Love the eyes.
Emily reading about Clifford with Daddy. I think she likes that the main character is Emily Elizabeth.
Isn't she beautiful?
We're raising her to be a sumo wrestler.
Love the eyes. Thursday, September 24, 2009
My Not-So-Good Sleeper
Why, oh why, did the Lord bless me with children who want to be awake?
I'm struggling with Nathalie. She does not nap well. I know that she should probably be taking 2 naps by now, but we're still at three because she only sleeps for 30 min-1 hr per nap. I keep her on a routine, but if I don't put her to sleep at exactly the right time, it's a battle. She has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
So I need a little advice. I've read Dr. Sears, Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and Baby Whisperer. I'm not into letting them cry it out--especially because Nathalie goes from whimpering to full-blown scream in under 2 minutes. She also has acid reflux, so if I let her cry too long, she'll throw up. (I was in the car and couldn't stop, and it was a miserable day for us when this happened!)
She's a wonderful, happy baby and nights are okay right now. I just can't seem to get her on a good nap or day-time schedule. Here's our usual day:
8:00am-- Awake
10:00--First nap
10:45 -- Awake from first nap
12:30-- Second nap
1:15--Awake from second nap, I nurse her back to sleep
3:15--Awake from second nap
5:15-- Third nap
5:40--Awake from third nap
From here on she is cranky the rest of the evening (exhaustion!) until her bedtime around 8-8:30. If it's been a really bad day, she'll wake up around 9:30pm and I have to nurse her back to sleep again.
I'm struggling with Nathalie. She does not nap well. I know that she should probably be taking 2 naps by now, but we're still at three because she only sleeps for 30 min-1 hr per nap. I keep her on a routine, but if I don't put her to sleep at exactly the right time, it's a battle. She has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
So I need a little advice. I've read Dr. Sears, Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and Baby Whisperer. I'm not into letting them cry it out--especially because Nathalie goes from whimpering to full-blown scream in under 2 minutes. She also has acid reflux, so if I let her cry too long, she'll throw up. (I was in the car and couldn't stop, and it was a miserable day for us when this happened!)
She's a wonderful, happy baby and nights are okay right now. I just can't seem to get her on a good nap or day-time schedule. Here's our usual day:
8:00am-- Awake
10:00--First nap
10:45 -- Awake from first nap
12:30-- Second nap
1:15--Awake from second nap, I nurse her back to sleep
3:15--Awake from second nap
5:15-- Third nap
5:40--Awake from third nap
From here on she is cranky the rest of the evening (exhaustion!) until her bedtime around 8-8:30. If it's been a really bad day, she'll wake up around 9:30pm and I have to nurse her back to sleep again.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Back in the Loop....
So for the last couple of days, our adapter has been broken for our laptop. We haven't been on the computer, since we couldn't charge the battery. But we're back! Here's a quick rundown.
We moved Emily back to a crib. After 4 days of fighting, crying and both of us dreading anytime she had to go to sleep, we turned her bed around. That night, she went to sleep, no complaints. She loves it. I guess we'll just have two cribs for awhile.
Here are two cute pictures of Nathalie. I have started putting rice cereal in her bottle because she SO hungry all the time! I'm a little worried about her getting even chubbier with the rice cereal, but it's that or be up 2-3 times again in the night, and I'm just not willing to do that.
We moved Emily back to a crib. After 4 days of fighting, crying and both of us dreading anytime she had to go to sleep, we turned her bed around. That night, she went to sleep, no complaints. She loves it. I guess we'll just have two cribs for awhile.
Here are two cute pictures of Nathalie. I have started putting rice cereal in her bottle because she SO hungry all the time! I'm a little worried about her getting even chubbier with the rice cereal, but it's that or be up 2-3 times again in the night, and I'm just not willing to do that.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Honey-Do List
On Matt's day off, he finished my honey-do list. This included fixing the shower rod (needed new anchors), putting a door stop in Emily's room, moving toys out to our alcove-now-toy room, putting up a cute coat rack in Emily's room and.....putting together Emily's new bed!!!
The first day, Emily cried herself to sleep. She got upset when we kept walking her back to her bed, so eventually she just stayed in it and cried. The second day, she cried for naptime but not for bedtime. However, she did climb out of bed 10 times at bedtime, until finally she closed the door all the way to her room when I told her to get back in bed. And today? She fell asleep on our bed while I was putting Nathalie down for a nap...so we moved her to her bed while she slept. She only climbed out once this evening and then shut herself in her room. I've been hearing some noises though........she's probably not asleep yet.
The cute coat rack. Putting away her jacket is one of her "chores" now.
Cute picture. 
The new toy area. Yes, she's naked.
Emily's bed.
The first day, Emily cried herself to sleep. She got upset when we kept walking her back to her bed, so eventually she just stayed in it and cried. The second day, she cried for naptime but not for bedtime. However, she did climb out of bed 10 times at bedtime, until finally she closed the door all the way to her room when I told her to get back in bed. And today? She fell asleep on our bed while I was putting Nathalie down for a nap...so we moved her to her bed while she slept. She only climbed out once this evening and then shut herself in her room. I've been hearing some noises though........she's probably not asleep yet.
The cute coat rack. Putting away her jacket is one of her "chores" now.
Cute picture. 
The new toy area. Yes, she's naked.
Emily's bed.
Riding on Daddy's shoulders.
In other news, Nathalie and Emily adore each other. Emily wants to hold Nathalie all the time, loves to play with her (but not share) and tries to give her food. Whenever Emily is around, Nathalie laughs and giggles. She smiles and tries to grab Emily's toys. I hope this continues as she grows up! I'll put up pictures of Nathalie soon.
Also, Emily is a conversationalist. Recent conversation:
Daddy, "Emily, would you like some cereal?"
Emily: "Uh-huh"
Daddy: "What do you think?"
Emily: "I think it needs some salt.
That's what's happening!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Would you trade it?
I just finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Earlier this year, I read The Kite Runner by him as well.
Both books are fictional stories about people in the Middle East during the Taliban regime. I have read several other books with wartime themes as well, and after finishing them I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.
Gratitude for my country.
Gratitude for food on the table.
Gratitude for the health of my children.
Gratitude for health insurance.
Gratitude for freedom to worship, live, love in the manner I choose.
Gratitude for the right to vote.
Gratitude for a loving husband who respects me.
Gratitude for a job at which he works hard, even though he doesn't like it.
Gratitude for money in the bank (albeit, not a lot, but there is a little).
Gratitude for my Heavenly Father.
Gratitude for the people who have died for the blessings I enjoy.
Gratitude for the people who serve now to ensure those blessings.
I don't think we realize the depravity people face around the world. Being a "poor college student" is endless wealth to some. I don't have to worry about worshipping in the dead of night, or stealing just to live. I don't have to worry about going out alone during the day or what happens if one of us gets sick. I don't have to worry about being raped to death, or about watching my husband get shot or blown apart. I don't have to worry about watching my children starve to death right before my eyes.
Do we really, truly realize how incredibly lucky we are?
Both books are fictional stories about people in the Middle East during the Taliban regime. I have read several other books with wartime themes as well, and after finishing them I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.
Gratitude for my country.
Gratitude for food on the table.
Gratitude for the health of my children.
Gratitude for health insurance.
Gratitude for freedom to worship, live, love in the manner I choose.
Gratitude for the right to vote.
Gratitude for a loving husband who respects me.
Gratitude for a job at which he works hard, even though he doesn't like it.
Gratitude for money in the bank (albeit, not a lot, but there is a little).
Gratitude for my Heavenly Father.
Gratitude for the people who have died for the blessings I enjoy.
Gratitude for the people who serve now to ensure those blessings.
I don't think we realize the depravity people face around the world. Being a "poor college student" is endless wealth to some. I don't have to worry about worshipping in the dead of night, or stealing just to live. I don't have to worry about going out alone during the day or what happens if one of us gets sick. I don't have to worry about being raped to death, or about watching my husband get shot or blown apart. I don't have to worry about watching my children starve to death right before my eyes.
Do we really, truly realize how incredibly lucky we are?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wonderlab
I have to give a shout-out to my grandma who took Emily (and Nathalie and I) to Wonderlab. This fun little science center is GREAT for kids. 
Nathalie liked all the sights. 
Their AWESOME climbing structure....Emily had so much fun.This was Emily's favorite exhibit. There are different "doors" in the air tubes where you can change the direction of the airflow so that the ball or scarf comes out a different tube. She got a little confused by that, but she played at this exhibit for 30 minutes or so.
Nathalie liked all the sights. 
Their AWESOME climbing structure....Emily had so much fun.This was Emily's favorite exhibit. There are different "doors" in the air tubes where you can change the direction of the airflow so that the ball or scarf comes out a different tube. She got a little confused by that, but she played at this exhibit for 30 minutes or so.
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