BDRFL

This will be a rambling post, I have a feeling. I was thinking the other day how some moms put their kids to sleep while they're still drowsy and awake and the babies drift off happily to sleep. My thought when I hear that is WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? AND WHAT PLANET ARE THEY FROM? and where can I get some of that medicine?

I don't know what it is, but Paul and I are incapable of letting our kids fall to sleep on their own. With Owen it was a huge challenge for his first two years because he just would not sleep unless someone was holding him. Many frustrated nights and and nap times ensued. We tried the whole cry it out thing and that just killed us as parents, so we just suffered until one day Owen was an expert sleeper. Now he loves going to sleep, rarely wakes up in the middle of the night (even with Elliot crying) and things are hunky dory. Enter baby number 2. Elliot also requires nursing and holding for him to sleep. The difference is that once he's sleeping he doesn't notice when I stick him in the crib (Owen used to jolt awake no matter how deeply he was sleeping and clamor to be held again). So as long as I can get Elliot to sleep, nap time is not an upsetting endeavor. Thank goodness. The only challenge is how long it takes me to get him to sleep. In the morning it doesn't really matter because Owen is in preschool (YAY!) and I just sit there in the rocker dreaming about all the things I'll do once Elliot's in his crib: exercise, blog, laundry, dishes, shower, knit. Unfortunately my list is always longer than the actual time Elliot will sleep but you get the idea.

Afternoon naps are a little different. Usually when I'm putting Elliot down for nap time, Owen keeps himself busy doing fun stuff in the other room that Elliot can't play with -- like building marble runs, doing puzzles, or coloring with markers and crayons, that sort of thing. Occasionally when I'm nursing Elliot and trying to get him to sleep I'll hear some unidentifiable sounds in the living room. I sit there weighing the options: do I go see what Owen's doing and wake up Elliot in the process which means I have to start all over with the nap time ritual? or do I assume that I can clean up whatever Owen is doing and just let him do it? When I'm in this quandary, usually the mess wins out. I eventually get Elliot into his crib and emerge from the bedroom to find masking tape strung from fireplace to kitchen table to sink to floor or I find stickers placed on various items throughout the house. Owen is quite thrilled with his handiwork so I can't really fault him for it, plus he kept himself completely entertained.....

Anyway, the other day we were drawing and coloring and Owen drew a beautiful picture. I'd been helping him spell words ( he can write his letters very well, but needs help sounding out his words). I said, maybe we can write the word butterfly on the top of this picture? Owen was very excited, but at that moment I had to go help Elliot take his nap so I disappeared for a little while. When I came back, Owen held up his picture and said "Is this how you spell butterfly?"

He had done it all by himself and although it isn't spelled right, I'm in love with this picture! It's the very first word he has sounded out and spelled all on his own....