Over So Soon??

It's already the last day of July.  Kids go back to school in 2 or 3 weeks.  Although the warm weather will probably stick around for another month or two, I feel like summer is already winding down and there's still so much we haven't done.  We haven't been to State Farm pool.  We haven't had enough play dates with school-age friends and cousins.  We have yet to make it back to bicycle Safety Town.  We've barely been to the Farm park or the zoos.  We just put up our blow up pools in the yard for the first time today.  Where is our time going???

I guess it's been going to...

 



The Kid's Fun Run at State Farm Park

 

A few outings to local zoos and parks and the Eureka 4-H Fair

 

Making costumes for a costume ball that Staley planned

(Doesn't everyone do that in the middle of July???)

 

Just hanging out and enjoying the fun

 

Play dates with friends

 

Sprinkler time in the backyard

 

There has also been story hour and the summer reading program activities and a sleep-over with Lila and plenty of trips to the library and lots of outside play time.  The St. Jude Run is this week-end, Staley will have Vacation Bible School next week, we have a few more play dates planned, and Staley's weekly summer acting/creativity class will culminate in a little production.  We have definitely had a fun summer so far, but I just feel like it's going by really quickly.  Before we know it, the pools will close, the pumpkin farms will open, and I'll wonder, yet again, why time insists on flying by so quickly.

 

So I'm trying to just enjoy these days before they are gone.

 

 

 



 

 

A Typical Conversation in the Life of Staley

The conversation Staley and I had before lunch today:

Me:  "Girls, it's time for lunch.  Clean up your toys and wash your hands."
Staley:  "Can't we just leave our toys out so we can play with them later?"
Me:  "No.  We're going to clean up now, but you can always get your toys out later if you want to play with them after lunch and rest time."
Staley: "Can't we just leave them out?  Please????"
Me:  "I said no."
Staley:  "But I said please."
Me:  "I appreciate the manners, but it's time to clean up.  Right now."
Staley:  "Maybe we could just leave out some of our toys."
Me:  "No.  We are picking up all our toys."
Staley:  "Can't I just leave out 3 toys?  Just 3?"
Me:  "I am not going to argue about this and I am not going to change my mind.  We are picking up ALL the toys."
Staley:  "Okay.  Just one. I will just keep out this one toy."
Me:  "Seriously!  I don't want to hear any more about this.  Put it away!"
Staley:  "I will just put this one toy on the window sill until later."
Me:  "Put that toy in the box where it goes or there is going to be a consequence."
Staley:  "Okay.  I will just put it next to the box.  How about that?"
Me:  "If you don't put that toy away like I asked you to or if you say one more thing about it, you will not play with ANY of these toys for the rest of the day.  Do you understand?"
Staley:  (with a big sigh as if SHE'S the one thoroughly exasperated by this conversation)  "Fine."

There's always an angle.  There's always an agenda.  There's always a different idea.  There's always her own opinion or plan.  And sometimes all I really want is for her to say, "Okay."  And then just do it.  Quickly.  The first time I ask.  Is that too much to ask?

 

I sure do love this girl, but sometimes she wears me out.

 

Question of the Day

Why is it that you can sleep 10-12 hours at a time one night and then only 3-5 hours at a time the next night?

 

I guess it could be worse.

Consistently not sleeping through the night would be worse.

Not going back to sleep after eating in the middle of the night would be worse.

Taking a long time to nurse, thus keeping me up longer, would be worse.

Screaming and crying and waking up your sisters would be worse.

 

I guess all things considered, it's not so bad.

I'm thankful it's not worse...but still hopeful that it gets better soon.

 

 

Still Rolling

Since Briggs has mastered consistently rolling from his back to his stomach, in the past few days he is now rolling more and more from his stomach to his back.  He's rolled himself off his blanket and play mat on several occasions.  The last few mornings, I've gone in to get Briggs up to find him lying on his back, happily playing with the base of his mobile or with his feet.  Of course, now he's also rolling onto his back in the night as well, so when I hear him talking in his crib at midnight...or 4...or 6, he's less likely to fall back asleep on his own because he's lying on his back.

It's so fun to see Briggs develop new skills and learn new things.  Rolling is good, but I'd be okay if he started working a little harder on sleeping through the night consistently.

That's Just How We Roll

On Saturday of this past week-end, I took Staley and Adelie to a birthday party for one of their friends at church.  The party started at a park for play time/snacks/gifts, and then ended with a pool party at the local swimming pool.  My girls wanted to wear dresses for the party (of course), and then we just changed into suits when we got to the pool.  So while most of the kids were just wearing their bathing suits at the park, Adelie was wearing her favorite "super duper really twirly" dress and a matching necklace.  As we were walking from the park into the pool, a lifeguard stopped us and, looking at Adelie, said, "Oh, this must be the birthday girl!"  I responded, "No.  Just birthday guests."  The lifeguard replied apologetically, "Sorry.  She just looks so cute all dressed up, I thought it must be her party."

It was an honest mistake.  I didn't have a chance to explain to the lifeguard that we don't need a birthday, or even a party, to bust out the tutus and twirly dresses and jewelry.  This is just everyday wear at the Sancken house.

"Super duper really fancy"...that's just how we roll.

 

Who's The Boss?

The other day, Staley was being bossy with Adelie and we had this conversation:

Me:  "Staley, you aren't in charge of Adelie."
Staley:  "Well sometimes I am."
Me:  "No, you're not.  You're the big sister.  Mommy and Daddy are always in charge."
Staley:  "Well, when we're with Grammie and Grandpa, since they don't know the rules, THEN I'm in charge of Adelie."

And the other evening, we were out in the driveway as a family.  I was helping Adelie put on her bike helmet and was inadvertently holding it backwards.

Zach (to me): "That's backwards, dear."
Staley (to Zach):  "She knows that, Dad.  You don't have to tell her.  You're not the boss.  Mom is always the boss here."
Zach:  "So what's that supposed to mean?"
Staley:  "It's supposed to mean that Mom is here and when Mom is here, then you don't have to do her job."
Zach:  "What's her job?"
Staley:  "You know.  Telling people things."

So according to Staley, the family hierarchy of being in charge goes something like this:

Mom is always in charge.  (Smart girl.)  If Mom isn't here, then Dad can be in charge.  Sometimes Staley's in charge.  And if it's Grammie or Grandpa day, then all charge duties automatically fall to Staley.  It's a tough job for a 4 year old, but if anyone can handle it, it's Staley.

On a Roll

Briggs is an official roller.  Now whenever we place him on his back, he immediately rolls over onto his stomach.  Over and over and over again.  However, once on his stomach, he hasn't figured out how to consistently roll back onto his back.  When he gets tired of tummy time, he just puts his head down and sticks his thumb in his mouth.  I guess that works too.

 

On his way...

...and he made it!

Yum! Yum!

"Hmmm...this chair is new.  What's going on?"

 

"Hey!  That's not milk."

"On second thought, this really isn't so bad."

"Actually, I kinda like it.  Bring on the food!!"

 

And although Briggs really did enjoy his first official 'meal' of prunes, we're not technically starting baby foods.  He'll just get to eat his prunes every few days to help keep him more regular until we start the rest of his baby foods in another month or two.  But until then, prunes it is.  Yum!



It's Not Good-bye



In the Christian life, you never have to say good-bye.

It's just a small separation until you can be together again.

 

 

Zach's grandpa passed away this past week-end.  He was a kind, gentle, hard-working man who loved his family and lived his faith.  Zach's sister, Jill, wrote a beautiful tribute to him.  Instead of finding my own words, you can read hers by clicking here.

 

And although I know that Grandpa Thomas is at peace in his heavenly home, I also feel sadness.  Sadness for his wife of almost 70 years who lost her husband.  For Zach's mom and aunts who lost their father.  For his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, friends and family, who will cherish the memories.  I am sad that Briggs will never get to know his amazing Pop, and that my girls will have limited memories of the special time that they had with this man who loved them.

I am sad, but not for Grandpa Thomas.  He is home.  And I know that this isn't good-bye.  It's just a small separation until we are all together again.  And that gives me peace in the midst of sadness.

3-1=Silence

I'm sitting here in total silence.  It's magnificent!!

Staley had a sleepover at her cousin Lila's house last night, and is spending the day with Lila today.  She couldn't have been more excited, exclaiming, "This is going to be the greatest night EVER!!"  The bar was set extremely high when Staley informed us that this sleepover was going to be "even better than State Farm Play Day!"  Based on the pictures and texts from Aunt Jill, apparently the girls had a fabulous time dressing up in princess dresses (of course), catching bugs, and telling secrets.  (Not sure what kind of secrets you are keeping when you're 4 and still inform everyone in the house when you've pooped or what you got them for Christmas, but I guess secret telling is an important part of a sleep-over nonetheless.)  And I'm sure they are having a fabulous time having the whole day to play together, keeping Aunt Jill's house full of noise and activity.

At our house, however, I am sitting here in total silence.  Adelie and Briggs are both napping, the house is picked up, and all is calm.  It's amazing how one less child makes everything so much quieter.  And calmer.  And cleaner.  True, Staley keeps up a steady stream of chatter and song all day long.  If she's not talking to me or singing me a song, she's talking and singing to herself.  I usually can hear her singing and playing all throughout "rest" time, so there is generally never true silence around here.  But Staley's not an overly loud child.  And she's not wild.  And she's not messy.  And she's not difficult.  But apparently subtracting one child from the mix just slows everything down, turns down the volume, reduces the drama (and tattling and arguing and crying), and makes everything much more calm.  We definitely miss Staley when she's not here and I'm looking forward to seeing her in a few hours, but I'm not going to lie.  I'm really liking this silence.

Books I Wish Someone Would Write

"How to Develop Endless Patience for Toddler Tears"

"Magic Tricks for Making Them Listen and Obey the First Time You Ask"

"Parents Have Earned the Double Standard (Or Why It's Okay to Sneak Two Desserts When You Tell Your Kids They Can't Have Any)"

"Hurry Up!  What to Do When Slow and Slower Are Your Child's Only Speeds"

"Bodily Functions:  How to Stop the Spit Up and Make Them Poop"

"Finding Extra Hours in the Day Without Giving Up Sleep, Play Time, or Mindless TV Shows"

"Pre-School:  They're Only 4.  Why Do We Stress About It?"

"The Endless List of Bedtime Needs and How to Meet Them BEFORE the Lights are Out"

"Secret Hiding Places for Favorite Missing Toys"

"The Amazing Switch:  How Your 2 Year Old Can Go From Fun to Frustrating, From Magical to Maddening, From Adorable to ARHGGG!!!! in Mere Seconds"

"Fail-Proof Strategies for Winning Arguments With A 4 Year Old Who Has An Answer for Everything"

"If You Can Do It Once, Why Can't You Do It Every Night? (And Other Mysteries About Sleeping Through the Night)"

"Whining, Complaining, Arguing, and Tattling:  Please Just Make It Stop!"

"How to Convince Your Kids to Like Veggies When You Don't Like Them Either"

"The Quick, Easy Guide to Perfect Family Pictures" (including the pamphlet "3 Easy Steps for Turning That Grimace Into a Smile")

"Winning the Closet Wars (Or How to Get Them To Wear What You Want)"

"Losing the Baby Weight on the Brownies and Ice Cream Diet"

Of course, if someone wrote these books, I'd still have to find the time in between the toddler tears, bedtime needs, spit-up cleaning, and tattling to settle in with my brownies and ice cream and actually read them. 

Four Months

Briggs is 4 months old.  He is so happy, so smiley, so easy, so fun!!  He weighs 13 lbs, measures 25" long, and is wearing his 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers.  He eats every 3-4 hours during the day.  He usually takes 2-3 naps, going to bed around 8:00 p.m.  He is now sleeping in his crib at night, and was sleeping 8-12 hours at a time for most of this week.  However, he's woken up every 4 hours through the night for the past 3 nights.  He has also only been pooping every 5-7 days with his latest record of 13 days ending yesterday.  He continues to spit up amazing well and often, and is starting to drool frequently.   (Maybe you don't have to poop when it's all coming out the other end.) 

Drool on the chin can't keep this little guy from looking cute, though.

Likes:  Briggs is generally a happy, easy baby.  Bath time is still a favorite, and he always enjoys time outside.  He loves to be talked to, lighting up whenever he gets attention.  His sisters love to make him laugh and smile.  Favorite toys include his play mat, his spinning alphabet ball, and rattles.  He still loves music, primarily the songs that Zach plays for him.  And his right thumb is his constant companion.

Loving that thumb!

Can't beat a little outdoorsy time on the beach

Dislikes:  Briggs fusses when he is hungry or tired.  He apparently also gets fussy when he's in the car on the way to Michigan and when he hasn't pooped in over 11 days.  Otherwise, not much gets him down.

Skills:  Briggs has rolled from his back to his stomach successfully once, but consistently rolls from his back to his side.  He rolls from his stomach to his back occasionally, but not consistently.  He moves all around when he's on his stomach and his back, working his way off his play mat and all over in his crib.  He is great at tummy time, and can sit up with only a little bit of support.  He's doing great reaching for and grabbing things.  He'll hold rattles and toys, and is consistently grabbing his ever-present burp rag and bringing it to his mouth.  He can also activate a few of his simple cause and effect toys.  Briggs is a talker, making lots of cute coos and sounds.  He also has the cutest little laugh, and finds many things in life amusing.

Life with Briggs is just so much fun!!  What a great 4 months it has been!!

My little 4 month old

Fourth of July

What a fun 4th of July week-end we had!!

We started our week-end off on Friday, taking the girls to see the movie 'Inside Out' in the movie theater.  It was Adelie's first movie theater experience and Staley's second.  I was starting to second guess our decision when, during the commercials and previews before the movie, Staley had her hands over her ears and her eyes closed, stating that it was too scary.  Yes, the Coca-Cola commercial before the movie was apparently "too scary."  *sigh*  At the same time, Adelie was throwing a fit about not getting to hold the package of fruit snacks that she and Staley were supposed to be sharing and not getting to have free reign with the full bottle of water we had purchased.  *sigh*  Luckily, once the movie started, the tears stopped, the hands were removed from the ears, and we all enjoyed the show.

Then on Saturday, we had a wonderful 4th of July.  The weather was beautiful, the festivities were fun, and we all had a great day.

What makes for a great 4th of July??

A fun parade with lots of candy

(And so much fun that Liam and Caroline came to enjoy the parade and lunch with us.)

 

Parade, lunch, and play time with cousins and friends

 

Cute 4th of July outfits

 

A nice nap to rest up for the fireworks

 

FINALLY pooping after 13 days.  Yes, 13!

 

A fun family walk and extra play time with Uma and Papa

(Then Uma and Papa stayed with Briggs while we took the girls to the fireworks.)

 

And fireworks!!

Staley had the idea to wear pajamas to the fireworks.  It worked great.  After staying up 2 hours past bedtime to watch the fireworks, the girls came home and went straight to bed. 

 

 

Hooray for another fun-filled, family-filled, festive Fourth of July!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 4th of July!!