Counting Our Blessings

This blog is how I document our day to day.  The things that occupy our days, our minds, our emotions live here so we don't forget.  That's why I've been needing to blog about the devastation that the recent tornados have brought to our neighbor community, to our co-workers and friends.  But I couldn't find the words.  Yesterday, my sister-in-law found the words that I couldn't.  And so I'm going to share her blog post with you because she wrote what I feel.

Counting Our Blessings

Being 'So Big'

My baby girl has decided that she is 'so big.'  So big, in fact, that she is changing and learning on a daily basis.  Just in the past week, she has started...

...holding her own cup to drink.

Granted most of it still spills down the front of her, but she's working on it.

At meal times, Adelie is also starting to sign 'more.'  It's still sporadic and she usually follows it up by throwing her arms in the air for 'so big', which makes me think that she sees it more as a new trick and not necessarily as communication yet. Regardless, it's a start.

Adelie has also gotten too big and splashy and mobile for her baby bathtub, so she is now...

...taking her bath like a big girl.  And she LOVES it!!

And my favorite new skill that Adelie is demonstrating.  For 3 of the past 5 nights, she has slept through the night.  We're talking 10, 11, and 12 hours straight.  Here's hoping that one sticks.

How Big is Adelie?

I'll let her answer that question.

So Big!!!

Family Photos

With the leaves quickly falling off the trees and the perpetually dropping temperatures, we realized that last week-end might be our last chance to do some outside fall pictures.  So after church, my sister-in-law took on the tough job of getting some family photos with all 4 of us looking in the right direction with eyes open and smiling.  She also took the official 6 month photos (of my 7 1/2 month old girl.)  And she did an amazing job!!

Adelie was somber about family pictures, but these days, everyone looking in the right direction with the majority of the family smiling is considered a roaring success.

My favorite of Adelie's 6 month photos

Thanks, Carrie!!!

Sleeping...or Not

I like my sleep.  I need my sleep.  And ideally I'd like some time during the day with a little quiet, a little downtime, the opportunity to get some things done.  And although these things are not happening as well or as often as I would like, there is always a plus side.

Adelie has proven that she can sleep for 9-10 hours at a time.  Unfortunately, she seems to prefer a little more face time than that in the wee morning hours.  More often, Adelie is waking up once or twice during the night.  On the plus side, she eats quickly, goes right back to sleep, and often sleeps in until 8 or 8:30.

Staley has only napped at home once or twice over the past several weeks.  She still generally naps at her baby-sitters.  On the plus side, Staley will stay in her bed during nap time, talking and singing and visiting with Yellow Bear.  So I still get about an hour where Staley is 'resting', but not napping.

When Staley does nap, she has been having more difficulty falling asleep at night.  We put her to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 at night.  When she doesn't nap, she usually falls asleep immediately.  On the rare days that she does nap, Staley will then often stay awake until 9 or 9:30.  On the plus side, she stays in her bed.  She generally just talks and sings and entertains herself in bed until she eventually falls asleep.

Adelie is still a pretty inconsistent napper.  She generally takes 2 naps during the day, but they can range anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 1/2 hours.  It's just hard to know.  On the plus side, Adelie generally remains my happy and easy-going gal, regardless of nap times.

Most days, Adelie's nap times and Staley's nap rest time are not at the same time.  So quiet time to get things done is generally not in the cards.  On the plus side, this also means that I get some fun one-on-one time with each of my girls during the day.

Sleep is important.  Naps are important.  A little quiet time would be nice.  My girls aren't currently demonstrating a strong understanding of these facts.  But there is always a plus side.  And I'll really try to remember that when I'm getting up in the middle of the night.  

A New Way to Play

Staley and Adelie love to play outside.  When the weather's nice, the park is one of our favorite places to spend time.  We're tied to home a little more often when we want to give Adelie the opportunity for 2 good naps.  We have a nice, big backyard.  There were good end-of-the-season sales.  And so...

And I know at least one little girl who gives it two enthusiastic thumbs up!!

A New Friend

Before Adelie was born, Staley had an assortment of imaginary friends who became a part of our family life.  Her Mother Goose Club friends, particularly Jack, and her friends named according to color, like the red one and the yellow one, were often at the dinner table with us, in the car with us, and were a daily part of Staley's play schemes.  Right around the time Adelie was born, these friends went away.

Even though her imaginary friends went away, Staley's imagination remains in full force.  Our days are still filled with parades and carnivals and adventures and shows.  Staley still regularly talks to and plays with her various stuffed animals and dolls.  Apparently her toys continue to talk to her, especially at nap time when she is presumably trying to sleep and they are keeping her awake. But I guess the company of her sister and her toys still isn't enough for her.  And so our family has welcomed Staley's new friend, Gage, into our home.

Doing Yellow Bear's hair

Reading to Ariel

I'm not sure where Gage initially came from.  I think he is based on a TV show that Staley has seen at Megan's house, although there is not actually a character named Gage in the show.  According to Staley, Gage is a 'big boy with brown hair who helps people and has dogs that talk like people.'  Staley likes to sit next to Gage at the table.  Sometimes she has to help people with Gage.  Gage always has a seat in the car.
He has become a permanent fixture in our everyday.  And, of course, he has been the source of some amusing conversations.

The other day while getting ready for nap, Staley said, "There's a monster coming into my room."  I responded with, "Monsters are pretend.  There isn't a monster coming into your room."  With a giggle, Staley exclaimed, "Oh, that's just Gage.  He's wearing his monster costume."  This morning after church, I asked Staley if she had fun in Sunday School.  She replied, "I was a little sad in Sunday School."  When I asked why she was a little sad, she explained, "Gage wasn't there."  I'm not sure where he was during Sunday School because he was in the car with us on the way to church, but I find him pretty hard to keep track of.

Staley has friends.  She has her mother and her sister to play with at home.  She has Yellow Bear.  But apparently that's still not enough.  I'm not sure how long he'll stick around, but for now, she also has Gage.

Staley...and Gage?