Sleepover

Riley and Asher shared a bedroom in our last house for a little over a year, and they loved it. Now Riley has her own room, and Asher shares with Tyson. Before the move, they were both disappointed when  we told them of the upcoming changes to their sleeping arrangements. Scot and I really had to do some convincing. We got Asher excited by promising him the top bunk, and Riley was sold on the promise of a "cute, girly room."

They settled in quickly after our move, and are both content now. But we occasionally let them have a "sleepover" together in the guest bed. Now that Riley's in school and we're stricter about bedtime on school nights, this may become a semi-regular weekend treat for the two of them.

Catnap

I sent the kids to play in the basement while I made lunch today. They hadn't been down there very long when I heard Tyson causing problems with his siblings. I had him come upstairs, and then told him to sit in the recliner until lunch was ready.

He hadn't been sitting there for more than three minutes when I looked over and saw this:

At least this time he had a toddler-appropriate excuse for his trouble-making.

Catching Up

It's been a busy month, and unfortunately I haven't taken a lot of pictures. But here are a few to catch you up on what's been going on in our family. 

This scene captures the sentiment of all five of us in the weeks between Scot starting his new job in Denver and our move. Having him gone so late was a hard adjustment for all of us, and we're happy to have him home at a normal time each day again.

I wish I could remember what they were so excited about when I was taking this one. Maybe it was because they were cuddling under that huge, super-soft afghan that I found for $4 at Goodwill. Maybe it was that we were days away from selling that awesome blue sofa on Craigslist. Or maybe it was just because Mommy actually got the camera out.

The first thing Scot did the day we got into our new home was set up the boys' bunk bed. Asher had been talking for weeks about sleeping on the top bed when we moved. The boys share a room now, and this was the first night Tyson slept in a "real" bed off the floor. Luckily he loves the bed, and has only fallen off once. That we know of.

Riley wasn't thrilled about sleeping in a room by herself, but we successfully convinced her of the benefits of having her own room. The selling points were: she could keep the furniture and dolls in her dollhouse and not worry about her brothers scattering them all over our real house; she could make her bed more easily if she wasn't on the top bunk (She loves making her bed. Weirdo.); she could let her brothers in the room whenever she wanted, but close the door and keep them out at her discretion; we promised her a new girly bed and cute furniture. She loves her new room, and especially the "princess net." One of the next projects on our to-do list is to paint her dresser purple. So far she has been very liberal about letting Asher in the room, but Tyson doesn't often get the privilege. Fortunately there is a shelf full of puzzles just outside her bedroom door, so he doesn't seem to mind.

Asher's Sleeping Habits

Asher is getting to the point that he needs and afternoon nap because he is cranky in the afternoon, but he also doesn't need a long nap. In California, we missed a few naps because of everything that was going on and he gets goofier as time goes on, but then has a huge meltdown when it's time to go to bed. If Asher starts his nap too late, or it lasts too long (he'll sleep from 1-4:30 if you let him, so he has to be woken up, which is a slow process), he won't fall asleep at night.

Some nights, he'll just wander around his room. Some nights, he'll lay in his bed and sing to himself. Some nights, he'll come out of his room and play. When we are in the basement, we'll hear his footsteps and go and get him and put him in bed again. This is how we found him the other night at the top of the basement stairs - dressed in a white cat costume they have in their dress-up basket. He was complaining because, even though he put it on himself, he couldn't get it off. Turning the corner and finding this just made us laugh.

Rough Eighteen Hours

Poor Asher threw up in his bed last night. I think it was a first for him. He turned down breakfast this morning, and then a snack a couple of hours later. So when swimming lessons rolled around, I told him that he wouldn't be swimming because he was still a little sick. He was SO disappointed. He kept insisting, "My tummy all better. I can go swimming!" Instead the two of us sat in the bleachers and watched Riley's class. He pouted the entire half-hour.

He didn't show any interest in lunch, but I was able to convince him to drink some apple juice. After a long nap he still seemed a little lethargic, but was eager to pick out what he wanted to eat for dinner, leftover pasta and canned peaches. He surprised us by eating everything except the ground sausage in the pasta sauce. After refueling, he was back to his normal, happy self. I'm so glad I won't have to torture him at the pool again tomorrow.

Goals

I've never been good at goal-setting, but I've been in a self-improvement mood. This mood may correlate with a conflict I've been having lately: a desire to do some "nesting" in preparation for a new child versus my inability to make any firm plans or preparations related to Tyson's homecoming.

Instead, I am diverting these feelings to areas of my life that I do have some control over. I've made a list of goals for the month. And what better way to keep myself on track than share my goals (excepting a couple that are more personal and/or spiritual in nature) with the people who care enough about me to check in on this blog occasionally? So if you're reading this, feel free to ask me how I'm doing.

Health

• Sleep: be in my bedroom by 10pm. Getting ready for bed, reading, or lights off. Doesn't matter, as long as I'm in my room.

Money

• Budget: track all my purchases in the budget categories I regularly overspend in, and stay within the budgeted amount.

Home

• Declutter: throw out or give away one thing every day. I started this one a few days early, and so far it's been pretty cathartic.
• Cleaning: spend a minimum of 20 minutes every weekday cleaning.

Parenting

• Chores: include the kids in the housework. I need to teach them skills and start good habits now, while they're still eager to help. I've been falling into the habit of just doing things myself, because it's quicker and easier than including them. To counteract this, I made a list of specific, kid-friendly chores to keep on hand, so I can give them each an assignment while I'm working. On days when I have more time, I'll include them in what I'm working on. Today was one of those days, and Riley helped me clean her bathroom. She and I cleaned the toilet and the tub together, then she wiped the counter and sink while I cleaned the mirror.

Sound Sleeper

The kid's bedtime routine changed a little when Asher and Riley started sharing a room. After the kids have gone potty, pajamas on, teeth and hair brushed, they climb into their beds for a story. We have family prayer and then Riley, and recently Asher, say a personal prayer. After tucking them in and giving kisses we turn the closet light on, the bedroom light off, remind them to be quiet and stay in bed, and then leave the room, shutting the door behind us. When Scot and I go up to bed later we peek in to make sure they’re still covered, and then we leave their bedroom door open so they can come out easily when they wake up in the morning.

We’ve had pretty good success with this routine. They are usually quiet, and they usually stay in their beds…as far as we know. But recently Scot opened their bedroom door and quickly realized that the door had missed hitting Asher by just an inch or two.

After taking pictures and scooping Asher back into his bed, we noticed two of his favorite toys sitting next to Riley’s pillow. We found out from Riley the next morning that Asher had climbed into bed soon after we left, and they’d both fallen asleep there. So either Asher rolled out of her bed, or she unintentionally pushed him out. Either scenario is just as likely as the other. Asher’s bed is against a wall on one side and has rails on the other, so he hasn’t had to learn to not roll out of bed yet. But Riley is a snuggler when she’s asleep, and will scoot her bum right up to the nearest body. But regardless, we were just glad he slept through it all.

An Exciting Week

Aside from the biggest news we've had in a couple years, there have been some other fun developments at our house this week. Asher identified his first color: pink. It shouldn't be to hard to guess why that was the first color he learned, and who he heard it from so much. I was wearing a multi-colored striped shirt yesterday. As Asher sat in on my lap before his nap, he pointed to one stripe and correctly said, "Pink." I thought maybe it a lucky guess, but then he searched out every pink stripe on the shirt and did the same thing. Even more endearing was just after I got dressed the day before, he pointed to the sweater I was wearing and said, "Cute." It sounded more like "coot," but I knew what he meant. He did the same thing to Scot's shirt last night.

While Scot was out of town last weekend I put up our Christmas tree, and the kids and I had a great time decorating it. We waited until Family Night when Scot was back to put up everyone's favorite Christmas decoration: the Christmas train! Both kids get such a kick out of it, but Asher especially can't get enough of it.

We have three bedrooms upstairs. Ever since we decided to adopt another child, we've been telling Riley that when Asher got older, he would move into her room and share the bunk beds with her. The initial plan, which she was on board with, was for her to take the top bunk and Asher the bottom. But since then, she developed an acute fear of the smoke alarm on the ceiling directly above the beds, and by association, the top bunk in general.

Last night we made the jump, and moved Asher into Riley's room. In order to make it possible, we separated the beds and left the top bunk rails in place for Asher.

So far they think it's great. Asher is so pleased to be sleeping in the new bed, and Riley is much less nervous about the dark bedroom. And the fact that they are both actually excited to go to bed is enough to make Scot and I thrilled with the change.

Casual Napping

Strange Sleepers

These kids have been falling asleep in the craziest places lately.

One afternoon I went into Riley's room during "quiet time" to see if she had fallen asleep. As I walked in, I noticed that she had lined up all her dolls and stuffed animals along the wall, which wasn't unusual. But I didn't see Riley. I looked in her closet and even under the blanket on her bed. It wasn't until I turned back toward the door that I noticed her sprawled out on the floor along with all the animals. She had camoflauged herself in an exceptionally colorful outfit before finally succumbing to sleep.

My kids don't often fall asleep in their high chair. I think it only happened to Riley once, after a Halloween party when she was a year and a half. Well, it finally happened to Asher at about the same age.

You can go ahead and thank me in the comments for the close-up of the food in his mouth.

Day by Day

We have had an uneventful few weeks (thankfully). I've had to remind myself to get out the camera and take photos of the kids every once in a while, because our days seem so ordinary.

I peeked in during Riley's naptime one Sunday afternoon to find this:

Now, I know the girl doesn't identify books by author, yet. So the fact that every one of these(except "Go Dog, Go!") are by Dr. Seuss wasn't intentional, I'm sure. She's just loves rhyming (particularly couplets) these days.

While I was up there I snapped one of Asher sleeping:

I just can't get enough of that fat bottom lip and his little squishy face! He woke up while I was in the room, and was none too pleased that I was still taking pictures instead of getting him out of his crib.

Riley wanted to play in the backyard one afternoon. This is how she dressed for the occasion:

Snow boots, a skirt, her swim cover, and a swimsuit underneath it all. Of course.

Riley had a friend over to play last week. I took advantage of her distraction by taking some photos of Asher.

If I knew anything about PhotoShop I'd fix the dry skin and crusty nose. But hey, that's our reality during a Colorado winter.

Snow Day

This morning’s snowfall was the first while Riley and I have been here. We had to run an errand early this morning, but as soon as we got home Riley was excited to get her snow clothes on and go play in the back yard. It took us nearly 10 minutes for us to get Riley in her full snow-bunny* gear. And we were outside for about half that time.



Once we got out there she wasn’t quite sure what to do. She stomped around in the same spot for a minute. Then I showed her the footprints she could make if she walked around. She walked to the back fence and back and then found her own activity…

…eating the snow!

As for Asher, he slept through the whole experience.

* I called Riley a snow-bunny while she was getting ready and she immediately corrected me: “I’m Riley.”

Worn Out

I think this photo of Asher and his Grandma is a good representation of how we're all feeling. Although in this instance, Riley was probably more to blame for Grandma's exhaustion than was her brother.Still no word from the state about our approval to head home. In the meantime, we've found a great doctor here, thanks to a recommendation from my cousin Tiffany. Asher's two-week appointment is tomorrow and I'm curious to see how much he has grown. He seems quite a bit bigger to me, but that may just be because I've gotten used to how small he is.

In other news, his umbilical stump fell off a couple of days ago. When I told Riley that Asher finally has a belly button, she started clapping. I think she has been concerned about it. This theory was supported on Sunday when she approached a boy in church who was just a little younger than she. She stood in front of him and looked at him for a second, then reached out for his shirt, pulled it up, and pointed out his belly button. Maybe she thought that withered little cord was just a boy thing.

15 Months Old

Riley is as active as ever. This little girl is NEVER still. Even when she is sleeping she rolls around and flings her arms and legs. All this activity, along with simple genetics, probably explains why she's such a lightweight. At her 15th month appointment she weighed in at 18 pounds, 3 ounces, but is 31 inches tall.

As Scot put it, "What she lacks in weight, she makes up for in vocabulary." By my count she can say at least 25 words on her own (not just repeating us when we say them). Some of her latest are puppy, Jesus, and cookie. I've lost count of the number of words she can say if we count those that she repeats.

Naptime yesterday was a good example of Riley's "active lifestyle." On Sundays we usually get home from church about noon. Most days Riley still takes a morning and an afternoon nap, but since we leave the house a little after 8 am, on Sundays she eats lunch when we get home and then goes right down for a long nap. Yesterday was a definite exception. I put her in bed after lunch, as usual. But instead of going right to sleep she whined in her crib for a little while and then started playing with the two stuffed animals we leave in there. She often does that before sleeping on the days that she gets two naps, so I didn't pay much attention.

But she continued to cry and play and jabber and sing for another two hours! At one point we peaked in and she was literally running laps around her crib while yelling incoherantly. A few minutes later she was sitting with her legs dangling over the mattress, through the rails and singing to herself. We finally gave up and got her out of bed. We let her run around the living room for a little while and gave her a snack. Then back into bed she went. It still took her close to an hour before she finally went to sleep at nearly 5:00. Then she slept for less than an hour before she up and ready to go again.

Long Night

I just found out this morning that my good friend Camille delivered her baby girl early Sunday morning. With that news, I am feeling a little less sorry for my household, and the long nights we're enduring. After all, Riley and I will be over these colds soon. They still have weeks, maybe months, of 3am feedings to look forward to.

Nonetheless, as evidenced that it's after 10am and Riley is still sound asleep, last night was a long one for the three of us. As she's been doing every night since she got sick, Riley woke up crying just after midnight. Scot knew that I wasn't sleeping well in the spare room because of my bone-rattling cough, so he thoughtfully got up with her and brought her into our bed to sleep with him. She cried for a little while but eventually went back to sleep.

At 4:30 I woke up to Riley crying again. Knowing that Scot had to get up early this morning, I went in to relieve him of crying baby duty. As I scooped her up, along with both her blankies, to take into the guest bed with me, Scot told me that the reason she was crying this time was because she had rolled out of bed. I felt like such a horrible parent the first time she did that, but honestly, I've lost track of how many times it's happened now. Although this was the first time she rolled off while asleep.

Between my cough and Riley's gymnastics all over the bed and me, I couldn't get back to sleep for at least an hour. She finally settled down, and I was able to sleep for a couple more hours. As I mentioned, she's still going strong up there. I've lined the bed with pillows so she doesn't have a repeat of last night's experience. To give you an idea of Scot and then I had to put up with last night, here are a couple of photos that I took within just a few minutes of each other.

Buy One, Get One Free?

I should not take naps on Sunday. I know better. I always have weird dreams. This afternoon I dreamed that my Mom (who is traveling in Israel right now) had a layover in New York on her way home. She called me while she was waiting and started the conversation by telling me that I shouldn't get too excited. Then she told me that she had met a girl on the previous flight who had just had twins, but was thinking of placing them for adoption. So she told her all about me and Scot and gave her a way to get in touch with us.

My reaction to this news was, "'Don't get too excited?' Are you kidding? How about 'Don't get too freaked out at the idea of twins!'"

Who Sleeps During Naptime?

Riley has begun playing in her crib for a few minutes after I put her down for a nap. She usually crawls around and makes noise for a few minutes before falling asleep. This afternoon she was up there playing for more than 30 minutes before I finally thought to grab the camera and go take a look. I'll give you a disclaimer right up front. This video is nearly four minutes long and not that much action. But if you want to see for yourself some of Riley's crazy noises, here they are. Oh, and another warning: you'll probably want to turn the volume down when she figures out that I'm standing in her doorway.

Sleeping Beauty

As I was sorting through photos the other day, I noticed how many shots we have of Riley sleeping in crazy positions. I'm sure that most kids do this...I know I did until I was in my mid-twenties...but this is my kid, so I'm blogging about it.

One week old and all she did was sleep.

Easter Sunday. I was trying to get some cute photos, but she fell asleep after the third one.

By twelve days old we were both sleeping whenever and wherever we got the chance.

At three weeks we were putting Riley in this sleep positioner for two reasons. First, we were hoping that the angle would help with all the spitting up. It was also an attempt to keep her swaddled longer, since that meant she slept longer. It didn't seem to decrease the spitting up, and you can see that it didn't help with the second purpose, either.

This was taken in May, and we were saving it for a blog post announcing that the paternity issues were resolved. We had a caption in mind like "Our Prayers Have Been Answered". But I guess we just got busy and forgot. Sad, because it's one of my favorite photos.

Jess and I had lots we wanted to do when she and Brady visited, and these two slackers couldn't always keep up.

I took this photo for no other reason than because this is how I often sleep, on my side with one arm thrown over my face.

One Sunday morning I fed Riley and dressed her for church and then put her in her crib to play with her new new mirror toy, while I got myself ready. I came back in to find that she'd falled asleep with her hand still on her reflection.

Riley's Grandmommy gave her this pink bear soon after she was born. It obviously makes an excellent pillow.

That recliner is way too comfortable!

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She scooted as far as she could go before finally resigning herself to a nap.

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Since Riley became mobile, she's started protesting her naptimes more than she used to. This particular afternoon she sat up in her crib and cried until sleep finally overtook her. But this photo is evidence that she fought it off as long as she possibly could.