Month: January 2015
Wade was home today so we all spent part of the afternoon in the shop with him. Teague practiced his hammering skills. Kaitlyn tried on the smallest shop apron. It looks like we’ll be needing another one soon.
The boys both got quite a few more “flats” in their stockings from Santa. They are still the most fought over blocks in our house. I finally had enough and marked half with a black dot and half with a silver dot.
I finally caught the mouse! A few months ago I opened my dishwasher to see something scurrying under the bottom tray. After a quick scream, I shut the door and when I reopened it the mouse was gone. I have seen it in the same manner another time or two but that’s it. Wade suggested I actually leave the door open and call him to remove the mouse. Genius! Today I thought to leave the door open and Wade removed the mouse to the great outdoors.
We have had unusually warm weather the last few days and have spent the afternoons outside. The only other kids in our neighborhood (Paige – 4th grade and her brother) have been inviting Alex down the street to play kickball. Today Paige and two of her friends showed up at our door and played outside with Alex all afternoon. (I think part of the draw is that he has a baby sister who comes out to play sometimes too.)
For the first three months of her life, Kaitlyn was an angel when it came to sleep. She was sleeping pretty much all night and only waking around 5 or 6 for a bottle before sleeping till 7 or 8. Then she started waking every few hours for her pacifier. I tried taking away her pacifier cold-turkey at 4 months (read here) and that did not go well. Over the next few months, we went through a few colds, teething, and some ups and downs with sleeping. I would get up a few times a night for a pacifier and once for a bottle (normally around 3). Suddenly I was much more tired and struggling with sleep than I had been with a newborn. When Kaitlyn had her 6 month checkup, the doctor didn’t recommend giving up her nighttime bottle because she was consuming such a small amount of formula during the day (although she did debate this for a little bit). She did however recommend I stop going in for the pacifier. It took Kailtyn two weeks with three or four periods of crying each night lasting up to an hour or two, but she finally figured it out. During that process she also decided she didn’t need the middle of the night bottle, which was a huge bonus for me.
When we went back to the doctor for an ear check a few weeks later, I mentioned all the trouble I had had and asked if this was normal or if I should have done something different. All the books talk about babies crying for 45 minutes (at most) for just a few nights and then quickly decreasing the crying or stopping altogether. She looks at me and then looks at Kaitlyn. She shakes her head and tells me I have a very persistent daughter and that they normally figure it out in a night or two.
I love that Goodreads keeps yearly statistics on my book reading – and is an easy place to keep track of all the books I have read and still want to read. I didn’t quite read as many books in 2014 as in 2013, but considering the crazy year we had I’m just fine with that!
Kaitlyn may be our third child but we are still discovering wonderful new kids’ products. My sister passed on this baby toy (Sassy Wonder Wheel) and it has been a favorite. Kaitlyn (and the boys) love it. We attach it to pretty much any table and it is instant entertainment while we wait for dinner to be prepared (at home or a restaurant). I didn’t have to buy this one but I highly recommend spending the $8!