Of course right after I said that Virginia had been sleeping great she started waking up at night again. To be fair, her fang teeth are finally coming in - slowly and painfully - so I can't really blame her.
She came into our room last night and I snuggled her in the bed between me and John. She kept rotating herself horizontally so that her head was digging into my back between my shoulder blades and her feet were on John (her favorite sleeping position). So, periodically I was having to lift her up and put her back in a vertical alignment.
During one of these shifts John rolled over and said, "Hon, did you take care of the guar?"
Me: "What?"
John: "The guar"
Me: "Oh, you're not awake."
John: "Yes I am. What about the guar?"
Me: ???
John: "You're right. I wasn't awake. I am now. Sorry."
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Big Girl Bed
After Virginia slept so agreeably on the floor in the Durham hotel I began to think she may just not like her crib.
Since we've been back she has been sleeping in the twin bed I grew up sleeping in. I put a rail on the side so she can't fall off in her sleep and I pushed my trunk up to the foot of the bed so she can climb up and down herself. Here is how this has worked out so far:
Virginia will climb into bed herself at the end of our bedtime routine. So, if she doesn't fall asleep nursing, she is, at least, willing to go to bed, which is very different from with the crib.
I'll lay down with her for a few minutes until she drifts off. This part was taking not a short amount of time until I rearranged her room and added an ipod stand. Now I play sleepy baby music while she is going to sleep and she relaxes and stays asleep much faster.
Not only has going to bed gotten easier, she actually STAYS ASLEEP! When we first moved to the bed she did still wake up during the middle of the night, but she has stopped doing this and we have had a couple weeks of full nights of sleep.
When she does wake up (at night or in the morning - which, let's face it, is still usually a little earlier than I would get up) she tends to cry for me to come get her, but just this morning she padded into our room without any fuss at 7:30am. I know some parents lock their kids in their room so they can't leave on their own, but I was quite pleased she figured this out. If she cries I'm going to put her in my bed anyway, she might as well save me the trip by coming to me! I think it helps that she has been sleeping better, too, so it's not like she is climbing in bed with me at midnight every night and not really sleeping in her bed. We'll see how things progress, since children never stay the same, but so far I'm very happy with the big girl bed and with Virginia being able to come to me when she needs me!
Since we've been back she has been sleeping in the twin bed I grew up sleeping in. I put a rail on the side so she can't fall off in her sleep and I pushed my trunk up to the foot of the bed so she can climb up and down herself. Here is how this has worked out so far:
Virginia will climb into bed herself at the end of our bedtime routine. So, if she doesn't fall asleep nursing, she is, at least, willing to go to bed, which is very different from with the crib.
I'll lay down with her for a few minutes until she drifts off. This part was taking not a short amount of time until I rearranged her room and added an ipod stand. Now I play sleepy baby music while she is going to sleep and she relaxes and stays asleep much faster.
Not only has going to bed gotten easier, she actually STAYS ASLEEP! When we first moved to the bed she did still wake up during the middle of the night, but she has stopped doing this and we have had a couple weeks of full nights of sleep.
When she does wake up (at night or in the morning - which, let's face it, is still usually a little earlier than I would get up) she tends to cry for me to come get her, but just this morning she padded into our room without any fuss at 7:30am. I know some parents lock their kids in their room so they can't leave on their own, but I was quite pleased she figured this out. If she cries I'm going to put her in my bed anyway, she might as well save me the trip by coming to me! I think it helps that she has been sleeping better, too, so it's not like she is climbing in bed with me at midnight every night and not really sleeping in her bed. We'll see how things progress, since children never stay the same, but so far I'm very happy with the big girl bed and with Virginia being able to come to me when she needs me!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Funny Conversation
When I was hanging out with my half-siblings recently (both elementary age)...
T: Is Virginia your only baby? Are you going to have any more?
Me: Why? Do you love having a sibling? You would be lost without your brother?
T: I'm lost with him. [Said while hugging her brother.]
I always enjoyed having someone to be lost with. ;)
Me and my sister, Amanda.
T: Is Virginia your only baby? Are you going to have any more?
Me: Why? Do you love having a sibling? You would be lost without your brother?
T: I'm lost with him. [Said while hugging her brother.]
I always enjoyed having someone to be lost with. ;)
Me and my sister, Amanda.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Adventures in Atlanta
Virginia and I had so much fun this week entertaining my cousin, Kieran, who is visiting from New York. Sunday we had a 4th of July cook-out with Dad's side of the family (minus Dad) and Aunt Kathy (Kieran's mom, visiting from Texas).
Monday, John and I invited Kieran to come with us to a friend's 4th of July party. Kieran was a good sport and agreed to come with me to hear storytelling earlier in the day, too. It started out a little slow and I was afraid he was wondering what I got him into, but then it picked up! Virginia charmed everyone at the party that evening, even though she got conked in the head with the door.
Tuesday, Virginia and I drove to Grandma's after a lunch storytelling meeting and hung out with everyone there for a while.
Wednesday we did the aquarium with Amanda. I had never been before so it was pretty neat. It was crowded even though we got there in the morning, but at least Virginia was riding on my back and not in a bulky stroller. ;) The ballroom was not crowded at all, so we got to stare at the beluga whales for a long time. They were definitely looking back at us and they kept rubbing up against the glass, like they wanted to touch us (just like we touch the glass). Virginia loved them, so I bought her a plush beluga whale. She wouldn't even let me take it back long enough to pay for it. The cashier had to scan it while it was still in Virginia's hands. On the way home Virginia insisted that I keep singing the song about swimming that is on our mommy and me work-out video until she fell asleep.
Thursday was my birthday! Virginia, Amanda, Kieran, and I went miniature golfing. Virginia had her own ball and club, which she clung to the entire time we were there, lest anyone take them from her. Then we ate a Steak n' Shake and Kieran came back to the apartment to play Mario Kart with me while Amanda left to do some work.
Friday we all went to the zoo. I got a membership at the beginning of the summer and this was the third time Virginia and I had gone. Different things have been happening each time we have been, so it is well worth it to keep going. Virginia rode on my back again and she started getting squirmy in the reptile house, insisting that all the snakes and frogs were "Mine!" Then she laid her head on me and fell asleep, so I guess she was tired. We ate lunch at the zoo and then came back to the apartment for more Mario Kart, this time with Amanda, too! All of us, including John, went to Grandma's for dinner and Bananagrams to send off Kieran and Aunt Kathy, who leave this morning.
It will be kind of sad to go back to my normal life next week, but it has been a lot of fun!
Monday, John and I invited Kieran to come with us to a friend's 4th of July party. Kieran was a good sport and agreed to come with me to hear storytelling earlier in the day, too. It started out a little slow and I was afraid he was wondering what I got him into, but then it picked up! Virginia charmed everyone at the party that evening, even though she got conked in the head with the door.
Tuesday, Virginia and I drove to Grandma's after a lunch storytelling meeting and hung out with everyone there for a while.
Wednesday we did the aquarium with Amanda. I had never been before so it was pretty neat. It was crowded even though we got there in the morning, but at least Virginia was riding on my back and not in a bulky stroller. ;) The ballroom was not crowded at all, so we got to stare at the beluga whales for a long time. They were definitely looking back at us and they kept rubbing up against the glass, like they wanted to touch us (just like we touch the glass). Virginia loved them, so I bought her a plush beluga whale. She wouldn't even let me take it back long enough to pay for it. The cashier had to scan it while it was still in Virginia's hands. On the way home Virginia insisted that I keep singing the song about swimming that is on our mommy and me work-out video until she fell asleep.
Thursday was my birthday! Virginia, Amanda, Kieran, and I went miniature golfing. Virginia had her own ball and club, which she clung to the entire time we were there, lest anyone take them from her. Then we ate a Steak n' Shake and Kieran came back to the apartment to play Mario Kart with me while Amanda left to do some work.
Friday we all went to the zoo. I got a membership at the beginning of the summer and this was the third time Virginia and I had gone. Different things have been happening each time we have been, so it is well worth it to keep going. Virginia rode on my back again and she started getting squirmy in the reptile house, insisting that all the snakes and frogs were "Mine!" Then she laid her head on me and fell asleep, so I guess she was tired. We ate lunch at the zoo and then came back to the apartment for more Mario Kart, this time with Amanda, too! All of us, including John, went to Grandma's for dinner and Bananagrams to send off Kieran and Aunt Kathy, who leave this morning.
It will be kind of sad to go back to my normal life next week, but it has been a lot of fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)