Family & Sleep

Reading funny books with Uncle Collin & Gina (future Auntie)

Sleep...where are we????

Well, when Collin & Gina came to visit this past weekend we decided to try something different. We set up the pak-n-play in our room. We figured if she woke up (which she had been doing a lot since we came home from SD trip), we'd just put her in bed with us like we did at Nana's house. She had never slept in our room before, so we really weren't sure how it was going to work. It worked out great. The first night, she ended up in our bed around 2am (I think) and she slept pretty well in there (although I didn't). Then we decided to try it Sunday night as well since DH was off on Monday and didn't have to get up at 430am. It worked out even better. She didn't wake up until after 4am and slept in our bed until 545. Since the work week was going to start, we decided to do some furniture re-arranging in our extra bedroom (where we've been sleeping--across the hall from her room) and put the bed against the wall. We also moved the pak-n-play in there. So, this week, we've been putting her to sleep in the rocker in her room, then moving her to the pak-n-play across the hall. She's slept in there until at 4am (this morning it was 520), then put her in bed with me. Yesterday morning she slept until 520 am (not so good considering she didn't go to sleep until 845!!!), but this morning, she slept until 630! And she went to sleep around 815-catching up from the night before, I'm sure! The last couple of days I've also had her nap in there, too. After I put her to sleep, I'll lay on the bed and read for a little while and/or take a nap myself. Then when she wakes up, I bring her to bed with me. She's still only sleeping 2 hrs, but at least its not in the rocker with me as it has been again lately.

I'm not sure how long we will continue this routine. I'm guessing a few weeks, maybe a couple of months. We'll reassess once she's sleeping past 5am in her bed. Regularly, that is. I honestly think she'd sleep until at least 6am if we could get through the sleep issues. But, who knows.

Doggie Love

Megan loves to share Irish's pillow.
He is not as fond of the sharing, but accepts it.

Reading bedtime stories to Irish.

Reading Bedtime stories to Dakota
(Dakota actually sat through the story a few times, surprisingly!)

Zoo

Megan's first "horse experience"
(She loves horses, but not this one much, apparently.)

Our attempt to get a photo of the girls..

Feeding the goats
She liked it, but I was afraid she would eat the food herself!

Photos

We went to the zoo with NanaLin, Brooklyn, Aunties Tosha & Katie
(more photos of that later)

The best we can do with our subjects...
Don't they look adorable in their matching/coordinating outfits?

The beautiful girls!

Such a cute photo!

Auntie Jodi with a not so excited Megan

More to come...

2nd Birthday Party

We started off in our birthday dress...(the pants were a last minute addition with the cold weather)


Then we did a craft (decorating a paper lantern). Here are a few of the decorators.


Then we took some photos...(another post)..which required an alternate outfit, so the birthday cake photos are with the alternate outfit (bummer, but still cute). Yes, I made the cake, it was actually pretty easy.

A Quick Hello

...from the great (but cold) state of SD! We are having fun seeing all the family...but looking forward to some warmer weather. Yesterday was nice (in the 70s). Nana, Aunties Katie & Tosha, Cousin Brooklyn, Megan, DH & I all enjoyed a beautiful day at the zoo yesterday followed by a picnic at the park. Megan's party is today (looking forward to seeing Auntie Jodi & Uncle Keith as well as Cousins Ashley & Brady!), and it's only supposed to be 60. BBBRRRR...cold considering it was a balmy 91 when we left Texas!

So, photos when we return on Wednesday!

Please Pray

...For Kayleigh's family. She was born in June weighing 1 lb. She went to be with the Lord last night. In her 11 months of life, she never came home from the NICU. In fact, they were preparing to bring her home in the next few weeks.

We know the pain of losing a baby. Mother's Day will always hold a special place in their hearts. Pray that God would bring them peace, hope and comfort in the days, weeks and months to come.

Mother's Day fun

Fun, fun, fun!

Megan found these old glasses and has been very interested in them.
(Of course, she won't wear the ones she has!)
Dad finally got a photo last night.

Grandma V & Megan
Oh, and Mr. Lion, who Megan loves to throw out of the rocking chair
and laughs and laughs and laughs!!

Mothers Day morning, Megan found this hat on the chair.
She hates wearing it when she's supposed to, but this morning she wanted to wear it while she had breakfast. So we obliged, and captured it on camera, of course!

Happy Mothers Day!

Here we are this AM after church...in front of Ian's tree

Daddy with his precious daughter

Momma with her baby girl

Little Miss Smarty Pants

I don't know how...but she can identify almost every letter of the alphabet.

She loves to say "yes"...in the most precious voice.

I realized this morning that she grown 9 inches in 13 months. Wow, that's a lot of growth. No wonder everything I have is too small!?

And she's figured out how to stand up in her little rocking chair. Oh crap.

My baby is growing up...sniff, sniff.

Sleep Specialist

Well, we went back to the sleep specialist today for a follow up. We were really torn about whether we should go or just cancel the appointment. We decided that we would go if only to help educate the doctor on trauma in determining sleep recommendations.

It went much better than either of us expected it would. He asked how his recommendations went and we said not well at all. He asked for more details and I shared about our realization that we needed to consider the trauma she had experienced early on in her life. Actually, I think I phrased it as "Are you familiar with trauma and attachment and the impact on sleep?". His face lit up and he said yes, I am. I shared that after 11 days of trying the go to sleep on her own system, we realized that she needed to have the security of me (not so much DH, unfortunately) holding her as she goes to sleep. Since we've changed to a modified version of what we used to do, she's going to sleep after 20-40 minutes of rocking. He was excited that we figured out what was working for her and resolving our sleep issues, for the time being, anyways. He also shared that he felt he learned something today, which he was apparently excited about. He shared that some kids are just stubborn and need to have a "reality check" that mom & dad aren't going to always be at their beck and call, but others need the security of rocking/holding. He encouraged us to continue to respond to what Megan needs right now. He did suggest we watch for when she might be ready that she just might be a little insecure/timid to make the transition to the unknown next step. I've always said that I felt when she moves to a big girl bed (sniff, sniff) will be a good time to begin helping her transition to falling asleep on her own. I don't see that happening though, for at least 6 months, but more like around her 3rd birthday (unless she continues growing so rapidly that she has to move out faster!).

Speaking of growing...she now weighs 27lbs and is 33 inches tall. She's gained about 1/2 pound and grown almost an inch since our last appointment with him! No wonder she's eating so much!!!

We go to her pediatrician tomorrow...I think Megan has something going on with her ears...she's had a low grade fever the last couple of days and she's consistently losing her balance. She is known for tripping and falling, but not simply falling because she's lost her balance. So I want to have it checked out. DH has noticed her digging her ear some, but I hadn't noticed that before, besides she's always done that from time to time.

Letters and Words

Well, Megan now can identify M, W, B, O and X. We don't know where she figured out W, but I taught her M today. If you ask her where the B is...she says "zzzzz".

Oh, and she said "glasses". twice. She now says "yeah" or "yes"...its TOO cute!

She's at grandma V's this morning...I'm off to grade papers.

Need a Megan Fix???

Megan is feeding herself with the spoon now...she's such a big girl!

As evidenced by the floor..eating rice is a bit tough!

Closer look at the floor..
Of course the dogs didn't mind cleaning up!!!

All dressed up for Church..Isn't that cute!?

A new found toy!

This week

Well, since I started rocking Megan to sleep again this week, she's slept A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! She's asleep within 30 minutes and sleeps almost all night...for 10 hours. She might spend the last hour or so in the rocker with me, but otherwise she is in her bed the entire night! I'm sure part of it is from her being COMPLETELY exhausted, but we are celebrating her sleeping! We are having some behavioral issues (which are completely unusual for her), but they are getting better the more we snuggle and rock.

Have to say if I needed more of a confirmation that we are doing the right thing...this would be it!

p.s. photos in an upcoming post...it's been entirely too long!