Sleeping, Sneaking and Snips


The big topic of conversation around our house this week has been sleep. We’re obsessed with it — and trying to get more of it. Well at least some of us are trying to get more of it. Sometimes it seems like James is trying to stay up all day and all night. I jest, of course, but only a bit. He has not been good about sleeping through the night for the last while. He has a sixth sense that helps him know to wake up precisely when mommy gets into bed. He also likes to get up at 5:30 am which is before we usually want to get up. We’ve been trying to figure out how to get him to sleep more and we may have found a solution. If we pack him super full of food in the evening before bedtime he does better at sleeping through the night. Now this may sound intuitive, and it probably is because we were able to figure it out, but getting this kid to actually eat at all is sometimes a trick. He does not like to eat from the spoon very much and will usually fight it after a few spoonfuls. He likes to eat with his fingers but he can’t chew well enough yet to really deal with much that way. We’ve started trying to get him to eat what we eat for dinner and have had varied success. All that being said, he has been getting better and it doesn’t quite take super-human effort to feed him. All of James’ eating difficulties are made up by how happy he is when he actually is done. He get a huge smile and claps and throws his hands in the air.

Sweet James sleeping. Poor guy always gets so sweaty.
Sweet James sleeping. Poor guy always gets so sweaty.
Look guys! I can stand.
Look guys! I can stand.
10 months old.
10 months old.

This week we caught Eliza sneaking cookies. She figured out that she could use her little chair to get up to the counter level. We foolishly left out a plate of cookies that we were going to give away and she thought they were for her and just dug right in. She was so pleased with herself that it was hard for us to get upset with her so we just took a picture and left it at that. We clearly need to start being more careful about where the sugar goes!

Eliza is tickled that she can get the cookies.
Eliza is tickled that she can get the cookies.

She also had a sad experience on Friday morning. We were getting ready for the day and she had woken up and wanted to come out of her room. We have a child lock on her door so she can’t get out and she was just crying and crying. I felt so bad for her that I took off the lock then and there. On Saturday morning she let herself out and came down to say hi to us all by herself. She was so pleased. We’ll also have to start being more vigilant about where she is so we don’t find her painting the walls some morning.

Eliza has started climbing into the crib and into the pack and play.
Eliza has started climbing into the crib and into the pack and play.
Her little toy lion "hit her" this week and so she put him in time out and made him say sorry.
Her little toy lion “hit her” this week and so she put him in time out and made him say sorry.

Saturday evening was a big day for the kids. Sarah gave Eliza her first haircut. She hasn’t had a single cut since she was born and had hair that was totally uneven and adorable. We cut off a few inches and she’s super cute with her haircut now. We weren’t originally planning on doing her hair this week, but when we started to cut James’ hair she decided that she wanted to get her’s cut also. She did a pretty good job holding still and Sarah did a great job on her cut.

11 eliza's first haircut 10 james haircut

Sarah took the kids to the library this week. The city library has a story time every week and they tried to go to it this week. They ended up getting there right as it ended and so they just looked at books. Sarah checked out a bunch of Eric Carle and Bill Peet books. Eliza loved being there. She has been talking it about it ever since they went. Turns out the story time hadn’t actually finished but they didn’t realize. Hopefully this week they’ll make it for the actual thing.

James and Eliza at music class.
James and Eliza at music class.
Family scripture study.
Family scripture study.

Sarah got on a pumpkin kick this week. I got home from work on Tuesday and she had made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and plain pumpkin bread. Can you tell we’re ready for fall?

Eliza has been taking very good care of her baby this week.
Eliza has been taking very good care of her baby this week.
She always has to wear her gloves when she works with daddy in the yard.
She always has to wear her gloves when she works with daddy in the yard.
Sarah came downstairs and caught the kids watching daddy mow the back lawn.
Sarah came downstairs and caught the kids watching daddy mow the back lawn.
,