This makes me laugh....

Thursday Thoughts

All I did was move the curtains. Maybe you can't even tell from the mediocre pictures but raising them up to the ceiling made a huge difference. The people who lived here before us must have had a phobia of tightening down screws, they also didn't put any of the center supports up on any of the curtain rods. The old rods were hung level with the top of the window. And can you believe it took me a year of it bothering me before I did anything about it? Maybe it had to do with the fact that we moved when I was pregnant. Or maybe that curtains weren't at the top of my nesting list or at the time I was more concerned with painting and organizing. Then I just got used to the almost falling out of the wall, low hanging curtain rods, until last week I could take it no longer. I still have to lengthen my curtains, but I have plans for that too. I just need a window of time.

Dane - isms

Last night as I was watching Dane climb in to the car and partially buckle himself up, I said, "you are getting to be such a big boy Dane." He quickly informed me "I NOT a boy mom, I a man". Well ok then. Then a few minutes later he said, "I two....going on five". Well I guess so. Please don't rush it buddy, we need to enjoy this phase first.

A mid summer's night dream....

My mid summers night dream is to sleep all night for a few nights in a row. Oh the sleep issues we have been having here. I think we are going on about 8 months of interrupted night sleep. I know, I know that is the case with kids and babies especially. Cade from about 2 months to 6 months was terrible, I am 99% sure it was because of ear problems. The first 2 months were a breeze, he was up once a night to eat. I remember thinking, well he is fussy during the day, but at least he sleeps good at night. Then he got several ear infections that wouldn't clear up. I mean, I barely remember that phase because I was so sleep deprived, and really it was only 1 phase ago. Andy and I could barely function it felt almost dream like, I remember nights Andy and I wanted to kill each other or we would fight over whose turn it was. As soon as we got the tubes and recovered from the RSV things started improving sleep wise, though I have had to break Cade of the night feedings at least 3 times now. He doesn't really need them but at times in my sleep deprived state I forget and just feed him and then by the time I crawl back in bed and look at the clock I wonder what in the world I was thinking feeding him at that time of night.

Oh and then there is the bedtime battle with both of them. Lately it has been a 2 hour routine of continuous putting Dane back into bed, and Cade just screams and hollers and throws a fit as we let him cry to sleep, sometimes up to a half hour. Don't criticize, if we go in and hold him things actually get worse, it seems to be the best just to let him be, and he is getting MUCH better, I am sure that was due to the recent development of crawling and pulling himself up and he just wants to practice, practice, practice. Dane just gets up over and over and over until some nights 11 pm. One night I put him back in bed to turn around a minute later to see him behind me and he bashfully says "mom I am having a hard time going to sleep" I am thinking, "Really?! Why don't you try laying there more than 30 seconds and see what happens." This too is improving FINALLY. This stuff all started after the potty training. W have been disciplining him, but it seems the all out ignoring, making him get back into bed on his own, no extra hugs, kisses, or snuggles seem to be working.

And now Dane, my usual terrific sleeper, gets up somewhere around 3-5 times a night AP (After Pottytraining) He stumbles into our room, we/Andy takes him back. This too has gone on for several months and seems to have worsened. I don't know about phasing the early afternoon nap out, that is my moment of peace.

If it's not one it's the other. Though I feel like a new person since Cade has gotten his tubes in his ears 3 months ago, I am starting to get sleep deprived again with Dane's nightly antics. Most of these problems are resolving, we just need to work on the 2.5 year old sleeping through the night again. He has also been having scary dreams about bugs or Magnum biting him, which hasn't happened, and he doesn't seem to be scared of bugs during the day, but Andy has had to go into his room and 'take care of the flies' before we can put him back to bed.

Here's to more rest so summer can be remembered clearly and not in a dream like state.

Dane - isms

Today I was teasing he Dane about having peanut butter all over. I then pointed to the birthmark on his leg and asked him what was on his leg. He replied "it's a mohawk", he meant mole.


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I was telling Andy that tomorrow I had to baby shower to go to. Dane is always listening in to our conversations and adding his two cents or repeating the entire story. He was so puzzled by this statement. And questioned, just to make sure he had heard correctly "Aunt Mo mo upstairs taking a baby shower!?"

the perils of being the little brother

Growing up as an oldest child you don't realize all the perils the younger siblings face. *No comments please about torpedo swinging children in blankets.

Monday we were headed home after visiting with some family, Dane had been snacking on some chex cereal. All of a sudden we here the dreaded choking sound then desperate gasping for air, then the semi-relieved, severely irritated, and scared screams of Cade. All I know is my seat belt clasp almost broke the window as I tried to get back there to make sure all was ok. Poor Dane I knew he felt bad, I mean how can you resist that cute little smile and reaching hand. Cade practically begs for hand outs, but we have barely started solids and that boy still gags on bread crumbs. Dane was just sharing like he had been taught, but disobeying because I am pretty sure I had told him not to give Cade any food.

Yesterday I found myself, against my better judgement, instructing Dane on how to properly lift his little brother. That was after upon hearing Cade hollering in desperation because he was in his older brother's choke hold. I turned around to see Dane leaning back as far as he could holding Cade around the throat Cade's feet barely touching the ground as Dane tried to relocate his little brother. (*Disclaimer- It was partly my fault, I had needed to grab something quick before heading out the door and I asked Dane to let me know if Cade started crawling towards the door. So I think he was just looking out for his little brother)

What doesn't kill them only makes them stronger....right? I'll try not to think about that too much, it will only make me worry.

I love summer

Even more than that, I love the 4th of July, Independence day and summer celebrations and BBQ's. This weekend has been completely unplanned. We started Saturday after Andy got off work and headed out to Lake Red Rock for some boating and swimming- well the guys swam, my sister's and I have this thing about water so we put our feet in. Next time I will, next time :o) Sunday, we had a great church service, came home had a surprise visit from my sweet cousin and then headed back to church for a picnic and games.
We came home so Andy can finish his homework, did I mention he started working on his Master's? P'jammed up the boys and headed out to catch some fireworks. Cade fell asleep like we had hoped and Dane stayed up for the action.

We love having 4wheel drive, we just pulled ourselves up there on that curb in the little patch of grass and made ourselves a spot to watch.

We were next to a sweet family who shared their bubbles and flag with us and kept Dane entertained.

Today we got up early to kick off our 4th celebration and went to the Carlisle parade. Dane was quite the little candy grabber, the boy will do anything for candy. We came home to get naps since the boys are exhausted, but that has been epic fail. They put up quite the fight. Can't wait to see what the rest of the day brings. I am just glad to have some family time!

Since I have last blogged we have had a garage sale, gone to Colorado, whitewater rafted- yes it was still snowy and chilly, ate lunch in mountains on a sunny day while it was snowing, went hiking in the Maroon Bells, swam and relaxed and went on beautiful drives, and a Rockies game. Hows that for summing up a vacation in 1 paragraph? The boys 'road' in a covered wagon in Gothenburg, NE on the way home from glorious Colorado.

We have also been to the splash park, a week of VBS, more splash park, a sick week, a few days in Galena last week to visit my sister-in-law and nieces which included, more swimming, a stop in the candy store, matching shirt pictures, and a trip to the farm.

Oh yeah and we have gone boating a couple times. I think I am love, well maybe my sister is and it's her boyfriend that has a boat.

Cade has also started clapping and just last week crawling. I have also heard him say ni night, dad, mom, yay, and I think he is even trying to say Magnum. And he is also getting ready to run sprints.