The Sleep Situation

I know it can happen. I have seen it. She will sleep in her crib at night again. I remember when Michelle would not nap consistently, but would than sleep 8 hours straight at night. Then she started napping consistently AND sleeping decently at night, though not usually for 8 hour stretches. Then came the Christmas cookie weekend at auntie Tammy's where the routine totally went to shit and the first 2 night home were hell getting her back to the routine. Now take a whole week in unfamiliar surroundings with a crappy sleep routine and NOW come home and see how you like it. I don't like it. Michelle doesn't like it. 2 nights down. It will get better. It will get better. It will get better...

The Christmas Post...finally!

Ready for Solids???


We are home from a very nice Christmas week with family in Salt Lake. It is getting to the point in Michelle's development where something new and remarkable seems to happen every day. Each day she gets stronger, grabs more, interacts more, eats more...which brings me to the fact that we started experimenting with a rice cereal/ breast milk concoction. The biggest cue to her readiness for solids came one night when we went out for Chinese food and she grabbed a fortune cookie and shoved it in her mouth. The wrapper was on. She seems to be doing well with the rice cereal but unfortunately it didn't mean a better night's sleep. If you think all these milestones meant a restful week, you are shamefully mistaken. From the get go, Michelle decided she was NOT going to have anything to do with the portable crib at night. During the day, no problem, bring on the pack n play. "I will nap 'till the cows come home, but lay me down in that thing after the sun goes down and I WILL SCREAM like there's no tomorrow!" That is, of course, unless she was in bed with us, taking advantage of the of the all-you-can-eat buffet at the all night diner we call "Boob Cafe". There was no fooling this kid that she was NOT at home despite our best efforts to keep her on the usual sleep routine. And no, starting solids did not help. Not one bit!
So night after night, we suffered serious sleep deprivation. This was not serious enough however to keep us from taking advantage of baby-mongering Grandparents. Barry skied three days and I skied two. Cory and I skied together at Snowbird on Tuesday morning and hit the spa at the Cliff lodge in the afternoon. Barry and I even skied together on Christmas day. Yes, I also sing my songs of praise to the all mighty breast pump that made this all possible!
Christmas always brings out a little crazy, but for the most part, we left Salt Lake today already missing our family, the mountains and feel more determined than ever to get our asses back there where we belong! It will be a very interesting year.

Momma's Christmas baby!

Mmmmm. Wrapping paper. Best gift of all!

Grandpa lovin'.

Auntie Cory gets a nose job.

Kisses from Grandma.

'Tis the Season

Last weekend we went up to Auntie Tammy's to decorate the Christmas tree and do some serious Christmas baking. I haven't baked Christmas cookies in probably over 15 years. We baked some of my mom's favorites from back in the day: Almond Candy Cane cookies, Peanut butter cups, Christmas cut-outs (yes, there were a few R-rated Santas and elves!). I also tried out a recipe from our friend Sharon for Pumpkin Crunch Bars. I have slowly recovered this week from the vast quantities of refined sugar, butter, and red and green food coloring consumed over the weekend. Of course, Michelle got off her routine and bedtime was not easy for the first couple of nights back. But last night. LAST NIGHT....Michelle slept about 9 hours straight! She didn't even cry when she woke up this morning. I just heard her moving around, sucking her hands and was greeted by smiles when I went to Check on her at 5:30. We haven't had a night that good in 2 months!

Io is very proud of his Christmas tree.

Michelle would rather eat the ornaments. Mmmm teething mmmmm.



COOOOKIES! This is less than half of the iced cut-outs we did!

We topped off the weekend with a trip to Point Defiance zoo to see the "Zoo Lights" display. It was a wonderfully festive weekend. Now we get ready to head to Salt Lake on Saturday. I am pumping a reserve milk supply so I can hopefully take advantage of some Utah powder while willing Grandparents watch the baby!

Santa!

Yes, I think I could possibly have the cutest baby girl in the whole history of baby girls that ever lived! Doesn't every mom think that? Michelle had a little JC Penney photo shoot today for her "First Christmas" pictures and I have to say, I was very impressed with our photographer's ability to pull out those expressions! Clearly, we did NOT have that same photographer for the mall santa.