If life had a pause button, I would have used it this morning. Charlie and I had one of those precious moments that I’ll spend lots of time recalling when he is a teenager. He was wearing only a diaper and I was in my pajamas, and we were snuggled in a chair together with a couple of his super soft baby blankets. For over half an hour we sat there, just enjoying each other. The TV was off and the house was silent except for the sound of Charlie crunching on Cheerios. Words cannot describe the joy I felt in holding him close to me and breathing in his scrumptious baby scent, kissing his soft hair, and watching him feed himself so easily when it was such a short time ago that he was just developing motor skills. Either he was in an extra cuddly mood or could sense that I was exploding with happiness – whatever it was, I am so thankful for those 30+ minutes that he let me enjoy having him in my arms.
….Said (by Charlie) in the span of a few minutes while jumping on the bed:
“I’m gonna have a little baby sister. And she’s gonna have a little baby daddy.”
“I’m just a little boy.”
“I’m just a growin’ up boy.”
“I’m ready to rock.”
NOTE: We are NOT NOT NOT NOT expecting. We do not discuss this with Charlie. He wants a little baby sister because his friend, Tommy, has a little baby sister. And Finley is so precious, how can he not want a little sister???
So I’m chatting on the phone with my mom, listening to how amazing and beautiful and incredible and perfect Hawaii is and what an awesome time they’re having, (green with envy), when I hear a little voice from the stairs say, “Hey, Mommy!”
Uh oh.
It is 1:33 p.m. Charlie should be asleep. Naptime started at 12:30 and usually lasts 2.5 to 3 hours. This means that he has accomplished two things today: climbing out of his crib and opening his bedroom door.
Sigh.
I’m so excited for him – he’s reached a big milestone! Soon he’ll be in a toddler bed! But I also feel exhausted thinking about how he’ll be exploring his newfound freedom and how we all might lose some sleep.
I can barely keep myself from laughing because of how cute he is, standing on the stairs and trying to figure out how this situation is going to unfold. My mom is DYING laughing over the phone and giving my dad details. So now she’s in paradise AND laughing at me. Hmph.
Before I do anything else, I must get a video of this! We rush upstairs and I capture him climbing out of bed for the second time.
I let Charlie come downstairs and watch TV for a little while because I can tell that he’s pretty excited and won’t go to sleep. Plus it gives me a little bit of time to think about how I’m going to handle getting him into bed: How am I going to handle this using Positive Discipline, and How can I get him to take a nap that I so desperately need he needs?
I don’t know what to do so I choose to wing it. Even if I have my mind set on how I will get him in bed and STAY in bed, I don’t know if he’ll go along with it. And I need this naptime!!! We watch TV for about half an hour, and then I ask him if he would rather go take a nap in my bed or his bed. I know he’s going to pick my bed, which might help me eventually get him into his bed after he doesn’t settle down. (Setting my child up for failure…definitely a Positive Discipline technique, right?)
As always, I’m right. (Right, honey?) He jumps on the bed nonstop while I tell him a couple of times that he needs to lie down and rest. After he gets up and starts jumping a third time, I inform him that it’s time to go to his bed for a nap because he isn’t resting on my bed. He is more than happy to cooperate and responds:
Charlie: Climb back out of bed! Me: No, bud. It’s naptime and we all need to rest right now, so I need for you to stay in bed. You don’t have to go to sleep, but it’s very important that you have some quiet time. Charlie: ‘Kay.
Yeah, right!!! I can see the mischief in his eyes before I even turn to leave the room. I walk out, close the door, and stand there. Immediately I hear movement and then a loud “THUMP!” Two seconds later he is opening his door. Surprise!!! He is completely shocked to see me standing there. It takes all of my strength to wipe a huge grin off my face. My child is SO CUTE!!!
Me: Charlie, you need to take a nap. It is time to rest and not time to climb out of bed. Charlie: ‘Kay.
Yeah, right!!! I park myself outside his door again and wait. Rustle, rustle, THUMP! He’s back at the door and looking even more surprised that I’m there a second time. I say the same thing and put him back in bed. The next time it happens, I say nothing and scoop him up and lay him down. Repeat 8 or 9 times. The final time, he is not happy but he stays put. Not even 3 minutes later he is fast asleep. Woohoo!
Since then he has stayed in his bed. We’re taking bets on how long that lasts.
While getting dressed:
Charlie: I’m CUTE!
John: Did somebody tell you that you’re cute?
Charlie: GrandMommy says I’m cute.
After supper, when it was nice and dark, we decided to take Charlie out to see some Christmas lights. There is a house near us whose owners have bedecked their yard and home with lights and decoration, and everything is coordinated with Christmas music from a radio station you tune into while in front of the house. (Note: For you LaGrangians, it’s not anywhere as impressive as the Foxcroft guy, but still pretty cool.) While there, a pick-up truck drove by, with Santa standing in the back yelling “Merry Christmas!” and throwing out candy. Following them and keeping them safe was a firetruck, with all its lights going, and a fireman saying “Merry Christmas” over the PA system. It was just awesome. Thanks to some raging PMS, (because I’m never very emotional, right?), I was overcome with tears of joy to see Charlie so excited – Christmas lights, music, Santa, and a FIRETRUCK!!! Children and parents were pouring out of their homes to see Santa and the firetruck…we saw one mom carrying a baby dressed in only a jacket and diaper! (The baby, not the mom.) It was one of those moments that will stick with us the rest of our lives.
On the way up to bed:
Charlie: Goodnight, Daddy! Goodnight, Mommy! Goodnight, Football!
Thanksgiving was truly wonderful this year! Although John loves huge, chaotic family gatherings, I prefer a more intimate and relaxing atmosphere, (not that either are better than the other, it’s just personal preference). We decided last year that we would alternate Thanksgiving holidays between his parents and mine, and it was my family’s turn this year. Some of the activities included:
Kitchen Nazi Mom’s amazing cooking
Lots of walks
Lots of laughter
Lots of coffee
Photo shoot
Decorating the Christmas tree (my annual job – I’ve been the lone Christmas tree decorator since middle school)
Football
and Plenty of entertainment from Charlie
Oh…and horseback riding on Gordon Street (LaGrangians understand the randomness of this. It’s a residential street in the middle of town.)
John and I went to dinner and a movie to celebrate 13 years together. Isn’t that amazing??? Our first date was on Thanksgiving Day, and we had to eat at Burger King because it was the only restaurant open. Then we went and saw The Preacher’s Wife. This year we saw New Moon. I’m DEFINITELY on Team Jacob now. )
I am so excited about this…my future sister-in-law, Andrea (aka Froo), asked me to help coordinate the wedding. How special is that?! I am all over it. Tyler and Froo are getting married at Camp Calvin, a Presbyterian camp for kids where they met and have been counselors (Ty) and Head of the Horse Barn (Froo) for several years. I’m sure there is a much more appropriate title than Head of the Horse Barn, but I am brain dead.
We stayed at LaFayette Garden Inn one night (I wish it were still the Ramadama) and it just happened to be the same place that Auburn’s football team was staying. John thoroughly enjoyed fantasizing about all the ways he could sabotage their sleep before the big Alabama/Auburn game, although he didn’t end up doing anything. I offered more than once to go buy shoe polish and toilet paper to decorate their buses, but he wouldn’t let me. It would have been so fun.
So that was our holiday. Good stuff. And there’s lots more good stuff to come!
I’ve been sick for over 2 weeks now and I’ve HAD. IT. It went from a cold to bronchitis, and I’m really ready to stop coughing up my lungs.
But I have some good things from today!
1. I got to sleep in, and when I got up at 10 a.m., I came downstairs to a CLEAN HOUSE. Charlie cleans so well!
2. John and Charlie went to a living history exhibit with some friends, and I got to curl up on the couch with some chinese food and catch up on Days of Our Lives, The Vampire Diaries and Fringe.
3. Charlie caught a ball for the first time! Not only that, within a few minutes, he was catching it from across the room.
4. My boys are watching the Bama game together…Charlie walked up to John and asked him to “nuggle together.”
I’ve had a miserable day until a few minutes ago. Charlie and I were having an epic battle a difference of opinions, when all of a sudden one of our favorite songs came on. We both immediately stopped pitching a fit disagreeing and ran into the living room to dance together. Now we’re happy and laughing and watching Blues Clues.
I stepped onto the scales today and was quite pleased to see that a milestone had been reached. I’ve lost 40 pounds since May, when I decided it was high time to do something about my weight. I’m still a good 40 pounds away from my goal, but it’s nice to know that I’m halfway there. Here’s a before and after picture:
Charlie (pointing at John): JOHN!
John: Is that my name?
Charlie: Yeah! John!
John: But what do you call me?
Charlie: DADDY!
John: What’s Mommy’s name?
Charlie (pointing at me): MOMMY!
)
