Yes, it was 4 months ago today we became an official family of three (well, five if you count the cats!). It is still a work in progress as we continue to find our routines. The "sleep experiment" was at Jaden's insistence last week, following Harper's unwillingness (okay, complete defiance) in going to bed. It all started with her wanting to wear a dress to bed. I had to put my foot down, right? With this kid, you do something once she will want it that way every time (case in point, I let her wear Jaden's three-sizes-too-big shoes to Target on the weekend, and now she wants to wear them everywhere...!). But I digress...So with Harper throwing a beautiful temper tantrum that night and I had to just walk away and let her come back downstairs, Jaden takes over and asks her if she wants to sleep in her room? Hmm, crying stops and she nods her head. I take my cue - will she put on her pajamas and then she can sleep in Jaden's room? Yes, she nods again. So at 10:15 pm I am in the garage unearthing the toddler bed and dragging it up the stairs with two "helpers!". Everyone was asleep by 11 pm - not really a parenting success story but possibly the start of a better routine. Tonight is night #5. It is still exciting for Harper to have all that freedom so it takes her quite a while to settle down and finally get her head to stay on her new toddler pillow (the result of the Target trip, along with new sheets for Jaden). And if you read the post where I had dragged a mattress into Harper's room, yep, now dragged into Jaden's room. Almost 2200 sq ft of house and we are all in 100 sq ft of room for part of the night. But I have only stayed in there if Harper cries out and seems restless. Last night was the best so far, and I may have dreamt her saying "ma". I try to get down the hall fast so Jaden does not wake up. I went into the room to wake them up this morning and Harper had a stuffed animal in each hand and was happily jumping on the mattress. A better routine? Will she start sleeping through the night on a regular basis (4 consecutive nights is still the US record)? Stay tuned...
All else is going good. The amount of homework for 3rd grade seems ridiculous and our weekday schedule revolves around ensuring Jaden's tutor can come to the house at least 1-2 nights/week. Harper and I do a lot of quality grocery shopping during the tutor time. Harper continues to learn words and puts them together. Her usual expressions are "I did it!" and "wait for me". She sings her version of A-B-Cs and can count some of the numbers to 10 when Jaden gets her going on a sequence. She still adores Jaden, and in the last two weeks, Jaden has totally softened to her and is so good and patient with her. Randomly she will say "Harper, hug" and they embrace. Even when Harper is being an obstinate 2 year old, Jaden will get upset, but I haven't heard "and why did we get a baby sister?" for quite a while now. I have read that you need to give the family dynamics at least 6 months to settle. That sounds about right....
Lots of pictures, not quite in chronological order.
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| Sep 30. Harper the shopper. |
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| Aug 25. After haircuts. |
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| Sep 8. Sharing the whip cream at the bottom of the cup. |
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| Sep 8. Lounging in friend's pool. |
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| Sep 24. J & H with G'ma, Aunt Lisa (visiting from MN), and Uncle Matt. |
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| Sep 24. First trip to the beach! A big thumbs up!! |
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| A raisin snack before bed. |
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| Aug 18. Special delivery! |
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| Afternoon after Night #2 of the "sleep experiment". Poor Jaden! |
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Yesterday at local pumpkin patch. Harper was doing silly scrunched
up faces for all the pictures! (It was 90 degrees and hot!)
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