K is 5 1/2 months old, or exactly 24 weeks 3 days old! Do you know what this means? Wonder Week 26 is upon us. If you know anything about the wonder weeks, they are developmental growth spurts or "leaps". It's when they developmentally something changes in their world and they are about to learn new things. This one is called "The World of Relationships". According to the book I have "The Wonder Weeks" by Hetty van de Rijt Ph.D and Frans Plooij Ph.D all wonder weeks have a few things in common, when your baby growth through a leap, they can tend to be more fussy, clingy, cry more, sleep less, or sleep more, their feeding may be off (increased or decreased), less or more vocal, more shy etc. People often times are thrown off by their baby's sudden mood changes. It can be VERY frustrating. But when you know what is going on, it REALLY helps because then you know your baby is just going through a rough patch and it WILL get better. You know it's not you. You know they aren't sick either. This wonder week is where they learn more about distances between one thing and another. I think this is why the separation anxiety is a BIG deal during this wonder week. Suddenly K know when I've left the room and cries loudly. She knows when someone takes her from mommy and moves away where she can't see me. She wants to be near me. All the time. She wants me holding her, or keeping her busy. She gets bored easily too. Some days are better than others.
On top of that, there is the teething. K has had off and on teething symptoms now for a few months. I bought a Baltic Amber necklace from Inspired by Finn hoping it would help her teething symptoms. I think she was going through wonder week 19 at the time and suddenly it got better, right before I received the necklace. I think her teething symptoms went away too so I couldn't tell for sure if the necklace was helping or not because their was enough other changes that I wasn't sure. BUT she is having teething symptoms again and it DOES seem better this time around than last bout of teething symptoms. She isn't refusing to nurse like before. THAT was super frustrating. She is still drooling a ton and chewing on things, but generally ok, other than not wanting me to put her down or leave her for any amount of time.
The other issue we are having is eczema. She had one teeny tiny spot of it on her chest at her 4 month mark. I asked her pedi about it and he said it was numullar eczema which I'd already figured out but he verified it. He said there wasn't anything to do for it, no reason to be concerned. Um, yeah... it's gotten worse. The teeny tiny spot that was the size of a pencil eraser grew to the size of a quarter or a bit larger. It got more red too. Then she developed a spot on her arm, then one on her bottom. I started using coconut oil on it and FINALLY it started getting better. It is not all gone though. In fact she has MORE spots. She has one on her neck and I am pretty sure she has it across her nose, teeny tiny rashy bumps. Maybe that's why she constantly rubs her nose and then gets aggravated. Then yesterday she developed this awful looking spot on her upper leg/thigh in her diaper area. It is somewhat better but still there and awful looking.
I really am trying to figure out what is going on, whether it is diet related, or environmental. I have some eczema on my hands too, it is very mild and I have had it before in the winter but not like hers. She is 100% breastfed but I have read that eczema could be related to a dairy sensitivity and I may need to cut out dairy.
I also read about Hazelwood necklaces helping. I think I might try one of those to see if it helps in the mean time.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Thursday, February 03, 2011
wake up to a new world
K is almost 20 weeks old. She is a 4 1/2 months old. We have been going through Wonder Week 19 the last few weeks. I didn't realize it at first till I started reading in the book I got for Christmas about the Wonder Weeks. For the last couple of weeks, probably weeks 17-19 she has been alot more clingy, with mood swings, happy one minute, laughing, then crying the next.
She has definitely gained new skills. She is more aware of her world and the people in it. She smiles, laughs, coos, babbles and makes many faces. She has found her hands, then her feet. She doesn't want to sit "still" in our laps and arches to get down (don't know where she thinks she'll go!). Her naps have gotten better though. She still sleeps in the swing, but her morning nap is almost always 1 1/2 hrs or 2-3 hrs! After helping her get through that 45 minute hurdle in the morning, by holding her arms still when she would go jolting through light sleep, for several weeks she was able to do it all by herself. I spent many mornings waiting for that 38-45 minute time window, sitting by her swing, then holding her arms through the jolts. She was swaddled still, but the light pressure of my hands on her arms/tummy helped her through somehow. The rest of her naps are variable. Sometimes she'll take a 45 minute nap mid day, then a long one in the afternoon, other times she'll take several 45 minute naps throughout the day. Either way , if she can have one GOOD morning nap she does tremendously better.
She does ok at night though. I rock her to sleep, nursing her. Then rock till she is in deep sleep, past 45 minutes, then lay her down and she is fine for 3-4 hours. She usually wakes up between 1 and 3 am. I then nurse her back to sleep and bring her into bed with me where she'll sleep till 7 or 8 am.
She has definitely gained new skills. She is more aware of her world and the people in it. She smiles, laughs, coos, babbles and makes many faces. She has found her hands, then her feet. She doesn't want to sit "still" in our laps and arches to get down (don't know where she thinks she'll go!). Her naps have gotten better though. She still sleeps in the swing, but her morning nap is almost always 1 1/2 hrs or 2-3 hrs! After helping her get through that 45 minute hurdle in the morning, by holding her arms still when she would go jolting through light sleep, for several weeks she was able to do it all by herself. I spent many mornings waiting for that 38-45 minute time window, sitting by her swing, then holding her arms through the jolts. She was swaddled still, but the light pressure of my hands on her arms/tummy helped her through somehow. The rest of her naps are variable. Sometimes she'll take a 45 minute nap mid day, then a long one in the afternoon, other times she'll take several 45 minute naps throughout the day. Either way , if she can have one GOOD morning nap she does tremendously better.
She does ok at night though. I rock her to sleep, nursing her. Then rock till she is in deep sleep, past 45 minutes, then lay her down and she is fine for 3-4 hours. She usually wakes up between 1 and 3 am. I then nurse her back to sleep and bring her into bed with me where she'll sleep till 7 or 8 am.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
sleep regression at 3 months
Naps were going great, she was taking 1 1/2 - 2 hr naps, sometimes fully in her swing, sometimes half the nap in her bed and half in her swing. Suddenly at 11 weeks she started waking at 45 minutes, EVERY nap! It has been frustrating to say the least but after lots of forum reading and research I guess this is pretty common around 12 weeks or so. Sometimes it last several weeks but as far as everyone who has already been through it, says, it WILL get better. I sure hope so.
She wakes up at 45 minutes crying, sometimes 30 minutes, then won't go back to sleep. Sometimes I can tell she is tired but she won't sleep any more. She'll fuss and cry and just be ready to get up and come out and sit with me. She'll eat but isn't necessarily always hungry. After 2 times of this, I can tell she is getting REALLY tired, and sometimes she'll take one good nap of the day. Sometimes it's the morning, sometimes the afternoon.
Before she would always take a longer nap in the swing, now she wakes at 45 minutes even in the swing. It is hit or miss when it comes to switching her from the bed to the swing, sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. I think all this comes because of the 12 week wonder week developmental leap. I say this because of what I've read but also because she suddenly seems so much more aware of her surroundings and my DH and I. When I go in to get her, she kicks her legs and grins really big. She tries to laugh sometimes when we smile at her. She looks around, and coos, chews her hands, blows spit bubbles constantly and is doing so much better holding her head up.
She has also started refusing the bottle again, which I read is not unusual at this age, especially when a baby has had a rough time adapting to the bottle in the first place. We tried every shape of nipple and she finally took the rubber playtex drop ins nipple and would take this successfully from me, my DH and MIL, but now suddenly this has all stopped. I tried everything with no luck. She is too smart, she knows it's not real, she wants the REAL thing!
So this is the challenging 12 week phase. hopefully things will get easier soon.
She wakes up at 45 minutes crying, sometimes 30 minutes, then won't go back to sleep. Sometimes I can tell she is tired but she won't sleep any more. She'll fuss and cry and just be ready to get up and come out and sit with me. She'll eat but isn't necessarily always hungry. After 2 times of this, I can tell she is getting REALLY tired, and sometimes she'll take one good nap of the day. Sometimes it's the morning, sometimes the afternoon.
Before she would always take a longer nap in the swing, now she wakes at 45 minutes even in the swing. It is hit or miss when it comes to switching her from the bed to the swing, sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. I think all this comes because of the 12 week wonder week developmental leap. I say this because of what I've read but also because she suddenly seems so much more aware of her surroundings and my DH and I. When I go in to get her, she kicks her legs and grins really big. She tries to laugh sometimes when we smile at her. She looks around, and coos, chews her hands, blows spit bubbles constantly and is doing so much better holding her head up.
She has also started refusing the bottle again, which I read is not unusual at this age, especially when a baby has had a rough time adapting to the bottle in the first place. We tried every shape of nipple and she finally took the rubber playtex drop ins nipple and would take this successfully from me, my DH and MIL, but now suddenly this has all stopped. I tried everything with no luck. She is too smart, she knows it's not real, she wants the REAL thing!
So this is the challenging 12 week phase. hopefully things will get easier soon.
Monday, November 29, 2010
small successes....
So over the past week, I have resorted to swing sleeping for my baby, but eventually that has led to BETTER naps ! Amazing! My little girl was having trouble going to sleep for naps and STAYING asleep. She would go to sleep and then wake up at 45 minutes into her nap so I started putting her in the swing to finish out her nap. I moved the swing into her room so it would be dark and put on some soft nature music that will repeat throughout her nap. She also was having trouble going to sleep in her bed. I'd rock, soothe, nurse and put her down, then 10 minutes later she'd wake up and cry and I'd have to go back in and rock her or hold her again. It's like she just wanted held. She didn't really need to nurse , she just liked being in my arms. So over the Thanksgiving holiday my tactic became, rock her, nurse her, get her sleepy,swaddle her, stick her in the swing right away, turn it on, turn on the soft music, go out and let her sleep. This WORKED! She slept her whole nap several times. There were a few times that were frustrating that she still woke up in the swing and cried and then I'd get her out and try feeding her.
On Thanksgiving day she got over tired and by the time we left (we only stayed 3 1/2 hours) she had only slept 1/2 hour in my arms, and was cranky and tired and it was time for the next cycle. But instead of keeping her up, (she had nursed off and on at grandma's house so I wasn't worried about her being hungry). I rocked her, swaddled her and put her in the swing and let her sleep for a LONG time. I added up how much sleep she'd missed and how much she still needed at this nap and I let her sleep 3 hours! she slept soundly and then woke up happy and cheerful! :) :)
Gradually over the weekend, Maybe Saturday, or Sunday, I started trying to lay her in the bed to sleep instead of the swing, if she woke up and fussed and cried I would again stick her straight away in the swing and let her finish her nap instead of trying to get her to go back to sleep in her bed which just usually frustrates her more and wakes her up more. Sunday...success!! I don't know if it will last or not, but so far so good...
Sunday, for her first nap, I went and took a shower and told my husband to put her in the swing if she woke up. He said she did and so he put her in the swing where she finished her nap. The 2nd time around, she slept 2 hours in her bed withOUT waking up at all!
The next nap, my parents had come to visit so I couldn't really go in her room and rock her for her nap, so I put her straight away in the swing when she was fussy and tired and she went right to sleep and slept 2 hours again. When her swing stopped she didn't even wake up. The last nap, she slept in her bed again and did not wake up.
The best thing about it all, is that when I finish rocking her and nursing her, lay her in the bed and wrap her up, she fusses just a tiny bit, with her eyes closed , mind you! Tosses her head back and forth, kicks her legs a little and goes on to sleep!! WOW!
I'm not sure what helped this change, but things have changed and I hope they stay this way!
Today she's gone down for both naps just fine without much fussing and went to sleep. This last go round, she even had her eyes open while I was swaddling her, and I wondered if she'd really go to sleep or not, but I thought, I'll go out and just see and go back in if she fusses. She is SOUND asleep! WHOO HOO!!
Sooo.... things can and will get better! Sometimes it just takes time. Sometimes you just have to take a break and do things the easy way for a while, let your little one catch up on some sleep and start over trying to do things gradually.
Nighttime is another matter. She woke up 3 times last night. I think she has this little alarm clock in her head that goes off at 2:30 or 3am that says "wake up now!" Because she habitually does but then when I try to nurse her it will only last maybe 5 minutes and she's back to sleep. But then around 5 or 6 she is really hungry and does wake up for real. Only last night she woke up at 4:40 then again at 7 am. But I'm hoping that just as things gradually get better in the day, so will the night.
Most nights are better than this. Several nights she only woke up once around 2 or 3 and then again at 6 and that was all. I can handle that much better than 3 x plus the early morning waking.
Happy with the small successes.
On Thanksgiving day she got over tired and by the time we left (we only stayed 3 1/2 hours) she had only slept 1/2 hour in my arms, and was cranky and tired and it was time for the next cycle. But instead of keeping her up, (she had nursed off and on at grandma's house so I wasn't worried about her being hungry). I rocked her, swaddled her and put her in the swing and let her sleep for a LONG time. I added up how much sleep she'd missed and how much she still needed at this nap and I let her sleep 3 hours! she slept soundly and then woke up happy and cheerful! :) :)
Gradually over the weekend, Maybe Saturday, or Sunday, I started trying to lay her in the bed to sleep instead of the swing, if she woke up and fussed and cried I would again stick her straight away in the swing and let her finish her nap instead of trying to get her to go back to sleep in her bed which just usually frustrates her more and wakes her up more. Sunday...success!! I don't know if it will last or not, but so far so good...
Sunday, for her first nap, I went and took a shower and told my husband to put her in the swing if she woke up. He said she did and so he put her in the swing where she finished her nap. The 2nd time around, she slept 2 hours in her bed withOUT waking up at all!
The next nap, my parents had come to visit so I couldn't really go in her room and rock her for her nap, so I put her straight away in the swing when she was fussy and tired and she went right to sleep and slept 2 hours again. When her swing stopped she didn't even wake up. The last nap, she slept in her bed again and did not wake up.
The best thing about it all, is that when I finish rocking her and nursing her, lay her in the bed and wrap her up, she fusses just a tiny bit, with her eyes closed , mind you! Tosses her head back and forth, kicks her legs a little and goes on to sleep!! WOW!
I'm not sure what helped this change, but things have changed and I hope they stay this way!
Today she's gone down for both naps just fine without much fussing and went to sleep. This last go round, she even had her eyes open while I was swaddling her, and I wondered if she'd really go to sleep or not, but I thought, I'll go out and just see and go back in if she fusses. She is SOUND asleep! WHOO HOO!!
Sooo.... things can and will get better! Sometimes it just takes time. Sometimes you just have to take a break and do things the easy way for a while, let your little one catch up on some sleep and start over trying to do things gradually.
Nighttime is another matter. She woke up 3 times last night. I think she has this little alarm clock in her head that goes off at 2:30 or 3am that says "wake up now!" Because she habitually does but then when I try to nurse her it will only last maybe 5 minutes and she's back to sleep. But then around 5 or 6 she is really hungry and does wake up for real. Only last night she woke up at 4:40 then again at 7 am. But I'm hoping that just as things gradually get better in the day, so will the night.
Most nights are better than this. Several nights she only woke up once around 2 or 3 and then again at 6 and that was all. I can handle that much better than 3 x plus the early morning waking.
Happy with the small successes.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
baby sleep
Well, it's obviously been a while since I wrote. I think I am going to start back up again. Only I decided I really want to blog about my journey as a mommy. Right now, what is on my mind is getting my baby to establish good sleep habits.
Just to preface this new time in my life, let me say... I am now a mom. My daughter is 9 1/2 weeks old right now. She is the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen, but then again I am biased. She had a full head of dark hair when she was born and still does. I can still remember my life before her but can not imagine not having her in my life in the future.
Before I had my daughter I read this book called "Babywise". Some people may have heard of it. Others might not have. I naively believed that if I followed this book my baby would start sleeping through the night in record time and I would be well rested and my baby do everything it was supposed to just like the book said. HAHAHAHAHA.... well, now I realize that life is not like that. You can't just read a book and expect your baby to operate like clockwork. My baby is not a machine. She is an individual with her own needs and wants and personality and quirks, etc. My baby has not read Babywise. She doesn't know that she is supposed to sleep when it is naptime. She doesn't realize that she should eat when she wakes up and not again till after the next nap...BUT she does know when she's hungry, she knows when she's tired, she knows when she's happy. Like my pediatrician told me, babies know what they need. You need to listen to your baby. When I was in the hospital and then shortly there after, I could not fathom how any resemblance of a schedule was going to work with my daughter as she slept ALL the time and if I did not wake to feed her she wouldn't wake up. She hardly had any wake time and she woke up multiple times during the night to eat. ... Well, at about 3 weeks old things started changing. I noticed that she spent a little more time awake and aware after she was fed. I decided maybe a schedule of sorts "might" work. I would just ease into it. If she was hungry sooner I'd feed her. But I'd let her guide me into the schedule. Wake up, feed her, let her have a little wake time, when she was sleepy put her to bed, then repeat the schedule. If she slept too long I'd wake her up so that she wouldn't go more than 3 hrs between feedings. This seemed to work and we started falling into a "routine" of sorts. I could never keep consistent times. Partly because we never got up in the morning at the same time. Over time, things got better. We started getting up about 7 or 7:30 and this really helped the day become more consistent but I still never had "set" times that I fed her, it was more of a repeating 3 hour routine, feed, waketime, sleep, repeat.
Then at some point I started nursing her before I put her down for sleep. I can't remember how this started exactly. It seems like maybe she wouldn't settle one day and seemed hungry so I fed her right before I put her down and she settled down. This became a once in a while thing, then gradually became our norm. I don't think she fully relies on it even now, but she does seem to calm right down and get drowsy quicker if I let her nurse a little. Sometimes she is actually drinking alot, but usually I can tell she's just sucking to soothe herself. I should add, she won't take a pacifier. She only took one in the hospital for the few days we were there, then never again. I don't know why. I really never pushed it on her because they said not to because of nipple confusion. Maybe that's why she won't take it. But I know she definitely uses me as her pacifier at times.
My sister encouraged me to stop nursing her to sleep. I told her it was only a once in a while thing and that I really didn't see the need to stop that she didn't rely on it to go to sleep. I still believe she doesn't rely on it, but she certainly does go to sleep quicker. I read several articles that said it is just fine, babies eventually grow out of this. Especially if you can put them down and they go to sleep just fine. Which she does.
My daughter is now 9 1/2 weeks old. She was doing really well for naps. I had used a method of gradually getting her to sleep , we'd do a rocking/nursing routine, then lay her down swaddled and then if she cried or fussed I'd go back every few minutes to calm her and shush her and gradually she hardly needed this at all, then not at all. She'd go right to sleep. Suddenly it seems she's regressed. She had her first shots last week. I don't know if this has any effect or not. She slept on my lap all evening after her shots. She was miserable, crying, moaning and whining in her sleep. She wouldn't eat, she'd wake up and cry and kick her legs and cry all the harder, then pass out and go to sleep again. So the next day she was back to normal, but I did take it easy on her and we were off schedule. Several times over the weekend we had gone out and she didn't get the sleep she needed. She would fall asleep and then wake up with the noise of people and places. So I don't know if this is all part of the downward spiral or not.
Now I lay her down in light sleep and she acts like she'll sleep, then wakes anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes later, crying and kicking. If I pick her up, she nestles in my arm and calms right down. She doesn't want nursed, or rocked, she just wants held. So ... Is my baby now addicted to sleeping my arms? Is she just at a weird phase because of her age? A few people said maybe it is her age, being more aware of her surroundings. I think maybe both. She is very very aware, she smiles, coos and looks around alot. When I rock her to sleep, sometimes even when she is tired, she'll just lay there and smile and grin and coo at me then get really sleepy, her eyes drifting closed. I think she also just likes being held and doesn't want put down.
So today I tried soothing her, putting her down with some soft music and she went to sleep for about 10 minutes then woke up crying again. I went in and picked her up and did it again, and she slept another few minutes this time a little longer. This last time, I moved the swing into her room and when she woke up I cradled her and then put her in the swing and turned it on. I left her upper body wrapped but strapped her in. I know she'll sleep like this because when she wakes out of a nap early and isn't hungry but just won't go back to sleep, I have put her in her swing for the rest of her nap and it works great. I just didn't want to rely on it for naps. But after yesterday, I would rather have her sleep than get over tired. Yesterday , for almost an hour she fought sleep. She'd get drowsy, sleep a little, I'd put her down, she'd wake up, we did this for almost an hour, by then she was fussy. So I put her in the swing for another half hour and she slept.
I just don't know what to do sometimes. I feel like I am doing something wrong. I will NOT do cry it out. I feel it is un-kind, and in humane. My baby cries to communicate, why would I ignore her and let her fall asleep alone feeling like her mommy doesn't care to come to her when she calls out. I won't do this to her.
I am reading the No Cry Sleep Solution and going to try this method. I am going to work on my sleep logs and write out a sleep solution/routine. We'll see how it goes. I will blog about it here. She says to stick to your plan for 10 days then evaluate it. So that is what I'll do.
Before actually making my sleep solution, my goals are this...
1. Help my daughter to go to sleep and stay asleep at naps so that she can be well rested and when she has brief awakenings she'll be able to go right back to sleep on her own, easily.
2. Help my daughter go to sleep at nap times without much help other than a nap time routine
3. Help my daughter sleep through the night.
Just to preface this new time in my life, let me say... I am now a mom. My daughter is 9 1/2 weeks old right now. She is the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen, but then again I am biased. She had a full head of dark hair when she was born and still does. I can still remember my life before her but can not imagine not having her in my life in the future.
Before I had my daughter I read this book called "Babywise". Some people may have heard of it. Others might not have. I naively believed that if I followed this book my baby would start sleeping through the night in record time and I would be well rested and my baby do everything it was supposed to just like the book said. HAHAHAHAHA.... well, now I realize that life is not like that. You can't just read a book and expect your baby to operate like clockwork. My baby is not a machine. She is an individual with her own needs and wants and personality and quirks, etc. My baby has not read Babywise. She doesn't know that she is supposed to sleep when it is naptime. She doesn't realize that she should eat when she wakes up and not again till after the next nap...BUT she does know when she's hungry, she knows when she's tired, she knows when she's happy. Like my pediatrician told me, babies know what they need. You need to listen to your baby. When I was in the hospital and then shortly there after, I could not fathom how any resemblance of a schedule was going to work with my daughter as she slept ALL the time and if I did not wake to feed her she wouldn't wake up. She hardly had any wake time and she woke up multiple times during the night to eat. ... Well, at about 3 weeks old things started changing. I noticed that she spent a little more time awake and aware after she was fed. I decided maybe a schedule of sorts "might" work. I would just ease into it. If she was hungry sooner I'd feed her. But I'd let her guide me into the schedule. Wake up, feed her, let her have a little wake time, when she was sleepy put her to bed, then repeat the schedule. If she slept too long I'd wake her up so that she wouldn't go more than 3 hrs between feedings. This seemed to work and we started falling into a "routine" of sorts. I could never keep consistent times. Partly because we never got up in the morning at the same time. Over time, things got better. We started getting up about 7 or 7:30 and this really helped the day become more consistent but I still never had "set" times that I fed her, it was more of a repeating 3 hour routine, feed, waketime, sleep, repeat.
Then at some point I started nursing her before I put her down for sleep. I can't remember how this started exactly. It seems like maybe she wouldn't settle one day and seemed hungry so I fed her right before I put her down and she settled down. This became a once in a while thing, then gradually became our norm. I don't think she fully relies on it even now, but she does seem to calm right down and get drowsy quicker if I let her nurse a little. Sometimes she is actually drinking alot, but usually I can tell she's just sucking to soothe herself. I should add, she won't take a pacifier. She only took one in the hospital for the few days we were there, then never again. I don't know why. I really never pushed it on her because they said not to because of nipple confusion. Maybe that's why she won't take it. But I know she definitely uses me as her pacifier at times.
My sister encouraged me to stop nursing her to sleep. I told her it was only a once in a while thing and that I really didn't see the need to stop that she didn't rely on it to go to sleep. I still believe she doesn't rely on it, but she certainly does go to sleep quicker. I read several articles that said it is just fine, babies eventually grow out of this. Especially if you can put them down and they go to sleep just fine. Which she does.
My daughter is now 9 1/2 weeks old. She was doing really well for naps. I had used a method of gradually getting her to sleep , we'd do a rocking/nursing routine, then lay her down swaddled and then if she cried or fussed I'd go back every few minutes to calm her and shush her and gradually she hardly needed this at all, then not at all. She'd go right to sleep. Suddenly it seems she's regressed. She had her first shots last week. I don't know if this has any effect or not. She slept on my lap all evening after her shots. She was miserable, crying, moaning and whining in her sleep. She wouldn't eat, she'd wake up and cry and kick her legs and cry all the harder, then pass out and go to sleep again. So the next day she was back to normal, but I did take it easy on her and we were off schedule. Several times over the weekend we had gone out and she didn't get the sleep she needed. She would fall asleep and then wake up with the noise of people and places. So I don't know if this is all part of the downward spiral or not.
Now I lay her down in light sleep and she acts like she'll sleep, then wakes anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes later, crying and kicking. If I pick her up, she nestles in my arm and calms right down. She doesn't want nursed, or rocked, she just wants held. So ... Is my baby now addicted to sleeping my arms? Is she just at a weird phase because of her age? A few people said maybe it is her age, being more aware of her surroundings. I think maybe both. She is very very aware, she smiles, coos and looks around alot. When I rock her to sleep, sometimes even when she is tired, she'll just lay there and smile and grin and coo at me then get really sleepy, her eyes drifting closed. I think she also just likes being held and doesn't want put down.
So today I tried soothing her, putting her down with some soft music and she went to sleep for about 10 minutes then woke up crying again. I went in and picked her up and did it again, and she slept another few minutes this time a little longer. This last time, I moved the swing into her room and when she woke up I cradled her and then put her in the swing and turned it on. I left her upper body wrapped but strapped her in. I know she'll sleep like this because when she wakes out of a nap early and isn't hungry but just won't go back to sleep, I have put her in her swing for the rest of her nap and it works great. I just didn't want to rely on it for naps. But after yesterday, I would rather have her sleep than get over tired. Yesterday , for almost an hour she fought sleep. She'd get drowsy, sleep a little, I'd put her down, she'd wake up, we did this for almost an hour, by then she was fussy. So I put her in the swing for another half hour and she slept.
I just don't know what to do sometimes. I feel like I am doing something wrong. I will NOT do cry it out. I feel it is un-kind, and in humane. My baby cries to communicate, why would I ignore her and let her fall asleep alone feeling like her mommy doesn't care to come to her when she calls out. I won't do this to her.
I am reading the No Cry Sleep Solution and going to try this method. I am going to work on my sleep logs and write out a sleep solution/routine. We'll see how it goes. I will blog about it here. She says to stick to your plan for 10 days then evaluate it. So that is what I'll do.
Before actually making my sleep solution, my goals are this...
1. Help my daughter to go to sleep and stay asleep at naps so that she can be well rested and when she has brief awakenings she'll be able to go right back to sleep on her own, easily.
2. Help my daughter go to sleep at nap times without much help other than a nap time routine
3. Help my daughter sleep through the night.
Monday, November 03, 2008
2008
2008 is almost over but here are a few poinent things to remember...
Ryan and I have been married for 4 years now.
All the girls I worked with have left and after 2 years I have seniority at my job... ugh
I realized I really don't want to be a CMA for the rest of my life.
I decided I am going to be a children's writer and illustrator.
Nov 2nd gas was 1.99$ (it was 3.99 this summer)
The temp was in the 70's Nov 3rd.
My sister has gotten engaged and is getting married next year.
I am almost 27.
I have more "friends" now than I probably have ever had in my life, but I still don't have many.
Somehow, the seasons are more vivid as I get older. Fall is beautiful this year.
Ryan and I have been married for 4 years now.
All the girls I worked with have left and after 2 years I have seniority at my job... ugh
I realized I really don't want to be a CMA for the rest of my life.
I decided I am going to be a children's writer and illustrator.
Nov 2nd gas was 1.99$ (it was 3.99 this summer)
The temp was in the 70's Nov 3rd.
My sister has gotten engaged and is getting married next year.
I am almost 27.
I have more "friends" now than I probably have ever had in my life, but I still don't have many.
Somehow, the seasons are more vivid as I get older. Fall is beautiful this year.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
memories of December
my family came over friday the 22nd for a holiday/birthday get together this year. We had appetizers, fruit, cheese, sausage, crackers, and cake and ice cream. This year I had an angel food cake with strawberries and vanilla bean ice cream. I opened gifts, in which I received Lost on Dvd, a cool Charles Wysocki puzzle, a fuzzy calico stuffed cat, some earings, and a bird house. All of which were really cool and I loved. Then we played Pictionary!
Saturday the 23rd we lounged around and do a whole lot. I made food ahead of time for Christmas. We went to the Christmas service at church at 5:30 and had a good time. I had wanted to go to a movie on my birthday but because the movie I wanted to see was not on, on my birthday we decided to go to a late showing of Casino Royale after church at 9:50. Casino Royale was VERY good, and Daniel Craig who played the new James Bond, I must say is very HOT and a very good James Bond. It was also a very good story line. Both Ryan and I liked this movie.
Sunday Dec 24th, was my birthday. I turned 25. We slept in and lounged around some more. Then we had pancakes and maple syrup with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Ryan played a happy birthday song on the stereo for me, by Ronnie Millsap. I had never heard it but it was sweet, and we danced to the music. Later we went out for supper and had Fazolis. I opened my birthday gifts, which were a stuffed, cute penguin, a bird feeder I had wanted and another Charles Wysocki puzzle.
We went to ME's Zoo later to see it all lit up with lights, paid to go in and fed the animals. Feeding the bears was fun, I'd put a piece of dried bread food down their tube, tinkle, tinkle tinkle, plop, you'd hear the food go down the tube, the bear would put out its paw to stop the bread as it came out the end, then with a flick of his tongue it would be gone. The other bear was not so lucky, the bread got stuck in his tube, and he stuck his nose in to smell for it. Then after looking at it a while he picked up the end of the tube and clanked it loudly over and over on the concrete till the bread fell out.
I love the little goats, with their mwaaaa mwaaa. There was one who rammed over and over the shed in their pen, with its horns. There was a baby so small the bread chunks were too huge for it to eat. We saw Omar the camel, who looked like his fur was a rug falling apart. I fed a bread chunk to a beautiful white swan in the near dark pond. She had to soak the bread in water several times to be able to finally swallow it. I also fed some bread to a hideous pot bellied pig who reminded me of my friend Jill who used to have a pet pot bellied pig.
When we got home we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.
On Christmas we got up and opened our gifts, got ready and went to Ryan's parents house. We had a decent meal with my parents and his parents and grandparents and great aunt, then we all opened gifts together and then lounged around for a while before going home. Ryan and I watched the rest of Charlie Brown, and talked about Christmas before going to bed....
That was my holiday memories...
Saturday the 23rd we lounged around and do a whole lot. I made food ahead of time for Christmas. We went to the Christmas service at church at 5:30 and had a good time. I had wanted to go to a movie on my birthday but because the movie I wanted to see was not on, on my birthday we decided to go to a late showing of Casino Royale after church at 9:50. Casino Royale was VERY good, and Daniel Craig who played the new James Bond, I must say is very HOT and a very good James Bond. It was also a very good story line. Both Ryan and I liked this movie.
Sunday Dec 24th, was my birthday. I turned 25. We slept in and lounged around some more. Then we had pancakes and maple syrup with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Ryan played a happy birthday song on the stereo for me, by Ronnie Millsap. I had never heard it but it was sweet, and we danced to the music. Later we went out for supper and had Fazolis. I opened my birthday gifts, which were a stuffed, cute penguin, a bird feeder I had wanted and another Charles Wysocki puzzle.
We went to ME's Zoo later to see it all lit up with lights, paid to go in and fed the animals. Feeding the bears was fun, I'd put a piece of dried bread food down their tube, tinkle, tinkle tinkle, plop, you'd hear the food go down the tube, the bear would put out its paw to stop the bread as it came out the end, then with a flick of his tongue it would be gone. The other bear was not so lucky, the bread got stuck in his tube, and he stuck his nose in to smell for it. Then after looking at it a while he picked up the end of the tube and clanked it loudly over and over on the concrete till the bread fell out.
I love the little goats, with their mwaaaa mwaaa. There was one who rammed over and over the shed in their pen, with its horns. There was a baby so small the bread chunks were too huge for it to eat. We saw Omar the camel, who looked like his fur was a rug falling apart. I fed a bread chunk to a beautiful white swan in the near dark pond. She had to soak the bread in water several times to be able to finally swallow it. I also fed some bread to a hideous pot bellied pig who reminded me of my friend Jill who used to have a pet pot bellied pig.
When we got home we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.
On Christmas we got up and opened our gifts, got ready and went to Ryan's parents house. We had a decent meal with my parents and his parents and grandparents and great aunt, then we all opened gifts together and then lounged around for a while before going home. Ryan and I watched the rest of Charlie Brown, and talked about Christmas before going to bed....
That was my holiday memories...
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
grandpa's voice
I just called my grandma in Iowa. She was not home but her answering machine picked up. My grandpa's voice is on the answering machine. My grandpa passed away 3 years ago in November. I haven't heard his voice in along time. I was suprised she had not changed the message. I'm glad she didn't.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Christmas comes too soon
I passed my CMA exam and am now a certified medical assistant.
I have worked for 5 months and really enjoy what I do.
I have learned to do IM injections, sort of fun but most scarey. I get sort of panicky when I have to do injections, but I am getting better at it.
We went to Liz and Ben's wedding, it was a very beautiful wedding. At the wedding we sat at the same table as Liz and Matt Carder. It was so GOOD to see them, we miss them so much, not just Matt as a pastor but Matt and Liz as our friends and as really good people, that make our church part of what it is.
The leaves are gone, the trees are mostly bare, and the plants our dead, despite all this our grass is still green! We have a nice carpet of green grass all around our house but that is mostly the only green thing.
Thanksgiving was good, but Thanksgiving break was even better, it was so nice to have a 4 day weekend and spend time with Ryan, set up our tree, talk a long time, stay up late, watch some movies, sleep in late, eat pancakes for breakfast and take walk in the almost 60 degree weather before the sunset.
I was so NOT in the mood for christmas when we started setting up the tree. Ryan had to get the tree out of the storage room by himself and I really didn't want to do all the setup because I didn't feel in the mood at all. We turned on Christmas music and decorated the tree together.
I feel alittle more excited for Christmas, but I still don't want it to come too soon or it will be over, I want to enjoy the getting ready, the fall into winter, shopping and Christmas music first.
Still its too soon,... its 28 days till Christmas..
I have worked for 5 months and really enjoy what I do.
I have learned to do IM injections, sort of fun but most scarey. I get sort of panicky when I have to do injections, but I am getting better at it.
We went to Liz and Ben's wedding, it was a very beautiful wedding. At the wedding we sat at the same table as Liz and Matt Carder. It was so GOOD to see them, we miss them so much, not just Matt as a pastor but Matt and Liz as our friends and as really good people, that make our church part of what it is.
The leaves are gone, the trees are mostly bare, and the plants our dead, despite all this our grass is still green! We have a nice carpet of green grass all around our house but that is mostly the only green thing.
Thanksgiving was good, but Thanksgiving break was even better, it was so nice to have a 4 day weekend and spend time with Ryan, set up our tree, talk a long time, stay up late, watch some movies, sleep in late, eat pancakes for breakfast and take walk in the almost 60 degree weather before the sunset.
I was so NOT in the mood for christmas when we started setting up the tree. Ryan had to get the tree out of the storage room by himself and I really didn't want to do all the setup because I didn't feel in the mood at all. We turned on Christmas music and decorated the tree together.
I feel alittle more excited for Christmas, but I still don't want it to come too soon or it will be over, I want to enjoy the getting ready, the fall into winter, shopping and Christmas music first.
Still its too soon,... its 28 days till Christmas..
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
summer into fall
Its been a few months since I last posted anything.
I have been working hard at my new job, trying to learn as much as I can, do my best, and show them I can do it ( and maybe prove to myself that I can do this) I feel like that I have adjusted much quicker than I first thought I would. My first two weeks on the job were SO overwhelming, stressful and frustrating. I couldn't remember alot things and felt like there was so much to learn and remember it would take me a year to just be comfortable. I still learn something new each day but already I feel comfortable with most things at work. I am usually assigned to and helping one of the nurse practitioners or the midwife everyday. I really like it, and the time usually goes fast. I feel like I haven't had near as much time to get things done at home since I started working but Ryan has helped out immensly. Not many husbands would do that. He will start dinner if he knows what we are having, pretty much he always does the laundry and we both cooperate to clean the house every now and then.
I have not found out if I have passed my certification exam yet. They said it would take 12 weeks before we'd know (which I think is a rediculous amount of time). I hope like crazy that I passed! I guess I'll know soon enough.
I have been taking note of the seasons and the changes during the summer. We finished landscaping around the house and I have enjoyed watching my flowers and plants come into bloom. The corn is tall and has brown tassles now, and I am noticing the corn stalks are turning brown. Small hints of fall are here. Its Aug 30th and summer is not officially over but there have been many small yellow leaves on the ground as well as hints of color on some of the bushes and trees. Its sad in a way yet exciting to see changes of each season. I feel like somehow I have been more aware of the different things in nature, enjoyed nature more this summer. The hints of green in the spring, the full green of the trees and grass in June and July and now the darker green/brown of the trees with hints of yellow on a few leaves here and there. The tassles of the corn, the earlier evenings, the smell of the crisp morning air. The black and white cows trying to push and shove for a space under the shade of a large tree, the old rusty windmill, smell in the woods after it rains. I LOVE noticing the sites, sounds and smells of nature. I only wish that I could soak up more of nature and enjoy all the time. But I guess thats what makes me savor it now is that I know it changes so quickly and I can't enjoy it all the time.
The evenings end way to soon when you work...you have supper, get ready for work the next day, maybe clean alittle, or watch some tv, then go to bed and before you know it you're starting all over. I dont know how people work full time and raise kids. Well... its off to get ready for work and start all over...
I have been working hard at my new job, trying to learn as much as I can, do my best, and show them I can do it ( and maybe prove to myself that I can do this) I feel like that I have adjusted much quicker than I first thought I would. My first two weeks on the job were SO overwhelming, stressful and frustrating. I couldn't remember alot things and felt like there was so much to learn and remember it would take me a year to just be comfortable. I still learn something new each day but already I feel comfortable with most things at work. I am usually assigned to and helping one of the nurse practitioners or the midwife everyday. I really like it, and the time usually goes fast. I feel like I haven't had near as much time to get things done at home since I started working but Ryan has helped out immensly. Not many husbands would do that. He will start dinner if he knows what we are having, pretty much he always does the laundry and we both cooperate to clean the house every now and then.
I have not found out if I have passed my certification exam yet. They said it would take 12 weeks before we'd know (which I think is a rediculous amount of time). I hope like crazy that I passed! I guess I'll know soon enough.
I have been taking note of the seasons and the changes during the summer. We finished landscaping around the house and I have enjoyed watching my flowers and plants come into bloom. The corn is tall and has brown tassles now, and I am noticing the corn stalks are turning brown. Small hints of fall are here. Its Aug 30th and summer is not officially over but there have been many small yellow leaves on the ground as well as hints of color on some of the bushes and trees. Its sad in a way yet exciting to see changes of each season. I feel like somehow I have been more aware of the different things in nature, enjoyed nature more this summer. The hints of green in the spring, the full green of the trees and grass in June and July and now the darker green/brown of the trees with hints of yellow on a few leaves here and there. The tassles of the corn, the earlier evenings, the smell of the crisp morning air. The black and white cows trying to push and shove for a space under the shade of a large tree, the old rusty windmill, smell in the woods after it rains. I LOVE noticing the sites, sounds and smells of nature. I only wish that I could soak up more of nature and enjoy all the time. But I guess thats what makes me savor it now is that I know it changes so quickly and I can't enjoy it all the time.
The evenings end way to soon when you work...you have supper, get ready for work the next day, maybe clean alittle, or watch some tv, then go to bed and before you know it you're starting all over. I dont know how people work full time and raise kids. Well... its off to get ready for work and start all over...
Sunday, June 18, 2006
new phase....
I have been meaning to post this for a while now.. I am entering a new phase in life. I have full time job now, that I am starting the 20th of this month. Its kind of scary because I will actually be doing what I have been studying to do for quite a while now. I will be a medical assistant at a women's clinic, an OB/GYN office. The people seem really nice and the office is really nice. I know I will do good, as always, and everyone keeps saying I will do fine, but its still scary to know its for real... hoping that I do things right, don't mess up and look stupid or look like I don't know what I'm doing. I don't want to look like I learned nothing in college. I am also studying to pass my CMA exam this coming Saturday. I will get a raise if I become certified, also I want to be certified, it seems silly to take the test and not pass after all I put into school. So it feels like alot of pressure.
I am also not sure I "want" to adjust to life as a full time worker!!! I am so used to the college scedule of classes and varied work times and being able to get up when I want (depending on the semester) that to me it seems so strict and rigid to get up EVERY morning at the same time and work till 5 or 6 every day. Sometimes I feel I am giving up alot, free afternoons, late mornings, etc. And maybe in a way I am but its not really that bad. During my externships it was tough at first but I got used to it, and this time because it is for real, its for real, but I also won't have to constantly be studying for a test or an assignment. The evenings and weekends will be mine, not schools. I will be SOOOO relieved once I take my CMA exam and pass. Its a 4 hour 300 question test over almost everything I have studied.
Tomorrow is my 2 year anniversary with Ryan. It doesn't seem like we've been married 2 years. In some ways, to me, it seems longer, while at the same time it seems like we were just getting married! So much has happened since then. I am glad I am married to such a wonderful man that loves me so much. I know he drives me crazy sometimes, but more than anything I would miss him so much if he was not in my life. My life has changed for the better with him in it. I feel like I have a partner in life, and no matter what happens, that as long as we have each things will be ok. All my life I longed for this person, that would understand me and that I could talk with and share my heart with, and in Ryan, I know completely that I have found that.
This year is sort of a year of change I think. As I start my new full-time job, Ryan and I will be both working. I have a new nephew, that is a big change for my sister, and my family :) My father is trying to work toward a new career. My mother and sister are working toward building a business of massage therapy. Hopefully, in the future, after working for a few years maybe Ryan and I can start a family of our own...
So... this is a new phase... of life...
I am also not sure I "want" to adjust to life as a full time worker!!! I am so used to the college scedule of classes and varied work times and being able to get up when I want (depending on the semester) that to me it seems so strict and rigid to get up EVERY morning at the same time and work till 5 or 6 every day. Sometimes I feel I am giving up alot, free afternoons, late mornings, etc. And maybe in a way I am but its not really that bad. During my externships it was tough at first but I got used to it, and this time because it is for real, its for real, but I also won't have to constantly be studying for a test or an assignment. The evenings and weekends will be mine, not schools. I will be SOOOO relieved once I take my CMA exam and pass. Its a 4 hour 300 question test over almost everything I have studied.
Tomorrow is my 2 year anniversary with Ryan. It doesn't seem like we've been married 2 years. In some ways, to me, it seems longer, while at the same time it seems like we were just getting married! So much has happened since then. I am glad I am married to such a wonderful man that loves me so much. I know he drives me crazy sometimes, but more than anything I would miss him so much if he was not in my life. My life has changed for the better with him in it. I feel like I have a partner in life, and no matter what happens, that as long as we have each things will be ok. All my life I longed for this person, that would understand me and that I could talk with and share my heart with, and in Ryan, I know completely that I have found that.
This year is sort of a year of change I think. As I start my new full-time job, Ryan and I will be both working. I have a new nephew, that is a big change for my sister, and my family :) My father is trying to work toward a new career. My mother and sister are working toward building a business of massage therapy. Hopefully, in the future, after working for a few years maybe Ryan and I can start a family of our own...
So... this is a new phase... of life...
Friday, May 12, 2006
happy graduation!!!
May 11, 2006 I graduated at Emen's Auditorium from Ivy Tech Community College.
Next to my wedding day it was probably was one of the most memorable days of my life. Since I was homeschooled I didn't really have the traditional graduation and dind't know what it was like to walk across the stage and be really nervous but excited at the same time.
It was a really neat experience, the gathering in the hall in alphabetical order and waiting for almost an hour with hundreds of other girls and guys in black caps and gowns, people complaining how their caps pinched their heads or where so loose they used 12 bobby pins to keep them in place, walking down the aisle to the stage and seeing my family smiling at me and looking very proud (I almost slowed the lined down waving to them!!), then sitting for L-O-N-G time waiting for my turn to walk across the stage, finally getting to the stairs of the stage and knowing my turn was next, with my heart pounding so hard..., then walking across the stage trying not to look at the thousands of people filling the auditorium, smiling for the photographer while I shook Dr Domiko's hand, shaking a line of important people's hands who congratulated me, then seeing my husband right after I got off stage and reaching out to touch his hand, then getting to sit back and feel releaved that I didn't have to be nervous anymore and realizing it all went WAY too fast, then walking out of the auditorium with hundreds of class mates only to realize that it was mass CAOS outside and it would be like finding a needle in a haystack to try and find anyone I knew... Standing on the cement ledge feeling lost looking for at least one member of my family, then finally finding my husband!!, then sitting for like 20 minutes in the parking garage waiting for traffic to move because we were at the top of the garage!!! yikes, then seeing my family at my house for concannons cake and icecream, opening gifts, playing my graduation piano for my family, telling them all goodbye at the end of the night, realizing that all the most important parts of the night went WAY too fast and the boring parts (like waiting for hundreds of other students to walk ) went way to SLOW, then going to bed holding my husbands hand and feeling happy...
So that was my graduation day.. I graduated with honors with an Associate in Applied Science degree as a Medical Assistant.
I know I couldn't have done it without my family's support, they have really been there for me throughout it all. I owe it to them and God.
Next to my wedding day it was probably was one of the most memorable days of my life. Since I was homeschooled I didn't really have the traditional graduation and dind't know what it was like to walk across the stage and be really nervous but excited at the same time.
It was a really neat experience, the gathering in the hall in alphabetical order and waiting for almost an hour with hundreds of other girls and guys in black caps and gowns, people complaining how their caps pinched their heads or where so loose they used 12 bobby pins to keep them in place, walking down the aisle to the stage and seeing my family smiling at me and looking very proud (I almost slowed the lined down waving to them!!), then sitting for L-O-N-G time waiting for my turn to walk across the stage, finally getting to the stairs of the stage and knowing my turn was next, with my heart pounding so hard..., then walking across the stage trying not to look at the thousands of people filling the auditorium, smiling for the photographer while I shook Dr Domiko's hand, shaking a line of important people's hands who congratulated me, then seeing my husband right after I got off stage and reaching out to touch his hand, then getting to sit back and feel releaved that I didn't have to be nervous anymore and realizing it all went WAY too fast, then walking out of the auditorium with hundreds of class mates only to realize that it was mass CAOS outside and it would be like finding a needle in a haystack to try and find anyone I knew... Standing on the cement ledge feeling lost looking for at least one member of my family, then finally finding my husband!!, then sitting for like 20 minutes in the parking garage waiting for traffic to move because we were at the top of the garage!!! yikes, then seeing my family at my house for concannons cake and icecream, opening gifts, playing my graduation piano for my family, telling them all goodbye at the end of the night, realizing that all the most important parts of the night went WAY too fast and the boring parts (like waiting for hundreds of other students to walk ) went way to SLOW, then going to bed holding my husbands hand and feeling happy...
So that was my graduation day.. I graduated with honors with an Associate in Applied Science degree as a Medical Assistant.
I know I couldn't have done it without my family's support, they have really been there for me throughout it all. I owe it to them and God.
Monday, May 01, 2006
a joyous day....
Thursday morning at 3:56 am a precious little boy was born. He has dark hair and his mommy's nose, and big feet. His name is Ethan Nathanael Josiah
He is my new nephew, which makes me Aunt Natalie! I am taking my job as Aunt very seriously. I know I want to be close to my nephew and be a big part of his life unlike alot of my aunts and uncles.
Grandpa and Grandma Henry (I can call them that now, even though they are my parents) are so proud, especially Grandpa I think... :)
Jessica and baby Ethan are doing great. Probably still a little tired, but doing well.
It seems spring has is fully here now and summer is starting to sneak in. I was really enjoying all the trees and blooms and now most of the flowering trees are almost done blooming. Our woods is FULL of green. You used to be able to see our house from the highway but not anymore.
I will post a picture of a beautiful pink flowering tree in our woods. Its stuck back among about 10 thorn trees on a hill. I have no idea what kind it is, but its beautiful.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
in the back woods.....
I decided to start a blog here because I feel like I can't completely share the blog I have on journal space. I want to be able to get to know other bloggers that go to my church and I thought this might be another way to do that. I have never really been that good at blogging, journaling etc. I tend to write down to much random stuff I do instead of things I am pondering or things that are actually interesting....
If you are wondinger what "brown house in the big woods" means, its sort of a spin off of a book title I read when I was younger, "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I always like those stories, and now finally I have my own house in the big woods. Only I can't exactly say "little house", it would have to be "Big house in the Big woods" and that just didn't have the same ring to it. So since my house is brown I decided to go with that.
We are trying to start up some landscaping. We have sooo many plans for our home and area that it seems like it will take forever. When you go up our long winding drive there is a small trickling stream on one side that will one day trickle over rocks and make little water falls. On the other side of the drive is a big hill that goes up to the house. We are clearing out the underbrush, dead trees and mess to make it look more inviting. Then around the house we want to landscape and build a deck. All of this is just dreams, but that is what my husband and I are spending our evenings and weekends planning right now since the weather is warm.
I LOVE spring! I have started noting each new little thing that appears during spring. I started this last year. I note the first day I see green in our woods. This is always on the small underbrush among the trees. About a week later, the tree leaves start budding. This year the green underbrush started coming out on April 1st, the day after our first really warm day. April 13th is when the leaf buds started emerging.
We have a few red buds mixed in our woods, precisely about 5 or 6. They add this purple touch to the emerging leaf colors.
Enough rambling.....
I hope this blog will be the start of something interesting....
If you are wondinger what "brown house in the big woods" means, its sort of a spin off of a book title I read when I was younger, "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I always like those stories, and now finally I have my own house in the big woods. Only I can't exactly say "little house", it would have to be "Big house in the Big woods" and that just didn't have the same ring to it. So since my house is brown I decided to go with that.
We are trying to start up some landscaping. We have sooo many plans for our home and area that it seems like it will take forever. When you go up our long winding drive there is a small trickling stream on one side that will one day trickle over rocks and make little water falls. On the other side of the drive is a big hill that goes up to the house. We are clearing out the underbrush, dead trees and mess to make it look more inviting. Then around the house we want to landscape and build a deck. All of this is just dreams, but that is what my husband and I are spending our evenings and weekends planning right now since the weather is warm.
I LOVE spring! I have started noting each new little thing that appears during spring. I started this last year. I note the first day I see green in our woods. This is always on the small underbrush among the trees. About a week later, the tree leaves start budding. This year the green underbrush started coming out on April 1st, the day after our first really warm day. April 13th is when the leaf buds started emerging.
We have a few red buds mixed in our woods, precisely about 5 or 6. They add this purple touch to the emerging leaf colors.
Enough rambling.....
I hope this blog will be the start of something interesting....
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