52:15 Your First Week of Daycare

I Want to Remember 

Your First Week of Daycare
I want to remember your first week of daycare. I can't actually believe I am saying that! But you did amazing. You slept like a champ, drank full bottles every 3 hours and you even giggled a lot for Carol on day one. You are such a blessing and sweet baby - Carol says so too! I know you are in such safe hands with her and having Anniston there to watch over you too, somehow calms my heart a little more. I wish I could be home with you longer, but since I cannot, I am so blessed to have you in Carol's caring hands. 

So Much for Sleeping
I know I talk about sleep a lot. But man, has it been seriously lacking! Now that I am back at work, I think Amelia is missing me - at least that is what I have to tell myself anyways. She is no longer sleeping through the night. She is waking multiple times to eat, to coo, and to play. I swear she is more alert at 2:00am than she is a 4:00pm when I get home from work. Her big eyes just stare up at me like she is ready for a new day and ready for play.  I am tempted to just swaddled her again for one night of full sleep, but I don't think she would like that very much. So for now, I am just hoping that it is short lived and I am just reminding myself to enjoy every extra minute I can with this little one.

52:14 Going to the Zoo

I Want to Remember

Going to the Zoo

I want to remember going to the zoo. We went on the perfect day! We met your Auntie Jennifer, Mykah, Madi and Tobin. You were so happy and kept giving us smiles all day. You love laying in your stroller and looking up at the fun pattern. We even let you play in the splashpad for a little bit. Watching you take in the World is such an amazing experience. You seem in awe of it all. And I, am simply in awe of you Amelia Grace. 

52:13 Sleeping Without a Swaddle

I Want to Remember

Sleeping Without a Swaddle

I want to remember having you sleep without being swaddled. I am certain that this week was more an accomplishment for me, than it was you! See, I have this love/hate relationships with swaddle sacks. They work well. Way too well. They had both my babies sleeping through the night by 3 weeks. But, they are a hard habit to break down the road. And any mother that has done that transition knows what I am talking about. But lately, you've been seeming to fight the swaddle in the middle of the night. I would hear you rustling in your crib and look at you to see that you managed to have your little fist escape from the swaddle sack. So I thought I would see how you did without that little restraint. And, to my happy surprise, you slept just as well! I will admit, I had you sleeping in a swaddle transition called a Zippadee-Zip, so your hands still can't scratch your face. So technically, you're not fully free. But you seem very peaceful and content with your arms up at night.  Thank you Millie Grace. Thank you for being my carefree, easy-going girl. 

No Sleep for this Momma

So, like I stated before, Millie is sleeping through the night. Me on the other hand, not so much! My days are so busy, that I really never have time to sit down and just...think. Therefore, when I get in bed at night. I just lay there and think of EVERYTHING. 

I think about how I have to go back to work soon. 

I think about meals I need to make for the week. 

I think about when I should work out. 

I think about how I am never working out.

I think about my future students.  

I think about Anniston going to school. 

I think about how messy my house is.

I think about when I should clean the house. 

I think about projects I want to make. 

I think about triple checking to make sure the doors are locked. 

I think about transitioning Anniston to her big girl bed. 

I think about waking up to pump so I have more milk. 

I think about crap. 

Lots and lots of unnecessary crap. 

It's not normal.

Or maybe it is.  

Maybe this is part of being a mom. Worrying, thinking, planning and organizing all of the time. 

So much for beauty sleep....

52:12 Three Months Old

I Want to Remember

Check Out Anniston's Project 52:12 by Clicking Here
Anniston went on her first flight that week!

52:11 Discovering Your Hands

I Want to Remember

Discovering Your Hands

I want to remember you discovering your hands. You are such a happy baby and are easily soothed by being held, a song, a paci and now your hands. Your hands are your greatest toy and mommy's new life saver. Whenever you start to stir or seem restless, I simply touch your hands together and it's like you're discovering them again for the first time. You suck on them, try to find your thumb, and just rub them together. We are working on having you grab at toys. Anniston loves playing this game with you. But now, when you grab ahold of a toy to explore it, she doesn't understand why you won't share it back with her! So while you continue to discover your hands, Anniston is discovering that she needs to have some patience with you while you learn to share. 

Discovering Patience

To any two year old, patience is a foreign word. We have taught it to her and she even uses the phrase correctly. And she often tells Amelia to be patient. But a toddler actually practicing patience is a whole other expectation. Unfortunately for Anniston, I am expecting her to be patient a lot now. 

"Anniston I am feeding Amelia. Can you be patient."

"Anniston I am trying to get supper ready. Can you be patient?"

"Anniston I have to change Amelia's diaper. Can you be patient?"

"Anniston I have to get Amelia to sleep first. Can you be patient?" 

So it happened. The other day, while I was nursing Amelia, Anniston asked if she could go "play bubbles," I kept asking her to be patient while I finished. Then, she scowled at me, threw her entire body on the ground and yelled. 

"No! I don't wanna be patient!"

I wouldn't want to be patient anymore either. For the past two years, Anniston hasn't really had to practice being patient, because she was really our only focus. Don't get me wrong. She still gets lots of snuggles, lots of stories, lots of play time and lots of songs be sung. But now, she is expected to wait for things to be handed to her. She has to share our time. She has to wait for her food. She has to wait to go play outside. Practicing patience is a wonderful skill. I know that. But it just really isn't easy at all to practice patience. Especially when you just turned two.