This is what happens...

at 10:30 a.m. when you don't sleep very well....you fall asleep sitting up on the couch.

Poor baby! Love her =)

That's all for tonight! The picture speaks louder than words!

Not in Balance- Unbalanced?

Wasn't sure how to phrase it...

Yesterday at school we did basically some therapy to destress,  We were given a box with sand, a popsicle stick, and some rocks.  We were to draw whatever we wanted in the box, share if we wanted to, and then let go of it and erase it.  Here is basically what I drew..

I am just feeling so out of balance lately.  I find myself not giving attention to things that I need to be giving attention to. Maybe it is the lack of sleep this week that is catching up to me but everything is feeling out of balance.  It is hard to balance being me, wife, mom, daughter, teacher, and friend.  I even tried keeping a to do this list week.  Well that about got thrown out on Tuesday cause it just got longer since no one was sleeping and there was no time to accomplish anything. 

But I think bedtime is what is making everything out of balance.  With Olivia not wanting to go to bed or me sitting with her until she falls asleep, sometimes takes up to 2 hours.  Usually at night is when I get some stuff done...this week I have been in bed very early and not getting anything done, which is making the list longer.  The nap and bedtime thing I don't want anyone to endure.  It is awful.  I don't want to travel nor do I want anyone to visit nor do I want to go anywhere.  Plain and simple. Until Olivia returns to going to bed on her own I just have to work through this basically on my own. Olivia and I will get through it...we have to...but we will make it. There are 3 more days of school until Winter Break.  During break I need to get the scale rebalanced.  I need time to "sharpen my saw" as we call it at school. Right now I just don't have the time nor the effort to entertain.

I saw this great quote above on one of my running groups I follow.  I have to say in the past 3 years or more I haven't  changed but I have found myself.  I have experienced and gone through a lot.  I have found who and what I was made of.  I have found things that I can and cannot do.  There are things that I have had to let go of and things to bring into my life. 

Just a lot on the plate at the moment.  I am always feeling pressed for time and in a hurry.  Right now there is not enough time to get everything I would like to get done and enjoy the holiday season.

Time for bed...and yes this was interrupted multiple times when writing it...so if it doesn't make sense you know the reason why.

NO NAP!

Well I hope Olivia is tired since she has been up since about 5:30 a.m.  I had all these great aspirations for this afternoon...well that got shot out the window! Since someone did not want to take a nap nothing really got done.  So Olivia and I had a very long afternoon which some mishaps occurred.  #1 She colored on the back of her Charlie Brown book while I literally took 30 seconds to go to the bathroom. #2 She insisted on having a different cup with a straw which resulted in getting completely wet down the front of her shirt.  But other than those 2 things we have survived a very long day.

I also probably did the worst thing any mom can do.  Olivia loves her Lamby like Linus loves his blanket.  Even though she gets washed quite often she is looking in bad shape.  I am afraid one day she is going to just fall apart and then the world would end.  So what does any smart mom do...get some spare Lambs! I found the same lambs on Amazon.  So now we have 2 spares! So I did the switcheroo today....and I think she could totally tell.  She wasn't all clingy with this new lamby.  I guess I thought I could fool her...I think she is smarter than we think.  I will try to get a picture tomorrow of old lamby and new. 

A Full Night of Rest

Wow! We all got a a FULL night of rest.  Granted I did give her a bit of Benadryl before bed but that is what the doctor told us to do.  Now tonight I did NOT give her anything...so we will see what happens.

Olivia and I ran some errands today.  First I took Olivia to get her bangs trimmed.  This time was much better and she did a great job! She even saw Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy on the wall and she was good after that.  Second, we went to the bank.  Third, we went to Target...Olivia's favorite place! She did really good and even said, "Excuse me" to people when we were trying to get through.  Finally we made it to Gymboree.  Olivia was very excited to see her friends.  She even kept saying the word friends.  She was sad that Ethan did not come today but she did see Griffin and she told him to "Watch out!" as they played on the slides.

We came home and did our usual routine.  As you can tell I am writing this early so she is asleep at the moment!

From yesterday...so cute in her jeans and she did not take the sticker off from the doctor ALL day!

Olivia dancing to the Hot Dog dance....Brendon forgot to tell her to move her arms!

Up ALL Night...no not the tv show

Well we were up all night! Olivia woke up around 11 pm and was up until about 5:45 a.m.  I was up with her from 11 until 1 something.  I tried to lay down and Brendon take a turn but I could still hear her crying.  I jumped out of bed when she started crying really hard about 4.  She was pretty sweaty even though we took her temperature a million times last night but no fever.  I ended up throwing her in the bathtub for a few minutes to cool her off which seemed to work.  I gave her some water and asked her if she was hungry and she said, "Muffins!" So she ate 4 mini-muffins at about 4:45.  She ended up falling asleep in her glider with me but then I got her in the crib about 5:45.  I on the other hand tried to sleep but then made sub plans.  I made the decision some where in the 4 o'clock hour that I was going to the doctor with her.  So then it was get up and shower time.

Olivia ate a little at breakfast.  She had some Cheerios and milk.  Then we went to the doctor.  We were originally supposed to see the nurse practitioner but when the doctor saw us she told the nurse that she wanted to see Olivia.  Olivia was really good for Dr. Morgan when she examined her.  The doctor said there was a little bit of fluid in her right ear.  She looked in her mouth and noticed all the teeth coming in and said most of this was probably caused by the teeth because everything else looked good.  She even said her lungs sound good so no inhalers!!!!!!! The doctor basically said to give Olivia ibprofen before bed.  Randomly she has been getting hives also.  At one point we thought she was allergic to Jake.  Well it happened while we were with the doctor and the doctor said she probably has contact dermatitis.  Just a reaction to things that touch her...could be soaps, etc.  The doctor noticed that where she got the red bumps was where she had her 2 fingers on her cheek.  So just something for us to watch. 

It is never a dull moment I tell you around here.  Now to get some sleep..........I am wishing and praying on that BIG TIME tonight!

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

No not saying that saying since it finally rained here.  They said on the news it hasn't rained since October 1st.  I can't remember so that may be correct!

But needless to say bedtime has still been frustrating- at least taking one hour to get her down.  Tonight was a bit better.  I am really trying not to be frustrated around her about it and being calm.  Last night I tried singing and then she requested songs.  So tonight I did not sing.  Instead she sang.  Olivia sang "Row, Row, Row your Boat" the whole way through.  From beginning to end.  I about busted into tears hearing her sing! It was so sweet and melted my heart.  I wish I could have taped her....I guess another time.  But it made all those times singing the song worth it!

Here is a craft we do every night when we turn on the Christmas Tree.

We put a cotton ball on Santa's beard every night until Christmas.  She even knows to get the glue and put one dot of glue. 

I tooted

Yes...I tooted...Yes I said it out loud for mommy and daddy to hear me.  Yes I said the words, "I tooted." I did not say Olivia tooted...I referred to myself as I.  This was the first time and mommy was so proud!

I woke up extra early today for mommy and daddy with a runny nose.  I told mommy I had a booger when she came in my room.  She tried to get me to go back to sleep but I was ready to be up.  We then went into mommy and daddy's bed and I watched some Sesame Street.  Then we just decided to get up and have breakfast.  Since I got up so early I took a morning nap.

After lunch we got ready and we went to a party.  I was a good girl except I colored on the peoples' window with a yellow crayon.  I was so proud of my circles though.  Mommy said she was embarrassed that I would do that.  Overall I was a good girl at the party.  I played with some cats.  I never saw a real cat before today and got to pet it and touch its tail. 

Then we came home and had dinner and played.  I did not want to go to bed again.  Mommy isn't understanding why I don't want to lay down.  Now that I have a runny nose again she thinks that is why.  She also thinks I may be getting another tooth or so she hopes. 

XOXO

Olivia