Sleep training

As I settle into being a single mom, I keep expecting things to fall into a pattern and us to get into a routine, but no such luck. Asher has been teething, and has finally broke his top teeth through (three of them), but is still waking 2-3 times a night. I've been getting up and giving him orajel, nursing, then putting him back down, but now that he isn't bursting any teeth, I feel the need to either let him cry it out, or try not nursing and just comforting when he wakes up. The long nights in combination with the late nights with Addie are really getting to me. She has discovered that she can get out of her room on her own, and as soon as she is laid down for nap or bedtime, she gets up and either starts making a complete disaster of her room, or pulling on the door till it opens. I've tried just going in and laying her back down over and over, but that takes seriously an hour or more. I know she's tired - she got up and came in my room at 6 this morning - but she just resists it because she knows she can get up and play. I really am at my wit's end with this girly. After three days of this, I thought she would get the hint. She finally fell asleep in front of her door last night around 10, and I had to push the door into her so she would move so I could put her in bed! Both of my kids hate sleeping, and all I want to do is sleep. :P We just got blinds installed yesterday and they block lots of light, which helped Asher a lot; he slept in AND fell asleep for his nap in just a few minutes. Addie on the other hand, seems completely unfazed, and just turns on her lamp.
In other news, I have started organizing the garage, and it is completely overwhelming. I know that most of it is just stuff that needs to be put away in the house, but since I haven't needed any of it, I'm tempted to just get rid of it all. I don't think I would miss it, but I know some of it Chris would miss, so I still have to go through it all. There are multiple charities that have pick ups in the neighborhood, so I will probably be putting all of the kids' old clothes and anything else I don't need out for that. Much easier than taking a load to Goodwill with the two babies.
Now... to clean, shower, or knit? Oh wait, I have to lay Addie down 47 more times, THEN I'll decide.

Day 17

It's been 17 days since my hubby left, and I think we are getting settled into a routine. Somewhat. I mean, we still can't go shopping without an epic breakdown or a babysitter, and most of our days are spent cleaning and organizing (which I would hope to kind of catch up on eventually, and only have to clean). The babies continue to grow, and I find myself not wanting them to. I want Asher to be the same when Chris gets back, not have a full set of teeth! It makes me sad, not excited, when Addie says a new word or expression, because Chris missed it. I'm constantly checking the computer for Chris to get online, and always thinking of things I could send him or writing him notes. My phone never leaves my side, and if it does, I freak out. So hopefully I don't keep doing this the whole time, and just settle down a bit. I've been getting all the bills figured out, and it's amazing how many there are when you own a house. I miss the days where I just had rent, electric, and our cell phones to pay.

4-27-11

One more night before Chris leaves. He's deploying to Iraq for 6 months, leaving in the morning (if you can call 1:30am morning). I pretend it's not that bad, that 6 months will go really fast, and I will be so busy I won't even miss him, and then he will be home in my arms, completely unchanged and safe, his babies will remember him and be as excited as I am to have him home, and readjustment will be a breeze. But I know that every one of those 189 nights when I go to bed alone, and try to fall asleep in the dark, I will be painfully lonely. He is my everything, I don't know how to function without him. He remembers peoples' names for me, runs the dishwasher when I haven't got a chance to in two days, makes me feel that the mundane tasks I do over and over are appreciated, tells me I am beautiful and that he loves me. I cannot imagine not feeling his arms around me for so long. I'm trying so hard to be strong, but all I want to do is cry.
We've been in our new house for over a week now, and it's starting to feel like home. The kitchen is organized, but everything else needs a little more work. Chris built me a planter box and brought my herbs over from the old house yesterday, and they look so pretty.
Was going to write more but it will have to wait. I'm off to clean before Chris gets back from his UDM meeting and final inspection of the old house.

4-11-11

Up late because I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to wake Chris up with my restless legs. He took some friends to the airport early this morning and didn't get a whole lot of sleep so I know he's really tired. Addison is sleeping with her crib converted to a toddler bed for the first time right now. Chris bought a fancy bed rail, and I went in to check on her and she was swinging her legs at the very end of the bed and definitely not sleeping. :) I laid her down and blankied her up, and didn't hear any more noises. Hopefully she didn't fall asleep on the floor! ;)
Tomorrow Chris is working a 9-5 shift, which is what he'll work until he starts his leave. He hasn't decided how much to take, but one of his bosses said to just take lots, so I'm hoping he will only work a few more days this week and then be done. I'm not looking forward to him leaving at all, and a little more time with him home will be nice.
We signed more papers today, and scanned them back to the loan people. We had docu-signed them, and they wanted "wet" signatures instead. Hopefully it doesn't hold up the process too much; we're hoping to get the keys Thursday or Friday! We will probably start moving the unnecessary stuff at first, and then pick a day when some friends can help to move everything else over. We still have to buy a fridge; I've been looking for a deal on craiglist or Travis yard sales. I can't decide if we should get a stainless steel one, which is what we want to eventually upgrade everything to anyways, or a black one to match the existing appliances. Chris emailed a yard designer for an estimated price on just a web design for our backyard, and we were shocked at the price! 800 to 1500 just for a design! So we will definitely be waiting on that portion of the improvements list. I've been trying to decide where I want things, but really cannot picture the bedrooms' layouts at all, which is frustrating.
I went through Addi's baby clothes today to pass them on to a friend who's expecting, and cried over her tiny preemie clothing. I decided I couldn't get rid of those little outfits, and Chris said she could use them for dolls later on. I also kept all her striped Old Navy one piece outfits that Chris loves, and of course all the knitted things I've made for her. All the other adorable outfits go to my friend. It was a lot harder to do than I thought it would be. We have pretty much decided that we're done having kids, which I'm totally ok with, but all those cutesy baby girl clothes made it more real, and I was really sad about getting rid of them! But I have to downsize for the move. We have probably half the storage space in the new house than we do here. I definitely need to get a Goodwill run ready. Asher has an enormous box of clothes he's grown out of, but I don't know if our other pregnant friend is having a girl or boy yet. I'll probably keep it until they find out, or have Chris ask if they are even interested. I love hand-me-downs, but I know most 1st time parents want their babies to have all new things!
I should probably try to go to sleep; Asher has been sick for 4 days now, and I'm really hoping tomorrow he's feeling better, because we are both worn out.

3-5-11

Couple of things today:
Yes, I'm going to actively blog, since Chris is leaving on deployment soon, and I need an outlet to remember my life with my babies, so that I do not feel that everyday is the same!
Also, we are moving soon! Should be signing loan papers TODAY and then in a week or two, we should be getting keys to our new house! I still can't believe Chris decided to do all this right before he leaves for six months, but I'm getting more excited about it, and less nervous. I will be off base, and I'm slightly scared about that, since on base just feels so secure. But it is just a few minutes away from base, and most of the neighborhood is probably military anyways. Hopefully I have some nice neighbors! We are still not sure if we will be able to get all the moving stuff done before Chris leaves on the 30th though, and that's scary! I want to be settled in and have a few days to enjoy our home and my husband before he leaves.
Anyways, our house is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home from the 70's that was bought as a foreclosure in Nov. of last year and completely flipped. Chris wants to buy, flip, and sell houses some day... The kitchen is all new, with pretty wood cabinets, granite counter tops, new black appliances, and linoleum, which Chris would like to replace with tile in the future. The whole house has new carpet, including the dining room, so I will have to find some kind of plastic mat to put under the high chairs; I think I will buy plastic from the craft store, the kind in the roll that could be used for table covers. It will be a lot cheaper than buying a roll-y chair mat from a office supply store, which is what I was going to do originally. The kids' bedrooms are good size, but the master might be kind of cramped. It has a sliding door out to the backyard, which is cool. The living room is an addition, and its enormous! I will probably divide it up into sections: tv section, kids toys section, maybe a table area? It has a large white cabinet in one corner as well. The laundry hook ups are in the garage, which I think is the only thing I don't like, but Chris wants to make a wall and turn that part of the garage into a room for tools on one side and laundry on the other. He also already got me a big piece of carpet to put in front of the washer and dryer.
That better be all for now, since Addison is probably naked and wetting her bed. She didn't wear backwards jammies last night, just Dora ones. lol

Two Babies

Asher Flynn Grewell was born on August 22nd, 2010, at 6:56 am, and weight 8 pounds 3 ounces, 21 inches long. He is my precious little man, and SO adorable! I cannot believe he is seven months old already.
Life with two children is chaotic and stressful, but rewarding and hilarious at the same time. Everyday I watch them grow and learn new things, and their antics always bring a smile to my face. I love seeing my babies interact with each other, and how they already seem to be planning something devious. Addie loves to feed her brother, but has recently thought sitting on his back and riding him like a horse is fun. Asher watches his big sissy with wide eyes and smiles, and he can't wait to walk and run like her. They both love to eat, bathe, and go for walks, but neither of them like grass on their skin, nap time, or whole vegetables. Addie loves to watch the Sprout channel on tv, and while I try to limit it, sometimes its nice that she will sit and watch for 20 minutes while Asher nurses.
I knit and crochet, for relief from the slightly monotonous schedule, and for sanity. Laundry is always catching up on me, rather than the other way around, and dishes are almost never done daily, but
Cleaning and scrubbing
can wait till tomorrow...
for babies grow up
we've learned to our sorrow...
So quiet down cobwebs-
dust go to sleep...
I'm rocking my baby
and babies don't keep!!