Well, we did it. We made the move to the "Big Boy Bed" and sharing a room with our big brother. I hate to tempt our fate, but knock on wood, this has been the easiest thing in the world. I dreaded it. I wasn't sure what would be worse: the move to a bed with no rails to confine him or keeping each other awake. Neither has been a problem. I had started trying to get them used to going to sleep together for a week or so by putting both boys to sleep together in Alden's room and then moving Spencer to his crib. One day, Spencer started crying and said, "I want to sleep with brother." So, I went and put him in the other twin bed. They took two hour naps. Night one, Spencer woke up at 3:30 and we found him crying in the middle of the floor, took about 10 minutes to get him back to sleep and that was that. He has been waking up earlier, everyday before six, but I think that will get better. Alden even sleeps through him getting up in the mornings although they pretty much nap the same length of time. We haven't had a whole night without a wake up/put back to bed once, but naps are seamless. I am going to count my blessings on this one. We are all a little sleeper than usual, but it is still so much better than I expected.
Mommy Confession: I admit that some nights when we are just too tired to get up and rock a two year old back to sleep in his own bed, he ends up in between us in ours. I am pretty sure this is not helping the "sleep through the night" again Spencer, but sometimes you do what you gotta do.
The other big move toward number three boy arriving is getting the new car. Yep, the minivan. Coolness factor = zero. Practical factor = solid ten. There is one thing about becoming a Mom of three, I just care more about the "magic doors" and the DVD player and the space and the Bluetooth iPod with voice command and then total surround of airbags and steel than I care about cool. This has made my life so much easier I cannot even say! As you can see, even though we do have movie watching rules, we have tried it out already. Hilarious because they were watching Go, Diego, Go with headphones. It is total silence (oh, the greatest perk of all) and all of a sudden we here in unison, "Vamos!" or "Rescue Pack." The other plus is that all I have to say is, "Let's go and ride in the minivan!" and they go running to the car and get in their seats. No more chasing them through the front yard and wrestling them physically into the car. They think the van is the greatest thing that has ever happened and Alden keeps asking us if we get to keep it. The only negative is that I have found I can't have the air conditioning on and actually hear Alden talking way in that very back seat. I spend a lot of time turning it on and off and talking a little louder than usual. I sort of miss him right behind me.
Mommy Confession: I have used the DVD player way more than I said that I would. I have broken my no DVD unless it is a long drive rule it to keep Spencer awake so he wouldn't fall asleep in the car and miss his nap at home. Does it count towards a good point that I only let them watch educational videos?
This is my favorite thing that has happened in a long time. The four inch rock. I have been having major stomach ligament pains, tired bones, and PT for my back due to the baby. When the diaper bag felt really heavy, I thought that I was just a wimpy and tired pregnant lady or had stuffed it too full of Thomas the Train and Star Wars sticker books, snacks, and diaper paraphernalia. Nope. It was a major, giant rock that Alden had given me as a souvenir from the park.
Mommy Confession: It took me a week to find the rock. Somehow, I am thinking that doesn't say much to how much attention I pay to the inside of a diaper bag.
This is a shout out to Daddy. He took the morning off from work to take Spencer to the opening of the new giraffe habitat at the zoo. Alden was in Mother's Day Out, so it was a pretty cool special treat for Spencer to get Mommy and Daddy all by himself. He got a new stuffed giraffe that he now sleeps with every night and, of course, a train ride. Afterwards, Mommy and Spencer had a special lunch date. Spencer ate his usual cheese. He won't eat the bread off of a cheese quesadilla or a grilled cheese. He pulls them apart carefully and picks the cheese out. I feel like The Very Hungry Caterpillar when I eat with him because I end up eating whatever is left on his plate. Something like: "On Monday, the Mommy ate her meal plus one half grilled cheese bread and cheetos; On Tuesday, the Mommy ate one barbecue salad plus some macaroni and cheese and apple juice; On Wednesday..." The only bad part is that I am having trouble craving the nice green leaf at the end of the story as much as the nice bowl of frozen yogurt.
Mommy Confession: I have convinced myself that calories from the boy's plates are perfectly free. I also admit to structuring meals sometimes because I know that they won't eat it all and I can have some (I blame pregnancy on that one). I find something to "celebrate" with a special treat more often than I should these days.
It only takes one time. One weak moment for Dad's Paleo diet, we went to get a milkshake at a local restaurant. Spencer never forgets a milkshake. Every time we eat there, that is the first thing he starts asking for at the door. I took the boys out to a special lunch one day. When the lady came to bring the waters, she also had a giant plate of dessert in the same hand. Spencer thought that she was bringing it to him. When it went to the next table, he thought the people had taken it from him. Big. Wet. Tears. Stolen dessert is probably the main topic of his baby nightmares.
Mommy Confession: In this photo, he was having a bad day. He woke up too early. He was tired and cranky. The waitress brought the milkshake before lunch. I was so tired of an unhappy two year old. There were people trying to eat above the screaming. So, he had a milkshake for lunch thereby giving Mommy a peaceful lunch. Please don't tell.
After naps every day, I have two tired boys trying to wake up. They want TV and a snack and that is what they get. We all cuddle up, usually together in the chair, and watch PBS or recorded Peppa Pig. Alden must have a blanket and Spencer must have his paci. Spencer has started figuring out that the Apple TV has on demand viewing which means it can be on his demand. He used to watch only what Alden requested (well, demanded), but now I hear, "I watch Apple TB (TB, not TV). I watch choo-choos."
Mommy Confession: Next to reading at bedtime, this is my favorite time of day. This is when I get to be the most important person in their world and all the hugs and cuddles and I love you's come out. No one fights and it is one giant love fest. Sometimes, the pediatric association's recommended TV watching time goes out the window when it is a catalyst for having both boys curled up in my lap with heads on my shoulders. As long as they sit there, I let them watch.
Confession time over. Sometimes, we just do things right and have fun. How in the world could we miss A Day Out with Thomas! I literally bought Zulilly outfits to only wear this one day because Spencer would be so thrilled. Looks like I see TWO smiles!
But this one was the biggest.
Gotta love my boys! I am so thankful for the Facebook posts lately telling me that I don't have to be the "perfect"Mom. Everything doesn't always go right, Joey thinks that if I start putting a dollar in a jar every time I say a word I shouldn't say in front of children one of the kids might go to a least a semester of college, I spoil them rotten even though I say that we won't get anything extra at Target besides what is on the list, I forget at least one thing a day I was supposed to do and to take back that little card they give me to claim my child at MDO, and frankly, I really just find it easier not to cook these days. Thankfully, it turns out that I am in good company with pretty much everyone else. Facebook is good for something. But I do love my boys and in the midst of all my confessions imperfections, we are still having a whole lot of fun . I think that in the end they will turn out okay even with too much mini van TV and milkshakes.
