It's a tough life ...

but some baby has to do it, right?

Ryan fell asleep while looking at the toys hanging above his play mat, the other day. And just a few minutes ago he drifted off while having his 'tummy time'. I know about the risks of kids sleeping on their tummies, but I am right here beside him and I have a firm 'let sleeping children lie' policy.

Oh, how wonderful it would be to sleep like, well, a baby!

WFMW - Great idea resources

This is the "Mum, I'm Bored" edition of WFMW. Thankfully, I haven't heard those words much yet (Naomi is still stuck in an "I want..." phase, which is driving me crazy).

Anyway, when I need to divert attention from crankiness, boredom, or simply pinching her baby brother's cheeks too hard (yep - he doesn't have *naturally* rosy cheeks, poor kid), I have a stock standard list of places to get easy ideas that can be done quickly.

Some great websites that I highly recommend:

http://www.huggies.com - yes, good old Huggies. I don't buy their product, and don't ever intend to. But their website is chock full of great activities, games and ideas for keeping young children entertained. Lots of templates to download and print off and simple hands-on activities that we can do with things we have in our craft box. You just have to sign up online (for free) and receive their junk emails (which I have directed straight into my spam).

http://www.starfall.com - this is a great site for very young children to learn their letters. Naomi (age 2) adores it - it is interactive, colourful and I like to think it is educational. I was put onto this site by Kara at Eskimo Kisses & Air Hugs.

http://www.handsonhomeschooling.com - This one isn't fee, but Terri has written curricula folders for children ages 2 to 5. I bought the one for 2 year olds. It is about 3 inches thick, and is chock full of wonderful fun ideas for activities that are also educational. It also includes devotionals and simple activities to teach little ones some Bible stories. I highly recommend it as money well spent, that will last for years.

For more ideas to keep children entertained, head over to We Are That Family.

Hungry sheep ...

We live in a suburban stree, but right on the edge of town. Two blocks over are the dairy cow paddocks. Naomi loves to see the cows, and we often walk along a public path, beside the fields. At the end of this path is a little acreage hobby farm - large vege patch, chicken run and, just this week, 2 new black sheep.

As we looked at the sheep, through the fence, I said "Look Naomi, the sheep are eating the grass."

She said "yes... must be hungry." Then she thought about it for a minute and said, "Sheep should have eaten more breakfast."

Which I say, on a regular basis... to the 2-year old. Not to the sheep.

Bliss is...

a long nap, on a warm afternoon.

A friend mentioned to me that she had read that children may sleep better when they are in the same room. I was a bit sceptical but the proof is in the pudding (or the snoring, in this case!). My cat-napper Naomi has been asleep for nearly 1 1/2 hours, without me lying on the bed with her (totally unheard of). Maybe the little snuffles and squeaks that Ryan makes are just enough to make her subconsciously believe I am there?

Whatever the reason, I am enjoying the peace and quiet!

Remembering and learning

Things I am remembering about newborns:

• Newborn nappies do NOT last through the night. I had definitely forgotten this one! It was quickly remembered, at 4am, with a saturated child, sleepsuit, blanket wrap and bassinet sheet!
• They take an awful lot of organising to go out with. I was so used to just throwing in a nappy, some snacks and a drink bottle for Naomi - we went out with just a tiny backpack for the 2 of us. Now I feel like I need a shopping trolley, and half an hour to pack it up, before we are prepared to go anywhere!
• They do not co-operate at all with the nappy changing process - quite the opposite, in fact. Trying to corral both tiny, flailing legs and handle a nappy, AND avoid the boy-style fountain is proving a logistical challenge. (Little boy fountains aren't just an urban myth!!)

Things I am learning about 2-year olds:

• Naomi has an amazing capacity for love. She has accepted and welcomed little Ryan with a full and open heart - he gets far more kisses than I do, from her! I was a bit worried about the total change of our family dynamic, and how it would effect Naomi.
• They are extremely curious -- what happens if I poke Ryan with this paint brush? Answer - Ryan just blinks, Mummy yells at me.
• A 2-year old will pick the most inopportune moment for everything - like announcing that she wants to wear "undies", (ie ditch her nappies), 2 days after I came home from hospital. At first I thought this was an attention thing. But to her credit, she is doing reasonably well (when I ask if she needs to go to the toilet every 15 minutes), and is very proud of herself when it all comes together!

We are doing as well as can be expected here. The house isn't a total disaster, and I seem to have more patience with Naomi now than I did when I was pregnant. Maybe this is because I am making a concerted effort to spend time with her, while Ryan is asleep.

And speaking of which, thus far Ryan has proved to be an angel with his sleeping habits. Long naps during the day, and good sleeping at night. The biggest problem is that he always falls asleep during a feed, and I can't rouse him enough to have the second side! He then wakes within an hour, for the other half! I change his nappy, tickle his face, shake his foot... Mum has suggested a quick swish with a wet washer to get him awake for the rest of a feed. Any other ideas?

The Terrible Transitions

Terrible two's?? Ha ha ha.... I laugh in the face of such things.... because we are stuck deep in the middle of what I have now termed the "Terrible Transition".

Naomi has never been the best sleeper. I used to call her the "39 minute wonder". But now we are stuck in a terrible groove that I can't se ehow to break her out of. The dilemma is... 1 nap or 2 per day??

She usually wakes sometime between 3.30am and 4.30am, for a feed, or if I don't feed her, for a cry. Then wake up for the day between 5.30 and 6am (depending on outcome of 3.30 wake up). Ready to crash again between 9 and 9.30 (latest). But only naps for maybe an hour, at the most. And then, she is ready for action. Mostly refuses an afternoon nap and by 4pm is collapsing with fatigue. Then she quite often has 30 - 40 minutes nap around 4.30pm, and wakes up sooooo grumpy that I have to carry her on my hip until dinner is ready, then quick bath and bed by 6.45pm.

The up side is that she then usually sleeps through till that 3.30am wake, because she is so exhausted.

The poor little mite is tired all the time, she is cranky, clingy and fussy. But if I try putting her down for a nap, she screams and screams and screams (you get the idea).

I have been trying to push the morning nap back towards lunch time, and hoping it will get a bit longer, but she just can't make it past about 9.30am, and the whole cycle starts again!

Does anyone have any ideas for transitioning from 2 sleeps to 1?? I am calling on all you experienced mummies out there.... HELP!!