It’s time for a bit of an update. Things that seem totally normal in our life right now, but I know if I don’t write them down, I’ll forget them. And some of these are things I don’t want to forget.
First, let’s talk F and her sleep. SHE SLEEPS! The sleep consultant was completely worth it, and I’ve been recommending everyone I know who has kids to immediately get one. At bedtime we’re back to just laying her in her crib and walking away. That’s it. Some days she’ll happily sing to us over the baby monitor, and others she’ll just go straight to sleep. She’s sleeping 11.5 hours a night, which is slightly less than her siblings probably slept at this age, but I’ll take it. We’re not getting up in the night anymore, and she’s not waking at 4am. Naps seem to be fixed too. I’m sure that’s where a lot of my optimism has come from lately, because everything seems easier when we’re not all tired.
So when it comes to funny things that she might want in her crib, I’m willing to let her have it. E used to sleep with a wooden cow among other odd things, and I’m sure G had things too. So F requesting a book with her to bed didn’t seem like a big deal. We’ve come to realize, though, that she’s using it more for a teether than for reading.
I tried to swap it out for an actual teether, but apparently she’s become attached to this book. This particular book. So to bed she goes, every night with this book. And she chews on it until she falls asleep. Considering all my kids also chew on their cribs, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.
And honestly I’m happy when she’s biting something that isn’t a person, because that’s become a thing. We know it’s a phase, but it’s not a particularly fun one. It’s too bad, because her siblings are starting to really enjoy playing with her, but she seems to think the only tool she has to her advantage is biting, which is always a good way to halt play.
Lately I’ve been loving they way they all communicate with each other. Even though she’s speaking more and more (my favorites lately have been noooooo and ‘kay - either of which you’ll get if you ask her a question), the older two both have their own way of getting her attention and/or asking her to play. E will go up to her and say “Gah gah?” while G will use “Gee, Gee!” It’s hilarious and nonsensical, but they all seem to understand it. It gets her attention and she’ll start following them wherever they want to go.
They all do have pretty different interests right now. E is trying hard to keep up with what’s cool in Kindergarten, so he’s been talking about superheroes and soccer, neither one of which he understands. Everything still needs to be rainbows and sparkles, so it’s a fun hybrid.
G is also asking for rainbows and sparkles, but mostly he doesn’t know what he wants. He admitted that the other day as he was walking around his room and I asked him what he wanted to play with. If someone’s not telling him what to do and like, he really doesn’t know. He still loves his baa baas, stealing my hair, and food, but he doesn’t get obsessions as often as his brother.
And against all my efforts otherwise, F is really into baby dolls. Feeding them, carrying them around. We didn’t even give them to her - she found the discarded ones we tried to get her siblings to play with. I’ll continue to try and break stereotypes forever, but I also won’t take away what she enjoys.
I still wish life was a little more predictable. We had a snow day recently which meant 3 kids were home while two parents still needed to work. I feel like we’re in a never ending loop of that same story. Only made worse by the fact that we got less than two inches of snow… I know I keep waiting for an answer, but I think I probably just need to wait until everyone grows up a bit and then it won’t be a problem anymore?
