Randoms.

We started sleeping training/cry it out with Claire on the 26th with the first nap of the day. We took the pacifier away (which was used only for naps and bed). The first day we didn't do a full cry it out but rather we would go in and pat for a minute or two and leave. The first nap she cried about thirty minutes then fell asleep. The second nap she cried around ten minutes and fell asleep. The first night she fell asleep no problem but was up in an hour crying. I think it took her about thirty min to fall back asleep. She then woke at 1230 and went back to sleep and then at 3 and I think she cried anywhere from 1.5 to two hours even with us going in and checking. Yesterday we started the full cry it out where we do not go in and check or comfort. Yesterday naps were better and last night was amazing. She went down at 615, woke at 8 and cried for about a half hour. She then woke at 1230 but didn't cry, just made a few noises and put herself back to sleep, same again at 230, and didn't fully wake until 5am! That is That's 8.5 hours of not waking and crying! That is an amazing feat considering she was waking every hour! Well this morning she woke up sick with some kind of cold so I'm not sure what will happen tonight and I'm sure we will lose some ground with the sleep training. I refuse to give the pacifier back but we may have to go in and comfort and check. For example, right now I am listening to wailing, which breaks my heart. I have to remember this is for her own good in the long run as well as my mental stability. 

Claire has always loved taking a bath. We have always used the puj tub, which has been pictured in previous blogs. This week I picked her up a seat for the tub so she can bathe with big sister. Ella has been beside herself with excitement since I got the seat. Tonight the girls finally got to take their first full bath together.

Helpin a sista out

A few of my favorite Christmas gifts from this year

A breastfeeding necklace from Kangaroo Care. All the materials are organic, safe, and natural. The purpose is for the baby, while breastfeeding, to touch it, pull it, play with it, teeth on it, whatever they like. Right now Claire literally pinches and claws my boobs so I was looking forward to this gift!

A new necklace. The wing says I dreamed a dream of you. The gold piece says Ella and Claire and the heart says Tom.

And of course a new pair of organic Toms!

We said farewell to Jessie on Christmas Eve. She makes her last trip to the North Pole on that night and remains til next year. We didn't really stress the whole behavior thing with Ella about the Elf. It was more about starting fun traditions and something for Ella to look forward to during the holidays. Finding Jessie was literally the first thing she had to do in the morning. She kept all of the notes Jessie left and put them in her jewelry box. I had fun with Jessie but have to admit I was ready for her to go! After almost 30 days of her being in our house I started to run out of places for her and ways to be creative! I took a picture of a few of her locations in the house, but this is by no means all of them!

On Jessie's last night she left Ella a note, some elf cookies, and a little figurine to remember her throughout the year. She also took a picture of Santa by our Christmas tree before they both headed back to the North Pole. Hee Hee. Ella was able to see it on the computer the next morning, as directed in the note. Please ignore the watermarking on the picture of Santa. We were too cheap to spend the ten bucks on the finished product and Ella never knew the difference. Ella when you're reading this years down the road, sorry honey! Doesn't mean we don't love you! And heck, by then you'll have realized Santa and Jessie were both things we made up!

And I wanted to put up a pic of the Santa's we made from Ella's handprints after we gave them to the grandmas. We made them from salt dough, Ella painted all the white on them, and I painted the details on them. I attached a little saying to them and they can hang on a tree. I made one for our tree as well.

Well yet another Christmas has come and gone. It will be officially over when I get my decorations down next week and finishing making yet two more ornaments with the girls.

And I will add that now that I am finishing up this blog, Claire has quit crying and is quiet. Let's hope for a peaceful and restful sleep for her tonight and that she is feeling better in the morning.

Snow Day.

Ella has played in the snow multiple times in the last two days.  Thank God for the snow which gives us something to do! This child is not one to just sit around the house. She loves playing but I am so grateful for school as this bright, energetic little thing needs the challenge of being in school each day!

Ella's first snowfall 1/9/10 (on left) and Claire's first snowfall 12/26/12 (on right)

Christmas Day.

At 7 am (which is late for Ella), we hear a little voice at the bottom of our bed "guys there's presents down there under the tree". We say "that's great honey, give us just one minute and we will go down and open them".  Not even two minutes later she walks back in our room, eating a cookie that she has gotten for herself from the kitchen, "guys I got a cookie and there's presents under the tree".

She went to bed feeling great Christmas Eve; however, by the time we got downstairs on Christmas morning to open gifts, she was feeling under the weather again. She opened ONE gift sitting up and the literally laid on the floor to open the rest of them. She said her belly hurt and she didn't feel good. Not sure what was up as she really didn't seem to have any other symptoms. Poor girl, she had been so excited for Christmas for months!

The dog has driven me nuts since we put the tree up. There has not been a day that he hasn't gotten under the tree and scratched his back under the tree and in the process, shaking all the ornaments as he does it. You'd think he was a cat!

Ella helped Claire open her gifts. Claire was more interested in watching Ella as she opened them!

I have to say that Ella is at the age that she knows when there have been gifts asked for that she didn't receive. (which it would be near impossible to buy everything that child has asked for!) Not that she was unappreciative of what she got, the exact opposite as a matter of fact. All day, over and over, she said, "I like my gifts, I love all the toys I got". She did let us know a couple times though that we forgot to get her a Dora house, Dora horse and stable, and stompeez slippers!

After presents we made a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, and of course snowmen pancakes.

Since we weren't able to make it up to Botkins, my mom and Paul came down to bring us gifts and a ton of food. Ella and Claire were very lucky girls this year. Ella got mostly toys from us. From my mom she got a new Schwinn Roadster bike, a trampoline that is a mini version of the big ones with side protector and all, toys, legos, and a homemade blanket from grandma. We ate (too much food), hung out, and Tom and Ella built the lego house. It was a really nice and relaxing Christmas at home.

Grandma and Poppy (as Ella now calls him rather than paw paw) headed back in the evening to avoid the snowstorm. Grandma left way too many sweets, cookies, and food which I have to say, came in quite handy during the snowstorm today! I was able to take Ella out in the snow to play this afternoon, pics to come in the next day or so!