Sleep tight

"Sharing" a pillow during
tummy time

It's nap time in the Daly house.  Yet nobody is sleeping.  We're all exhausted, and here I sit typing, Evie upstairs singing songs and changing her clothes, and Cora occasionally yelping demanding my attention.  I go, try to comfort her, encourage her that sleep is a good thing. Up until two days ago, she has been sort of a dream child with sleep.  Three times in the last week she slept from 7pm-2/3am and then went back to sleep after feeding until 7am.  Then she got her DTAP (Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis) vaccine and it was like a switch was flipped. She's not napping well, and woke up twice last night and wouldn't fall back asleep for over an hour each time. I just returned from her room after helping to calm her down from hysterical screaming as she hasn't napped all day today. While I was up there, I heard Evie banging on her door and asking to be let out.  She knows when Cora is screaming that I'm likely doing something to help, and doesn't see why she should have to be in her room while the two of us are clearly awake.  No chance.

I was starting to develop a false sense of confidence about being the mom of two.  Cora has been a fairly easy baby.  But, these last two days are showing me that what has made her easy is my commitment to keeping her napping regularly.  When she doesn't get enough sleep, she's a terror.  I guess we all are.  I am at least lucky that the weather is gross and I don't feel the desire to be outside while she's (normally) sleeping all day long.    

Cora, 2 Mos

Evie, 2 Mos

In other news, Cora turned 2 months old.  I can't believe the
last month flew by as quickly as it did.  As Cora wasn't sleeping last night, and lay next to me fussing, I found myself cherishing the excuse to cuddle her.  I've been so committed to making her a better sleeper than Evie was, that I haven't allowed her to fall asleep on my chest or take a nap together.  While I lay there with her last night, listening to her snort around, I got a little sentimental about how quickly she's growing up. 

Zoo lights

Monica just left from visiting for a weekend, and we definitely miss having her here.  Although we're lucky to be in such a great neighborhood with such wonderful friends, when family comes to visit it makes you realize how nice it would be to live closer. When Becca was here and Bill and Kathy were in town, we felt the same way.  That said, I don't imagine we'll be moving anytime soon, so I guess we'll just have to enjoy those moments when they come.  I remember loving having my mom's parents come visit when I was a kid.  It was so special when they were there.  Perhaps what made it that great was the fact that they didn't live nearby.  I'm not sure.  They were also unquestionably fun to be around, always playing games or cracking jokes with us.  My dad's mom did live close by, and we never really enjoyed going to her house or having her at ours...but I think that was more to do with her personality than her proximity. Regardless, I can already tell it's just as special for Evie when family is here.  She has a special glow in the mornings when she wakes up and knows they're in the house.

Fully dressed instead of napping

An outfit she chose for school

A day later I finish this entry.  Yesterday couldn't come to an end soon enough.  When I finally went into Evie's room to tell her she could come out she had changed out of her jammies and diaper and gotten herself completely dressed: undies, socks, pants, and a shirt.  All things she fights every morning and pretends she doesn't know how to do on her own.  Granted she had 2 hours to work at it over nap time yesterday, but I kind of had to laugh at her tipping her hand to us a bit.  I was tempted to say "you are SO busted! You are completely capable of doing all these things yet you play us for the fool!" when I saw what she'd accomplished, but I figured that might be a little petty.  Instead I gave her a hug and when this morning rolled around I encouraged her to do it again.  And to our amazement, she actually did!  The shirt and pants were on backward, and the shoes on the wrong feet, but she did it without a fight and was so proud of herself.  I'm nervous for the battles that might occur when we need to get her dressed in a more timely fashion, but it's been pretty great for the past two days.  We'll see what happens tomorrow...