This is one of those posts in which I'll say whatever updates come to mind, and they probably won't be related at all.
1) Caleb is finally shifting to one nap a day. When I posted about this a few weeks ago, I made a liar out of myself. It was a miserable fail, and we went back to two naps for a bit. He was kind of in flip-flop mode, where some days one nap was not enough, and two was too many. The last time I got him down for two naps was last Tuesday, so I think we are pretty settled on one nap. The downside: I have to avoid car rides during the old nap time, or else he will fall asleep in the car, thus preventing him from falling asleep at his new nap time. For now, I am trying to run errands EARLY, at about 8 a.m. or so, for the time being. Obviously, I can't do this forever, but until his body clock gets a bit more rescheduled, I'm trying to avoid the car at his former nap time.
2) I've been contemplating how much of a whirlwind it is, raising a child. I can scarcely believe that one year ago at this time, I was still lugging him around in his car seat carrier! It can be hard to keep up as a parent with the many, many changes. One difficult thing is the schedule that constantly shifts. My day revolves around Caleb and his needs, and my day looks different now than it did a few months ago!
3) I have been REALLY tired lately. I can barely keep my eyes open trying to read a few minutes before bed. I set my alarm at 5:18 each morning. (Why 5:18? 5:15 feels too early, and 5:20 is too late.) I try to beat Brian to the bathroom so I can quickly wash my face, and then I proceed to get dressed before Caleb gets up... and he gets up EARLY. Today, I think he was up at 5:25. He rarely sleeps past 5:45. So even on the weekends, I never sleep in, and this is starting to wear on me.
4) I am looking forward to Christmas, but I am sort of dreading all of the shopping. We have no major stores here. (What can you buy for people at Walmart for Christmas, other than a few stocking stuffers?) I plan to do a ton of online shopping, but even that is difficult to do with Caleb around. (He constantly needs my attention, so spending hours online looking for gifts is not really going to work in his presence.)
5) Caleb is getting VERY bored these days. Poor guy. I hope he can hold on until Christmas and he gets some new toys. I try and try, but I think we have played with his current toys to death. His attention span is so short, and even if I bring out a new pot to bang around, the novelty only lasts for a couple of minutes. I even have an e-book titled, "101 Independent Activities For Toddlers and Preschoolers", but most of those ideas are still too old for him (ie: involve things he could choke on, etc.)
6) Yesterday, Caleb went with me to vote at 8 a.m. Someone commented as I was carrying him into the firehouse, "Getting him trained early!" I'm not sure he learned much, except how to ward off a member of a running candidate's camp, desperate for last-minute voters. I very swiftly and decisively, and politely, I might add, told them to get lost- without using those words, of course! (They were still there at about 3:45 when Brian went to vote- this time giving out pizza! The candidate lost, and lost big! So much for all that pizza!)
7) I finished cooking dinner at about 12:50 this afternoon. I always like to work on dinner during Caleb's naps, so I can do so without interruption, and he used to nap from 2-3:40 or so. Now that he is napping at noon, I moved my dinner prep early as well. It's a good feeling to know that dinner is already made!
8) Not that you need to know this, but I am desperate to clean underneath my kitchen sink, and I am trying to figure out how to do so with a toddler and a cat underfoot. (I can wait for Caleb to go down tonight to do it, but that pesky cat is still here.)
9) Speaking of the cat, I'm sure the ASPCA would have me arrested for how I treat this creature. No, I don't beat him, but I have squirted him with the water bottle more times than I should probably admit. It is not my fault that he wants to get into EVERYTHING, no matter how many times he has been told, in no uncertain terms, not to. Brian and Caleb love him, so don't think he is entirely neglected or unloved.
10) Brian and I officially became members of our new church a few weeks ago. It is the first time as a married couple, that we became members together of a church, and for me- ever. (My former church in NJ did not have membership.) We are happy to have a fellowship with which to serve and learn and grow.
That's it for now! Hope you are all having a great day!
