Sleep training...

So, other than waking for an hour and a half every night around 1am and wanting to play after a bottle (AHHHHH), sleep training is going really well w/Cassie. I think part of it is that she is so good natured. I think the other part is that she's young enough to be easily trained and doesn't have too many bad habits yet (except for the partying at 1am thing, in that regard, she's Paris Hilton, Jr).

Today her morning nap was 2 hours and her afternoon nap was 3 1/2 hours. She fussed a bit before the am nap, but at her pm nap and bedtime, she didn't even cry when I put her down. Less than four days of CIO? I'll take it. I vaguely remember a week or more of hell doing this w/Chase at nine months of age. She woke up at 6:45am and was down for the night at 7:45pm, after 5 1/2 hours of nap during the day. Major props to Grandma Mary Ann for spending the night last night and enabling me to hit the church council meeting at 8:45am w/only Chase in tow (Cassie was napping at home), attend service at 10am, and then fulfill my coffee host duties post-service w/o disrupting the all important nap schedule. Grandma rules.

You're probably wondering what I did w/all that free time while Cassie napped. The first nap I was at church. The second nap, I hit the treadmill, played football w/Chase, and watched the Cowboys stomp the Giants. WOO HOO! Now I'm off to watch Desperate Housewives--gotta love November Sweeps. Then I need to rest up for the "girl's party" at 1am tonight...

Update on sleep training

So the sleep training thing seems to be going well. Cassie took an almost 3 hour nap yesterday afternoon, another short cat nap in the evening (about 1/2 an hour or so) in her carseat, and then was asleep by 7:45pm last night. She slept until 3:30am in her crib, downed a 6 oz bottle, was back down by 4:30am and slept until around 7am this morning when Chase woke up and got rather loud. She napped from 8:30am-9:50am, we went to Planet Fun w/Aunt Jenny, Ryan and Sarah around 10am. She hung out in her wrap on me the entire 2 hours we were there and was happy as a clam. We got home just after noon, I gave her a bottle and 5 oz later, she's snoozing in her crib. This is so much easier at 4 months than it was w/Chase at 9 months.

I'm off to go build a Lego town w/Chase.

Crying it out...

So we're doing the dreaded cry it out thing w/Cassie now. My previously easy sleeper has gotten a bit picky about how/when she sleeps. Yesterday she napped so sparingly that she crashed at 7:45pm last night, took a bottle at 8:25pm and was back out by 9pm until 5:40am this morning. I know she can fall asleep on her own, she just prefers to nap on me. And as much as I love to hang out with her, she's much more fun to hang out w/when she's well rested and not a puddle. Her first nap, she cried for 20 minutes and slept for 40. This nap, she cried for about five minutes and has been asleep for almost 1/2 an hour. I'm shooting for 2-3 long naps per day (that would be over an hour), we'll see how it goes. As painful as it is to listen to, I think it is easier the second time around. I mean, Chase has been a great sleeper ever since we did it to him. So I trust the process. But it still sucks.

I'm off to eat lunch while the wee one sleeps. Chase has a half day today, which means he gets released in an hour, but he's going home w/his best friend Dylan for the afternoon. Dylan's mom is picking the boys up from school. They live nearby in a different subdivision. I'll be picking him up from Dylan's around the usual school p/u time. The playdate worked out perfectly as I have an AXO investment committee conference call this afternoon, which I'll get to have in peace! I will offer to reciprocate the playdate on their next early release day, November 28th. Chase is already looking forward to that.

Our weekend plans may be changing, again. Hayden has a fever and frequently dirty diapers. This does not bode well for our visit tomorrow. But since I'm sleep training Cassie and trying to get her to sleep in her crib right now, it may be a blessing in disguise. My dear friend "Big Molly" offered to come over on Sunday and hang out, so I may just take her up on that if I wind up home alone w/the kiddos all weekend. And Chase's girlfriend Jessica is just across the street, her mom and I are due for a 3 martini playdate anyway...

One more thing...

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So I did jinx myself yesterday...

The happy face streak is broken. He got a straight face yesterday for pushing and wandering around during the lesson. I have no idea who he pushed or what the circumstances were b/c Chase completely denied it all and the teacher's note wasn't real specific. All was right with the world again today though w/another happy face.

Cassie is teething. The result is crappy napping and wanting to be held constantly. Not fun. Thank God for my new Mei Tai and old baby wrap. I couldn't get anything done around here w/o those two things. Cassie was SO tired tonight (after her largely napless day) that she was asleep by 7:45pm. Her last bottle was at 5ish, so she'll definitely be waking up for another bottle and not sleeping through the night tonight. I'm working on transitioning her to the crib right now as well, which is also not fun.

On the bright side, this afternoon I slipped her into the wrap, threw one of Jamie's jackets over us (the Man Fur for those of you present at Chase's 4th bday party) and headed to the bus stop 20 minutes early. Then I did laps around the court until the bus came. It was the only way to work in a workout today b/c she was so needy. But I think it was a decent workout b/c of the hill and the additional 15 1/2 lbs strapped to my chest.

My dad is having a good time right now--he golfed today for the first time in a few years. He's sore tonight, but hopefully he'll be able to golf w/Chase this summer. Chase and Jamie are playing wiffle ball right now in the basement. It sounds kind of scary.

Chase is talking about nutrition right now in school. It's funny b/c he keeps saying how healthy he wants to eat, but then he attacks the Halloween candy. I sent the candy up the farm w/the boys last weekend hoping it wouldn't come back, but it's back and I'm having a hard time staying out of it as well. I think it's going to disappear soon. Chase is pretty good at making smart choices for food though. Tonight he had chicken nuggets (baked, not fried), broccoli, baby carrots and kiwi for dinner. That's better than his movie night dinner two nights ago...

Chase had the dinner of his dreams last night: movie theatre popcorn, the better part of a can of pringles smuggled into the theatre courtesy of my diaper bag, laffy taffy, and a root beer to top it all off. I figured I'd test his kindergarten teacher's theory that the proverbial sugar high is a bunch of bunk. Just kidding. Every so often we hit a rush hour show and do dinner at the movies. Last night's dinner was particularly awful (usually he gets a hot dog) but the movie (Bee Movie) was cute and one night of junk isn't going to to kill him.

Now he'd like to see Fred Claus (gotta love those previews). It's PG, which is what Bee Movie was, but it seems a bit more adult than Bee Movie, perhaps b/c it isn't animated. I was on the fence about it, but I really want to see it myself, so I think we'll probably go next Monday night. Grandpa will still be on vacation and once Cassie gets mobile, movies will be a lot harder to do w/both kids by myself.

I will undoubtably curse myself writing this, but Chase has been doing very well at school since the end of cycle break. He's gotten ALL happy faces since he went back. He really, really enjoys school and it is amazing to see how much he's learning every day.

Cassie is still our sweet little lump. She's not rolling over or anything, but she will scooch around on her back, which is kind of funny. She started squealing yesterday. She loves when Chase and I make animal sounds for her. She also loves when Daddy sings "Who Let the Dogs Out" to her.

Grandpa Bill is enjoying his trip to Texas. With the start of deer season this weekend, the kids, dog and I are going to visit Aunt Mikki. Why spend the weekend going nuts here w/the kids when I can share the insanity? She mentioned going to the Tigers game, which I would normally love. But the thought of three adults and four children under age five at the Tiger's game sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. We'll see. Chase tried to use the Cowboys playing Sunday Night Football as an excuse to stay up later last night (denied)...he's quite the little Cowboys fan these days!

Finally, I got this in an email today. Since Dad is on vacation w/o access to email, I can't discuss it w/him. So I'll post it here for your comments.

Madam speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to put a Windfall Tax on all stock market profits (including Retirement fund, 401Ks and Mutual Funds!

Alas, it is true - all to help the 12 Million Illegal Immigrants and other unemployed Minorities! Boy, are we in trouble... This woman is frightening. Take special note of the last paragraph. Is she really this whacked out?

Nancy Pelosi condemned the new record highs of the stock market as "just another example of Bush policies helping the rich get richer".

"First Bush cut taxes for the rich and the economy has rebounded with new record low unemployment rates, which only means wealthy employers are getting even wealthier at the expense of the underpaid working class".

She went on to say "Despite the billions of dollars being spent in Iraq our economy is still strong and government tax revenues are at all time highs. What this really means is that business is exploiting the war effort and working Americans, just to put money in their own pockets".

When questioned about recent stock market highs she responded "Only the rich benefit from these record highs. Working Americans, welfare recipients, the unemployed and minorities are not sharing in these obscene record highs". There is no question these windfall profits and income created by the Bush administration need to be taxed at 100% rate and those dollars redistributed to the poor and working class". Profits from the stock market do not reward the hard work of our working class who, by their hard work, are responsible for generating these corporate profits that create stock market profits for the rich. We in congress will need to address this issue to either tax these profits or to control the stock market to prevent this unearned income flow to the rich."

When asked about the fact that over 80% of all Americans have investments in mutual funds, retirement funds, 401Ks, and the stock market she replied "That may be true, but probably only 5% account for 90% of all these investment dollars. That's just more "trickle down" economics claiming that if a corporation is successful that everyone from the CEO to the floor sweeper benefit from higher wages and job security which is ridiculous" "How much of this 'trickle down' ever gets to the unemployed and minorities in our county? None, and that's the tragedy of these stock market highs."

"We democrats are going to address this issue after the election when we take control of the congress. We will return to the 60% to 80% tax rates on the rich and we will be able to take at least 30% of all current lower income tax payers off the rolls and increase government income substantially." We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest."

When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied : "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as 'Americans.'"

Halloween and stuff

As you can see, there was a last-minute costume change for Cassie. She wore Chase's first Halloween costume and was Patch from 101 Dalmations. Then I had to be Cruella De Ville. Chase was still Spider Man and Jamie was a hunter. Imagine that--it was a real stretch for him to dress up in all that camo. At least he dressed up this year...

Cassie's four month check up was yesterday. I am thrilled to report that her VSD (some sort of ventricular defect, which is a fancy way of saying hole in her heart) appears to be gone. It caused a murmur and the murmur is gone. We're not going to subject her to another ECG for confirmation, at this point we're just going to trust our wonderful Ped. She was 15 lbs 8oz and 24 1/2 inches long. She's doing everything she's supposed to be doing and the doctor is quite happy. She does have eczema, which I suspected, but we're managing it w/short baths, Cetaphil, Aquaphor and Cortaid ointment. Oh, and no solids until at least six months of age which is fine with me. I'm not in a hurry for this one to grow up!

Woody has been a bit pukey this week, if it continues we'll probably visit the vet next week. I feel bad for him, he's not a fan of the cooler weather. I'm especially glad we've finished the basement as we can start letting him out the basement door this winter and avoid the poop deck we've had in the past.

I had a visit w/my new renters yesterday and found out that the previous renters from hell were partying there while it was empty. I knew it! Things were always just off a bit and it seemed we could never get the basement clean--now I know why. Isn't it legal to shoot trespassers? B/c if Jamie can shoot Bambi, he should be able to shoot worthless pieces of trash. At the very least, I wish I could have had them arrested for trespassing and pressed charges. Oh well, we're going to file the lawsuit paperwork next week. I may never see a dime of the money she owes us, but I want to see her slimy, lazy butt in a courtroom and watch her try to make excuses to a judge for what she did to my house. That, I would like to see.

So Cassie is napping, Chase is at school, and I need to vacuum. I did a mile and a half on the treadmill this morning--now that it is too cold for me to walk outside, I'm going to try to use the treadmill every other day or so. Cassie hung out in her bouncy seat and watched me walk for 26 minutes. I think she liked the concert I provided singing along w/my iPod. It's so nice to have a baby who likes my singing again, when Chase hears me sing he tells me to stop b/c it hurts his ears. I'm sure it does (I can't carry a tune to save my life), but Cassie likes it for now and it gets me through treadmill time.