Sleep

We finally have Loki trained to go to sleep. At 8:30 p.m., we tuck Ander in. We then hang with Loki for a couple of minutes, give him a last bottle if he wants one, and tuck him in. He does cry, but it no longer lasts more than a minute or so. It's just a settle down cry. And he doesn't sound like someone is torturing him while he cries, like he did at first.

However, he still gets up at 4:30 a.m. He refuses to go back to sleep. A bottle doesn't work. Nothing works, for hours, unless we put him in bed with us. The problem with that is that as soon as mommy or daddy wakes up to get ready, Loki wakes up, too. And makes a beeline for the edge of the bed. Crash.

(Those two statements were worthy of incomplete sentences.)

We can't just let him cry. He wakes the whole house and doesn't go back to sleep. But getting in bed with us is unsafe. Sigh.

In other Loki news, he climbed two steps at my mom's house today. ACK! And he can stand up without holding on if he just barely leans against me. He repeats words constantly, like "bad" or "eat." He mimics. It's scary how much faster he is reaching milestones than Ander ever did, especially the physical ones. I think it's because he chases Ander constantly.

Ander and I have been talking about mistakes and how everyone makes them. We've been talking about owning up to your mistakes and doing your best to fix them or, at least, apologize.

Etcetera.

Dinner Plans

I am trying really hard to have two family meals each week. I make things with tons of leftovers that are easy to freeze (chili, roast) or things that are quick and easy (chef salad or tacos). Brien (my friend who stayed over with us this weekend) man fun of me because I watch Food Network while I cook. I also commentate my cooing, so he thinks I'm trying to be the next Food Network star. Ha ha...if only I could cook that well!

Family meals are so stressful. Alan really doesn't cook well (so there really aren't turns), the meals require lots of dirty dishes, and sometimes it takes too much time. At the same time, we sit around the table. I can afford to buy slightly more flavor (veggie sides, better meats) if we all eat. And I don't have to eat THE EXACT SAME FOOD EVERYDAY. But, ugh, it really is a lot of work.

This week will be particularly hard. We have a weeknight Little Gym makeup class and a preschool open house (I think, since I haven't gotten a phone call yet). Plus we have a jammed packed weekend coming up and then a vacation, so I won't be around home much.

I want to be one of those people who cook supper every night. Except for the detail that those people are insane.

Etcetera.