Riding in the Car with Boys

I just had to write about how my boys are growing and becoming friends already. he older Tucker gets, the more he loves his brother and watches his every move. This brings about its own set of challenges, but it has been quite a help in the car. Tucker has never really liked his carseat and gets bored and mad very easily in it. Griffin is one to talk, sing, yell, etc... non-stop in the car- not much difference than at home :) So between the 2 of them, I usually do not have anytime to think, listen to the radio, anything in the car. This, however, has changed quite a bit in the last week. Griffins non-stop chatter has become quite the entertainment for tucker. He listens, watches, laughs, at all griffins silliness- which just makes him more silly. It is STILL LOUD, but at least they are entertaining each other and are happy and do not need me. I can turn the radio up and enjoy some moments to myself. I am looking forward to many more of these milestones as my little boys become big boys.

Still Sleepless at the Smiths- I Need Help!

Disclaimer: this is a long, boring email about my child's sleep habits so feel free to skip.

Okay- I need help. My sweet little Tucker is having trouble sleeping at night. He was great early on, at 3 1/2 months he was sleeping from 9-4 or 4:30, eating, and going back to bed until 7 or so. Then he got a cold and it all changed. He started waking up at 2 or 2:30, wanting to eat. He was still so little, so I tried feeding him then for a while, then slowly tried pushing the time back. By 5 months I thought he was at least back to where we were before, but since then he has just been so inconsistent. Once or twice a week he will sleep straight through till 4 or 4:30. The rest of the nights he wakes up between 12:30 and 3, sometimes he will go right back to sleep and sleep until after 4. Other times he will act like he wants to sleep and lay back down, but continue to wake up every 15 minutes or so. Other times he just cries until he is fed. Because he is so little in weight and the dr doesnt think I should cut out the night feeding yet (he really seems to be hungry and eats a lot) I have not yet let him cry it out all the way. However, I have tried to push his feeding back by letting him cry until 4 or so. When he wakes up early, I usually go in every so often- he tends to get himself under the bumper and he looses his paci- so I resituate him, pat his back, and then leave for him to try and get himself back to sleep. It has not seemed to help. He will sometimes cry for 2 hours! I finally give in. The problem is the next night will be different- there is no pattern to see improvement ( crying less each night). ie...last Friday night he cried from 2-4:30, finally put himself back to sleep and woke up at 6:30 to eat. The next 3 nights he woke up around 2, but went back to sleep easliy until after 4. Last night he woke up at 1:30 and cried for 2+ hours until I gave in and fed him. There is just no pattern. We have tried bottles and formula at night...nothing seems to make a significant difference. He is a good napper and goes down easy to nap and bed. I am just tired and not sure how to proceed. If it really is hunger, then I am more than happy to feed him. I just dont want to create a habit that will continue on. He is finally starting to eat some baby foods, so I am hoping that eventually that will help. Right now I am about to give up on the "cry it out" and just feed him when he wakes up- at least I will get some sleep that way. Anyway, I needed to vent and am open to any advice anyone has. I am exhausted and having trouble seeing the light at the end of this tunnel right now- it has just gone on for so long.

Camp Agape,part one

Well, camp is over and we are back to our "regular lives" this past week. It was nice to not have to be up and out of the house at 8 and to get to just hang out with my boys, although I did miss my mom cooking dinner and keeping the house clean for me.

As for Camp Agape this year, all went well. For those of you outside of Austin, Camp Agape is a week-long day camp at our church for about 150 1st-6th graders. Nathan and I have been co-directors with another friend of ours for the past 5 years. Our theme this year was "In Pursuit". We were following Jesus' life through the stories that took place in Jerusalem. I will post pictures and a better outline of what we did in my next post- I am waiting on pictures. I just get too busy during the week and always forget to take pictures. In the meantime, here is Griffin singing our theme song (or the first part of it) "You are Holy". Ignore the "baby talk" voice- he can talk better than that. It just seems that when the camera comes out, he gets silly.

Tucker, 6 months

Tucker you are 6 months old today. I know everyone says it, but boy does the time go by fast. Your newest trick is sitting up, and you get more sturdy every day. You grab at everything, my face, earrings, hair, phone, anything in front of you. You are busy just like your brother. Tucker, you are also making lots of noise these days. Not so much babbling as much as grunting. You have this really funny grunting sound you do when you are excited. You have also developed the habit of sticking your tongue out. It is like you are concentrating...maybe we have a future Michael Jordan in our house. Tucker, you love to play...especially peek-a-boo. You are really good at following Daddy and looking for him even when he is not in sight. You are getting to be a lot of fun and I can already see the trouble you and Griffin will get into.

As far as statistics go, you are a little guy- in the 10th percentile in weight according to your check-up today. I know you are little, but I find it hard to believe you are hurting for food- you dont look skinny to me at all! Your belly is round and you have just the right amount of rolls all over. But alas, the doctor says I must pump you full of baby food (which you still show little interest in, but did do a good job with your peaches tonight) and I should not get rid of the 4:30 feeding yet...ughhh! You are worth it though. Hopefully in the next month you will start to eat more and grow more and then we can all sleep more. Tucker, we love you so much and can't wait to watch you grow more and more.

This one's for you Dad...

Today in the car I put in a kids cd that we hadn't listened to in a while. Griffin said, "Is this Stevie Ray Vaughn?" Sorry Nathan! :)

Tucker is sitting!

I am so behind in my posts, but now that camp is over, I am going to try and catch up slowly but surely. I will start with Tucker's latest accomplishment- He is sitting up now. He has been doing it for about a week and is getting better and longer everyday. He cant get himself back up yet when he falls down, but it won't be long. Where does the time go?

Deep Thoughts by Griffin James

Griffin says lots of things that make me laugh everyday, as I am sure most 2 1/2 year olds do. I find it hard to write about many of them as they take too much explaining to do in writing and then I forget what he said. I am sure many of you can relate. Anyway, more and more this past week he has said something and I have thought to myself, "I have to write that down". Of course I did not and now is my attempt to reclaim those memories and share them. Here are a few of his latest musings:

While looking at the Jeep, waiting for me to put him in his carseat, he spells out "L-I-B-E-R-T-Y", then says "Culvers" (as if that is what it spelled- for those of you not from Austin, that is our favorite hamburger joint)

Griffin always asks me why daddy has to work. I tell him, he has to make money so we can buy our house, and food, clothes, etc... The other day, after eating lunch with Nathan, he was particuarly sad to leave daddy. He told me as we were leaving, "Mommy, daddy doesnt need to work to buy our house because we already buyed it". To which I said, "No, honey, we have to "buy" it every month". He thought, then replied, "We dont have to buy it because God made it for us."

On a walk a couple of weeks ago he asked me why God made those plants with "sharp things" (we have talked about not touching these thorny plants as we walk by them). I went on to explain how God made them that way to protect them and take care of them. I said, "Isnt it neat how God makes things that way" to which he replied, "Yeah, God knows his ABC's" random, but thoughtful.