About a Green Sheep

Today was a pretty good day!

With all the sick and the weather and who knows what else, I'll admit I've been feeling pretty tired and maybe stressed out. And THEN...Sam didn't nap for three straight days.

I was totally freaking out. She was even taking off her diaper and telling me she had to go potty (she asks usually after every diaper change...sits, does NOT pee/poop, pulls as much toilet paper as she can (before I remember to grab it) stuffs it in the toilet, AND reaches back and flushes it. And then smiles with glee!). The whole situation was bringing back flashbacks of when Katie was doing the same thing...which led to the end of napping and potty training at the same time!...Only she was 6 months older than Sam is now!

Goodness! I thought and thought and thought...chatted (whined) to my mom friends and strategized with Ben and finally called our pediatrician and the receptionist (is she a nurse too? I don't know?) suggested putting her down for her nap later, around 2 (I was aiming for our usual 12:30 or 1:30). I was also remnded while talking to her of something we did with Katie when she started sleeping on a bed instead of her crib...that is, putting her back to bed every time she gets up. Right now, we had gotten into a pattern of holding the door shut. I think that putting her straight back to bed (even every 30 seconds for 20 minutes while she's screaming) works better because it gives a consistent message of "It's nap time" and no "fighting" about it. It worked yesterday and again today in less time than yesterday. Phew. I feel like I've averted a major crises. And for some reason, I feel like my perspective has changed and I'm just more calm and happier anyway. Maybe the weight of being worried about them being sick and then Ben and I and then napping issues was really affecting me more than I realized.

Anyway...Other than napping, today we did a few things. Went and picked up a part for our dishwasher (yay, we can use rinse agent again!), went to the library and made soup for dinner.

At the library, Sam found a book that we've read before "Where is the Green Sheep?" by Mem Fox (we love her!). Sam insisted I read it to her while some other mom commented on her talking skills (so nice to hear!). Sam remembered that the book was about sheep, especially green sheep. Since we've had it home again, we've read it maybe 6 times. One repeated line in it is "Where is the green sheep?" I must have said something like "we don't know." once or twice at this point because now Sam reads this line and then puts up her hand and says "Don't Know!" in the cutest little voice. Another favorite page is where it says "Near sheep" and "Far sheep"...for "near" there is a close up drawn image of this sheep face and then for "far" a sheep drawn far away. I moved the book close to her face and then far away...she loved it, giggled and now we have to do it multiple time, every time. =) It's definitely one of those books we've developed a special relationship with. I love it!

Hope your days are looking up too. Still looking for the camera cord...and Sam's dolly...Santa?...are you reading this?