Life lately...

January is such a tough month for kids.  Between holidays and snow and sickness, routines get thrown out the door.  We are, nonetheless, trying to establish one and get Merritt onto some sort of schedule.  Emma definitely needs energy outlets (school!), and I'm finding that she could also use more outside play time.  This is a challenge given that she has an 8 week old sister and that the weather is so crazy here.  One day it's snowing and freezing, then in the 60's.  Normally, if it is nice outside, the ground is really wet, which makes playing a nightmare for mom.  But, we are learning to deal with it.

I met my friend, Beth, our at a new boutique in Chapel Hill, Whilden.  I ended up seeing 4 other friends, and had the best time catching up with everyone and showing little Merritt off:)  Beth also made us some delicious enchiladas and threw in the Superfood salad from Whole Foods - it is amazing and I will be buying it myself!

Merritt and Emma both have colds this week.  Merritt's first....Emma's 9,000th.  Luckily, they seem to be handling it fine.  Merritt has been a little more needy and slept in slightly shorter increments day and night because of congestion, but we are hoping this is temporary and will go away with the snot.  Typically, she sleeps from 8:30/9:00pm to about 2:30-4pm.  One night, she went until 4:30....hallelujah.  But last night, she was up at 1:30. Lord, I need at least 4-5 hours before I am up, please.  Emma also has woken up more with nightmares or various aches and pains.  Lord, please let this go away too.  She's always been a great sleeper, ALWAYS.  So, let's not change it now.

I am getting more and more confident in mothering 2 children.  I know what to expect with Merritt - when she's tired, hungry, etc... and how to solve those problems.  And I'm learning how to be more patient with Emma and spend more time playing with her AND make sure things around the house get done.  Emma has been a big help, and I've learned that most times, if I ask the right way, she's willing to help me.

I have really worked on cultivating friendships lately.  I've really missed the fellowship of other women over the past 8 weeks, and have already lined up some very overdue coffee dates.  I know this season of kids will not last forever, so I am embracing bringing Merritt along while Emma is at school.  Besides...most of my friends are now out of the baby stage and LOVE to snuggle with little Merritt:)

Brent and I had had our parent-teacher conference this week, and many of our anxieties about the future were relieved.  Emma has a late birthday (June), so there has always been the option of whether we would send her to kindergarten or hold her back.  Her teacher was 50/50 on whether she was ready, which basically sealed it for me.  Truth is, I'm not ready to send her.  I hate the thought of her being gone all day, away from me.  And I hate our options for schools.  I don't want to drive all over Durham for Emma's school, but I'm not crazy about our districted school. Plus, I'm not convinced we are staying where we are for the next 13 years.  We are looking into sending her to a transitional kindergarten program, where she would go 9-1 everyday, then we can decide whether she goes into an all day traditional kindergarten, or skips and goes on to 1st grade.  I feel so much more at peace with this, and know it is the right direction.  Everyone has told me they have never heard a parent say "I wish I hadn't held my child back," but that the reverse is said ALL THE TIME.  So....I'm sold.  Another year with my baby girl who is quickly NOT my baby anymore at all:(

Emma had her first eye doctor appointment, because the pediatrician recommended it after she didn't do so well on her eye test there.  Luckily, Emma doesn't need glasses, for now.  She does have astigmatism in both eyes, but they wanted to wait to see if it went away in a year before they worried about correcting it.  I don't have high hopes though, because I believe I was only a year or so older than Emma when I got glasses.  Oh well...hopefully kids don't call each other four eyes anymore.......

I walked in just in time to see Emma attempting to climb this to get something she wanted on a top shelf.  SO NOT SAFE.  I do like her ingenuity though...

Two dear friends have lost a parent this week, and I am sadly reminded how fragile life is, and how this is not our home.  When I am up at 4am, I often pray and think about these people, and also about my own parents and how much I love them.  While death is always a fact of life, I am getting to the age where it is much more a reality.  And it sucks.  I keep reminding myself how lucky I am to have my parents close, and for the last 35 years.  I'm very grateful, indeed:)