TGIF - Oh but Wait...

The Hubs is working all weekend....womp womp.  That's what he gets for taking 2.5 weeks off I guess.  

Well I caved...I sent Morgan back to Toddler School today.  Despite all my threats and both kids getting sick, once I had some time to really think it over, I decided it's still a good experience for her.  And it gives us some place to BE two days per week.  I had thought maybe instead of school I'd enroll her in a little Tumbling Tots class or even Gymboree classes or Kindermusik, but again -- she will be around other kids -- which doesn't remove the risk of getting sick again.  So it came down to either stay in our house and NEVER leave...or get out and live.

 Morgan is feeling very "TWO-SEY" lately.  That's a word I just made up.

She turns two next month and OMG.  We are noticing some BIG changes lately.

When she doesn't get her way (which seems to be always) she throws a tantrum.  This happens over every little thing.  Like coming down the stairs after nap time.  She wants to stop and sit and play on the stairs.  Meanwhile, I've always got Joey downstairs  out of view (but always some place safe like his jumper or rolling around on his activity mat), so I don't feel like we can dilly dally for 30 minutes on the stairs.  I'm like "Let's just get down the stairs already and you can play then!"

Since about a month ago, (and she must've picked this up at school) she'll come up to you with open arms and say "Hugs?  Hugs?"  Aww.....so sweet.  Except now, she clamps on, arms around your neck and starts yelling "Up! Up! Up!"  She's figured out how to ensure she will get picked up.  I pick her up as much as I can because I don't want her to feel neglected.  But then when I put her down....nuclear meltdown.

She's also LOOOVING to help me with everything.  I'm trying to find ways to include her and teach her, even if it means taking a lot longer.  Her favorite thing this week has been pulling the step stool up to the kitchen counter and help me with cooking/making Joey's baby food/cutting up vegetables.  (I just have to make sure to always keep my knives far, far away from her reach!)  But I'm excited about this development because I think we will both enjoy making dinner every night!

And I should mention her sleep.  Lord knows we've had our battles, but for the most part, it's been decent.  Except lately, she's been waking up in the middle of the night, screaming.  We try to wait it out a bit because she USED TO put herself back to sleep.  But now she doesn't give up.  So we try rocking her, and she falls asleep, only to awaken the SECOND you set her back in her crib.  The cycle starts all over again.

This went on for 2 hours last night.  I finally turned her monitor off and shut our bedroom door.  Of course I couldn't sleep and had to keep getting up to go listen by the stairs to see if she was still at it.  She finally went back to sleep.  I'm not sure what's causing the night waking.  Teeth?  (The last of her canines are finally poking through - I won't miss the teething stage one bit!)  Bad dreams?

And this little guy just continues to look cute.  Smiles for everyone.  Still being very clear about his intentions come 7:30 every night:  Put. Me. To. Bed. NOW.  I am SO thankful he is a good little sleeper!!! 

He's sucking his thumb like it's his last meal.  It's really adorable.  But I have a feeling I'm not going to think that down the road.  I've heard thumbsucking is REALLY hard to break kids of (it's not a paci you can just throw away, afterall!) and it can really mess up their teeth and bite.

Eating is a different story for him though; he is just not liking solid foods.  It's a real challenge every time I feed him.  He spits everything out and it takes for-ev-er just to get a few bites down.  We'll keep trying.

Happy Friday!  Hope you all have a great weekend!  I'm excited because Downton Abbey Season 3 starts, woop woop!