We've been making a lot of changes in our home lately in attempts to diminish some stress and help things go smoother....
* I've decided to make the big switch from Eli having two naps a day to just one early afternoon nap. For a few weeks now he's been 50/50 with his naps. He'd usually nap in the morning...IF I played him out enough instead of just taking him on a bunch of errands, but I couldn't wait too long or he wouldn't be able to nap later in the day too, AND I had to wake him after an hour and half or again he wouldn't sleep later. It was a lot of hassle and even still he may or may not nap again in the afternoon. Just depended on the day. Well, this week I decided enough with that! Eli needs some consistency and so do I! Especially before baby 2 comes! So I declared that we were making the switch and so far it's been okay. As soon as I decided to make the change, however, Eli has been waking up earlier in the morning (tempting me to try two naps still. I think he's getting another tooth??) but we've stuck to the plan anyway and he's been fine. So now instead of napping for 1.5 hours each at 10:00 and 3:30, he naps for about 2 hours (maybe it'll get longer?) at 12:45ish. It makes for a LONG afternoon once he's up. I don't usually run errands or anything at 3:30 or 4:00 but it seems like such a long time until bedtime, especially this week since Daddy's at work and it's just me playing with him still all day AND evening long. So anyway, that's the biggest change.
* After verbalizing the things that are stressing me out the most with Eli, I realized that a lot of the problems come when I'm doing something and he wants to be a part of it too. Usually I try to find a toy or something he can play with nearby. But really he wants to do what we're doing. So I've been trying harder about letting him actually "help" with some of my chores. He helped me unload clean silverware out of the dishwasher the last two days. And yesterday I gave him a hand broom to "sweep" the floor. He helps throw away trash now. And while we don't have a cupboard that I can designate as an "Eli cupboard" full of Tupperware, I have gotten out a couple plastic bowls and wooden spoon for him to play with while I'm cooking. And if that's not good enough then I clean off the counter and set him up there where he can see. I've been avoiding all these things because I knew once I "opened the gates" I couldn't take it back and just decide to close them again. But I think it's going okay so far, and I'm excited to have a little helper around. Any other ideas for getting an 18-month-old involved??
* And a good change for me is that I got a daily planner that has a paragraph-sized space open for each day. Helping get me going with my daily devotions and Bible reading, I go to the Heartlight website and every day write in my planner the daily verse while also reading through the devotion and prayer. It's just a small start, but at least it gets my day started in the right direction! The next thing I want to do is decide on a Bible reading plan and get going on that, so I can start spending actual more in-depth time in the Word.
So that's what going on around our house these days! What's going on with you??
* I've decided to make the big switch from Eli having two naps a day to just one early afternoon nap. For a few weeks now he's been 50/50 with his naps. He'd usually nap in the morning...IF I played him out enough instead of just taking him on a bunch of errands, but I couldn't wait too long or he wouldn't be able to nap later in the day too, AND I had to wake him after an hour and half or again he wouldn't sleep later. It was a lot of hassle and even still he may or may not nap again in the afternoon. Just depended on the day. Well, this week I decided enough with that! Eli needs some consistency and so do I! Especially before baby 2 comes! So I declared that we were making the switch and so far it's been okay. As soon as I decided to make the change, however, Eli has been waking up earlier in the morning (tempting me to try two naps still. I think he's getting another tooth??) but we've stuck to the plan anyway and he's been fine. So now instead of napping for 1.5 hours each at 10:00 and 3:30, he naps for about 2 hours (maybe it'll get longer?) at 12:45ish. It makes for a LONG afternoon once he's up. I don't usually run errands or anything at 3:30 or 4:00 but it seems like such a long time until bedtime, especially this week since Daddy's at work and it's just me playing with him still all day AND evening long. So anyway, that's the biggest change.
* After verbalizing the things that are stressing me out the most with Eli, I realized that a lot of the problems come when I'm doing something and he wants to be a part of it too. Usually I try to find a toy or something he can play with nearby. But really he wants to do what we're doing. So I've been trying harder about letting him actually "help" with some of my chores. He helped me unload clean silverware out of the dishwasher the last two days. And yesterday I gave him a hand broom to "sweep" the floor. He helps throw away trash now. And while we don't have a cupboard that I can designate as an "Eli cupboard" full of Tupperware, I have gotten out a couple plastic bowls and wooden spoon for him to play with while I'm cooking. And if that's not good enough then I clean off the counter and set him up there where he can see. I've been avoiding all these things because I knew once I "opened the gates" I couldn't take it back and just decide to close them again. But I think it's going okay so far, and I'm excited to have a little helper around. Any other ideas for getting an 18-month-old involved??
* And a good change for me is that I got a daily planner that has a paragraph-sized space open for each day. Helping get me going with my daily devotions and Bible reading, I go to the Heartlight website and every day write in my planner the daily verse while also reading through the devotion and prayer. It's just a small start, but at least it gets my day started in the right direction! The next thing I want to do is decide on a Bible reading plan and get going on that, so I can start spending actual more in-depth time in the Word.
So that's what going on around our house these days! What's going on with you??
1 comment:
well, since you asked...I have been at work all day...very tired from the last two weekends in Gainesville with my sister Wanda---we are praying and believing for miracles...then when I got home my oldest daughter brought me two of my grandsons to play with tonight---so we played train, trucks and pirates and watched some "Backyardigans" on video after supper. Bath was just after supper then play more then Nana (me) took my bath and then I realized how pooped I was and decided it was time for bed. So I crawled in with Rylan and after Zackary finished his "before bed" snack (I really don't mind--he is so small for his age and cereal with milk is a good snack) he came and tried to sneak in the bed w/o washing his hands and face until Papa caught him. (he's 4 but thinks he can do anything)...then when they both went to sleep ---- I put them in their bed and came to check on YOU!
And yes, one quick idea---when you are cleaning---because I believe boys and girls need to learn at a young age to "help"---give him an old wash cloth with little bit of water on it (maybe a bit of water in a small spray bottle) and let him "clean" while you clean. This makes them feel like they are "big" and helping mommy is fun! (until he becomes a teenager)
Love you Sarah! :)
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