She's a part-time co-sleeper

It's been about 3 days since Christiana asked to sleep in her own bed and we were a little sad/happy about that.  During nap time she stays in her bed without a problem, but bedtime is another story.  Her first night in her bed, she stayed there until 4:34.  Not too bad right?  

Night number two she didn't stay in her bed as long, she lasted until about 3.  I thought because her cousin Gio was in the room with her, she'd stay the entire night.  Negative.  Her excuse was her room is too messy.  Really Christiana?

Now last night she woke up at 1:32 and cried for both of us!  Man did it scare us.  The first 2 nights she got walked into our bedroom, but she stayed in her room this time. Of course I asked why was she crying, her reply was she missed us.  Too sweet right?  When I brought her back into our bed, she went right back to sleep and stayed sleep the whole night. 

We aren't going to give up on her sleeping in her own room and I know it will be an adjusting process for all of us.  What I could have done was let her cry, but it's only been three days and who likes to hear their child cry all night.  I can't even imagine doing that to her.  We will continue pumping up her sleeping in her bed especially at night (naptime isn't an issue) and eventually she'll sleep through the night in her own bed.  

Fingers crossed

No more co-sleeping!

Ever since Christiana was a teeny tiny baby she has slept in the bed with us. Mind you I was soooo against co-sleeping, but it was sooo much easier for me as a breast feeding mommy.  After she outgrew her cradle it only made since for her to continue sleeping with us.  When my mother fell ill, we never really pushed the issue of buying her own bed because we kept telling ourselves that we would be moving out of the apartment (she was supposed to buy her bedroom set).  One year became 2 years and now Munchie is pushing on 3 and she is still in our bed.  Sometimes she would tell daddy Teems to move out of her spot or leave.  

Of course our co-sleeping situation interfered with mommy and daddy cuddle time, but it became part if our routine.   She couldn't or wouldn't go to sleep without me and while I was putting her to sleep I ended up falling asleep myself.  This was our bedtime routine.

Well once we moved (you read that correctly) her TiTi Joy offered to buy her a bed and we graciously accepted.  Her bed has been up for  at least 1 month now and she is still in our bed.  Weeell she slept in it no more than 2 times.  Here's where it gets good.  Today she asked to sleep in her bed during nap time AND she asked if she could sleep there at night! Of course we said she could do that.  We even went out and let her pick out her night light, and I told her that we are going to go back to the store and let her pick out her decorations. She LOVED that idea!

While we were doing our normal bedtime routine (brush, wash, pjs), she wasted more time than usual. Two minutes quickly became 20 and we almost threw in the towel. I asked if she wanted to sleep in her bed, she said yes but she wanted me to stay with her.  I told her I will stay with her until she went to sleep then I'm going to sleep with daddy. Christiana was satisfied with that answer.  😄 Such a big girl. 😢 

Here's how she ended up falling asleep, I had to rub my pinkie in her nose.  Every time I would move my finger, she'd put it back.  I tried rubbing her tummy, face, and hair, but that didn't work.  What relaxed my little sweetie peetie was my pinkie finger in her nose (read one of my old posts about me digging in her nose).  Whatever works right?

Let's see if she lasts the entire night in her own bed. 😃 I'll write about it tomorrow.

Happy New Years!

2013 was a great year for the Teems family and we cannot wait for all of Gods blessings for 2014!  As a family we have quite a few visions that have to be fulfilled, and we are soooo ready to tackle them.  

One of Christiana's resolutions is to read more books and spell more words (she loves to spell her first and last name).  I'm sooo excited for her to achieve these goals; she's soooo ready!

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Ewwww Munchie!

It's been a while since I've last posted, but we've been pretty busy.  Anyhoo since it's cold and flu season Christiana has had a couple of runny noses.  Ewwww right!  For me there's nothing worse than seeing a child with a crusty nose, especially when it's my child.  I stay having boogy wipes, baby wipes, Q-tips (which reminds me that I have to restock), and/or tissue in my purse (car and Munchie's bag).

Sometimes it gets so bad that she doesn't want me wiping or even sucking the snot out of her nose.  Well here's what she's been doing lately, she's been picking the crusty boogers out! Ewwww gross!  OR she want me to pick them out!  Now I don't mind picking them out if we are at home, but I don't want her to get in the habit of publicly picking her nose.  Last night she must have picked her nose for 10 minutes! Ewwww gross!  I was telling her to knock it off but she insisted on getting them herself.  So I put on her favorite tv show, told her to lay down, got the Q-tips, and made sure I got every last booger out.  I wanted to make sure she didn't have anything to pick. 😜 it must have been relaxing for her because she didn't put up a fight or anything.  She actually dozed off a few times while I was doing it.

Again I want to make sure she doesn't get in the habit of picking her nose, I don't want her to be known as the nose picker or booger girl.  Heck. I still remember the boys name that we used to make fun of in elementary school for picking his nose.

Really Christiana

Christiana has learned the trick of saying she's full when she doesn't want to eat something.  This morning I gave her some cough syrup, she takes a sip with a frown on her face and says "I'm full momma".  Really Christiana? You are full from taking 1 sip of cough syrup first thing in the morning. Really?  This whole "I'm full" trend has been going on for the past few weeks now.  I have no idea where she got it from (like most of her funny sayings), but I just laugh and go with it.

When she pulls this at the dinner table, we say okay and leave her plate there.  Once daddy Teems and I are finished with our dinner, we play the dessert game.  The dessert game is we eat our yummy treat and she can't have any until she takes a few more bites of her dinner. You may be thinking, what if Munchie is full?  If she's full from dinner, then she's too full for dessert.  What's really going on is she's testing her boundaries, little Miss Independent is what it is.

Fantastic firsts: Munchie's trip to the happiest place on earth

We finally took Christiana to Disneyland! I've been wanting to hold out on this trip for at least another year (or so), but daddy Teems said she's ready.  Another reason why he wanted Munch to go was because he wanted her big sister to be there for her first trip there.  Fiiiiine.  So I came up with a schedule for our day. 
Here was my plan:

• Get to Disneyland when they open
• Spend time in the toddler friendly places
• Have lunch together
• Munch & I go to the hotel for nap time, while daddy Teems and Amanah hang out.  When Munchie is tired she starts getting delirious and I wanted daddy Teems and big Sissy to have a good time.
• Come back to the park so we can catch the evening parades
• Have dinner with Gammy for her birthday
• Head home

Sounds like a great plan right?

 

The trip didn't go as planned.  The Teems girls cousin came with us so that way Mani can have someone her age to hang with.  Once we got there we let the teens go on their own and we took Christiana to the basic "toddler friendly" rides (It's a Small World, Mad Hatter Tea Cups, and Pirates of the Caribbean). Of course she loved the Tea Cups & Small World, but the Pirate ride was a little shaky. She had her head in daddy Teems chest for most of the ride because (obviously) she didn't like the skeletons and the loud noise. I haven't been to Disneyland since high school (1995) so I totally forgot about all the "scary" characters on that ride. Booo to us!  We ended up leaving the park around Munchies nap time but never made it back to the park.  We did have our birthday dinner with Gammy and we saw the fireworks from Downtown Disney.  Ultimately the trip wasn't too bad. ;OP

If you are wondering why I wanted to wait well it's because I don't think children her age would get the most out of Disneyland. Disneyland is super expensive and for toddlers they are good for about 2-3 hours (if that) before they start getting moody. Disneyland is a huge park and depending on when you go will determine how much ground you will cover (I.e long lines, weather, tired baby, bathroom breaks, etc).

What I would have like to have done was to spend more time in Toon town and have her take pictures with the Princesses & Minnie Mouse and to have her see the Main Street parade and fireworks.  I decided instead of doing a party/get-together for my birthday to spend my birthday at Disneyland.  This way we will have to pay for only 1 adult since I'll get in free and Munch is 2 AND she'll get to see Disneyland converted into a winter wonderland.  BOOM this way everyone can have a good time.  We will also have to get a room so we can leave during her nap time and come back later so she can see the evening shows.    Another great plan right!
 

 



Mommy Moment: Does she love me?

I love Christiana (as I should right?) and I tell her everyday (many times a day).  For that past month or so she has been telling Daddy Teems and I that she loves us also.  The first time she said this, my heart instantly melted.  Then I began to wonder, does she really know what she is saying?  She's at an age where she repeats what we are saying, so that ran through my head. I mean she gives random kisses, asks me to hold her hand throughout the day, she crawls in my lap to cuddle, rubs my face when we are going to bed, BUT does she really know what she is saying?  There's no doubt in my mind that she doesn't love me but I don't want her to just repeat what we are saying.

 Of course I asked Daddy Teems and looked at babycenter.com (just to see what they say).  I mean babycenter.com was the site I referred to when I was preggo and they keep me updated weekly about how she is growing, so they are the experts right?  So according to baby center here's what they said (I'm only putting the ones that are my favorites and make my heart melt, if you want to see more click here:

 

• You're her role model:  She mimics what I do :O) I love it!  From wearing her kiddie heels, to lipgloss, the flower in her hair, to even some of the things I say.  I really have to watch how I react to certain situations.
• She makes verbal declarations of love: YES!  She knows what she's saying :O)
• She comforts you: When I'm hurt, she'll rub my boo-boo and ask if I'm okay.  If I say ouch, she'll say "Are you okay Momma?"
• She celebrates your return:  EVERY time I pick her up from school, Christiana yells "My mommy, my mommy!" and runs to me.
• She seeks comfort from you: Even when she's "mad" at me she still calls my name and wants us to cuddle.  She also calls my name when she gets hurt (physically and emotionally)
• She turns  to you for rescue:  She'll want me to pick her up during uncomfortable situations and will put her head on my chest or even daddy Teems chest.

We love because He first loved us

1 John 4:19