sleeping without laughing

Have you ever tried to go to sleep, without laughing, while someone is lightly running their hand over your face and thumping your lip? Well, I'll explain that one in a minute.

Eden and I are currently at my parents' house while Graham is in Baton Rouge unpacking boxes at the new house. We spent Sunday through yesterday enjoying our current house for a few last days before I brought Eden up to spend a few days with her CC and Granddaddy {giving me and Graham at least 48-Eden-free hours to get the new house settled}.

It was a crazy end of the week after we left the beach. We all drove to Mobile, then I went alone another 4 hours to Brookhaven to see my dear friend Lydia and other college friends (hope to get a photo soon). Then, 2 more hours Sunday morning to unload the car in Baton Rouge, 4 more hours roundtrip to meet Graham and Nona halfway between BR and Mobile to get Eden. Then Graham drove a rental truck and inherited dining room set to the new house in BR on Monday. Whew!

After having a celebratory picnic dinner for our good friends Jennifer and David and their daughter Josie, I packed up our thinkgs again to head to Jackson. Thankfully, our trip up to Mississippi was great. Eden read books to herself and pointed out trucks for the first hour {after asking for Yo Gabba Gabba! 139 times, without success thank you} and then slept all the way to Jackson!

Anyhow, I was looking forward to a really good night of sleep but E had other plans.

She kept mumbling Mama in her sleep, and then at 3:30 {a.m.} she finally really woke up and started asking for me, knowing I was just in the bed beside her. As soon as I picked her up she pitifully said, "Fall asleep in da big bed." I figured I'd just try it in an effort not to wake up her Aunt FeeFee who was also asleep in the big bed.

Well, the little munchkin just would not go back to sleep. She threw out everything she could think of, popping up every few minutes asking to play, read a book, eat, get a diaper change, and every time I'd say no it was time to sleep. At one point, she was snuggled up next to me and said, "I scared." I asked her why she was scared and she started mumbling something about monsters being in her other bed. I have no idea where she got the idea that scary monsters were in the crib with her but she told everybody about it at breakfast so I guess it was real.

The funniest part of the hour and a half that we spent trying to go back to sleep was when she out of nowhere started stroking my face ever so softly and then tried to stick her hand in my mouth. She's crazy! I just couldn't keep it in and started giggling myself. She sure thought she was funny at that point. We must both have been delirious. Crazy girl.

We've spent today visiting with family, and then I'm off to Baton Rouge for the house unpacking extraordinaire. Once, we're all settled in next week we'll try to get some of our memories of the beach and photos of the new house posted.

no diaper

Oh. My.

This afternoon {after I got home from giving my final exam for the semester} I spent some time finalizing grades for my classes and after a while heard Eden making some noise in her room. I gave her a minute to really wake up and then heard her crying, not an I'm-hurt, really loud cry but a really sad, upset quiet cry.

So, I went in to get her up and found her sitting up, shivering, and really upset. I walked over and asked her what was wrong, and she lifted her dress while she was crying to show me that she didn't have a diaper on!

A quick look around her crib, and I realized her diaper was in the corner and the sheet and blankets were soaked. Yes. Yuck.

I realize I got very lucky in that I could have been met by something a whole lot worse than wet sheets. We've got to make it at least two more weeks {one at the beach and one moving to the new house} before we can start potty training. I think we're ok, since it seems that E just doesn't like the new Huggies I bought yesterday. Graham said Eden was telling him the tab part hurt this morning. Guess I really need to pay attention to what she doesn't like.

Oh man, what a weird afternoon.

In other news, it's the end of the semester. Can't you tell by our lack of posts lately? We're headed to the beach tomorrow so we may catch up on posts while we're there ... or we might not. Be back soon.

playdates

 

 

mmmmm, summer

love these

I love this photo for a few reasons ... 1) You can tell Eden is humoring me and sitting on the step though she'd rather be walking away, 2) Graham and his almost always present coffee mug are peaking into the back of the photo, and 3) E just looks so much older.

- ashley

Russell's party

The other day Eden got invited to help celebrate Russell's birthday. Russell is one of Eden's classmates - when I take her in the morning and he is there they act crazy together usually twirling around and falling down (which, not coincidentally, is Elmo's favorite dance).

The party was at a local park.

[*Editor's Note: Doesn't the photo below look like the typical little kid photo we all have?]

They had cupcakes (but Eden only likes the cake part - icing is not her thing).

And Capri Suns. Ashley let her have one ... and like a true kid every time Ashley turned around Eden went for another. Ashley estimates she had 3 (no wonder she was cranky at bedtime! I bet her stomach was going nuts from all that sugar.)

The report is that Eden had a great time, perhaps because she got to sneak around and have Capri Suns at will. More importantly, I suppose it is that season in our lives where the birthday party replaces the date night as the go-to event of the month ...

in the car, one minute??!!!!!

Lately, one of Eden's favorite places is the car. Not when we are driving and not because we necessarily go anywhere ... just to be in the car. When we are outside it is not a rare occassion that she points to one of our cars and says "In the car, one minute please." Then she walks to the car ...

... typically trying to bring one of us along ...

... then goes up to the door and begins to try to open it. If she cannot get it open she'll say, "No working Mommy/Daddy. Keys."

Most of the time we oblige. Her favorite activities are playing with the CD player, honking the horn (which is more enjoyable when the neighbors are on their porch), watching the windshield wipers, and turning any knob she can find.

Lately, we've been able to play the car game with the windows down and just the power on for the cd player. We hope this fad fades quickly, though it might be a bit of a relief to play with the AC on in a few weeks when we start seeing 100+ degree weather ... ah, LA in the summer time!

sleepover at the Johnsons'

Last week we got tired of being eaten by fleas in our own house. Nope, we have no pets, just the fleas. So, I went to the hardware (True-Value of course) and bought some spray. The guy told me that fleas can live in the wood of older homes ... great. So, the plan was to spray the entire house - all the baseboards and all the floors ... to coat them and go away for 12+ hours to let it all dry.

So, Ashley and Eden packed the car and headed to our good friends, the Johnsons.

Brett was out of town, so we went to "help" Marie take care of the two little ones (and to cook dinner). Eden was excited because her friend Keegan would be there. They play well together.

Our first slumber party went well. After staying at their place (a new house), we have sworn off older homes (thank goodness because I have been convinced of that for a while now). Ashley likes to remind me that she never said she needed an "old" home but just wanted a home with the floors, the woodwork, and the trees outside, but I'm not sure she remembers correctly.

3:30

The past few weeks can be aptly described as the unleashing of new words for Eden. It is as if, all of a sudden, she can say all of the words she has been hearing for the past 2 years. We know now that she is paying attention when we tell her something. Although we suspected it (her intense stares, her seeming to acknowledge us), we were not sure. Now that she is really communicating with us, we know for sure. Here is an example.

On Monday, we were driving to school. I asked Eden who was coming to pick her up. Her default is "Mommy" (since Ashley usually is the one to do that). Monday's are, however, my day to pick up. So I corrected her then told her that "Mommy will be home at 3:30." She nodded and that was that.

When I picked her up and went to the grocery store, she asked about Mommy. I told her again, 3:30. She nodded as if she knew that but had just forgotten. The next day, Ashley was in Target with Eden. They were strolling around and talking. Ashley asked her where I was to which she responded, "At work." Then Ashley asked when I would be home ... "Three-thirty." Since Ashley was not privy to the whole 3:30-Mommy story, she was shocked (as was the woman down the aisle listening in on the conversation).

Another example happened Friday morning as we were sitting down to breakfast. I asked Eden if she heard the sirens in the distance outside. She nodded yes and then said something about being sick. Ashley informed me that Eden was telling me the ambulance was going to help someone who was sick; they had talked about the other day. Then, Ashley said told Eden the ambulance was going fast to help the sick person and that it would take them to the hospital. Eden replied by mentioning doctor and ears (checking out your ears and listening to a stethescope). So there it is - evidence that she is paying attention and taking it all in. Like we ever doubted that!