Sleep Training

It has been a week of binki weaning, some crying, and lots of stress on my part. But it is worth it now that my little burrito can fall asleep by herself in her crib. I just can't let her get over-tired (in other words, let her stay awake for more than an hour and a half) or leave the house at all and she won't cry.

Is it just me, or does everyone's UPS man come during nap time and ring the door bell, which sounds 10 times louder than usual.

Cookbook

I don't know why I'm so lucky to have a husband that likes to cook (and does the dishes and buys me all the kitchen gadgets I want- the one area where I'm not a cheapskate). For a while now he's been bugging me to write down recipes and make a family cookbook to give out as Christmas gifts. Because of the fact that I rarely use recipes and am too lazy/daunted to write things down, it has not happened. Besides, I'm more of a make-due-with-what's-left-in-the-fridge-when-you-really-need-to-go-grocery-shopping type.

So Brian has declared that he will be the one to do it, right after watching Julie and Julia, might I add. So when he's not working, teaching Soo Bahk, or being a dad he will be busy in the kitchen cooking taking pictures and recording measurements of our favorite dishes, likely ones we've fed all of you.

It will have an obvious Asian emphasis since that's his thing. And I suggest he includes grilling tips since he's the master of the barbecue, so snooty we haven't lit up the gas grill (that we only have because it was give to us) in, well, I can't remember the last time.

Hope he wasn't planning on it being a surprise.

During Eli's Nap Today

Still going on actually, obviously since I'm now able to post. Esme's totally obsessed with sitting up, so we spent our one-on-one time working on that with her brand new boppy, the pattern for which came from this book, which is my new obsession (yes, you can borrow it Anna, just as soon as I make about 20 more things).

Isn't she the cutest thing ever? Am I not the luckiest person ever? Yes and yes. And does the slobbering mean teething? I hope not. We were really sad when Eli's came in at 5 months. The first time I was scared of him growing up. Besides, she's not responsible enough for teeth, it's scary enough when she bites me with gums.

Poor Eli. We didn't have a super fabulous camera or a blog when you were tiny, so here you go:

Esme's Happy Place

It would be the bathroom counter. At a few days old she was crying and crying and I laid her down to change her diaper and she stopped. She got all peacefull staring at bottles of baby lotion and I realized I could run around a do a couple of household things. It still works, when she's crying and I don't know what to do, I just lay her there and she quiets down. Being in my arms or her swing can't even do that a lot of the time. Quite a while ago she started looking up at me in the mirror, but I guess the real life camera is more exciting than the reflecting one, since she won't continue when its around. Poor Esme, her life isn't quite as exciting as Eli's, she doesn't get to do thrilling things Eli's done in just the last couple of days, like go to primary or the dentist for the first time or even dump 3 full packs of fish food in the tank. But I like her boringness.

A Sunbeam

Today was Eli's first day in primary. We were worried since the last few weeks of nursery he'd started screaming, not wanting to go in. He even cried on the way to church the last time we drove, recognizing the intersections and telling me to turn the other way. Today was better, he was even excited and insistent on wearing his tie like dad instead of saying "stay home" at the mention of church.

Brian took him early so the tearing-Eli-off-him drama would happen before the other kids got there. Surpringly Eli didn't act out to his fullest capability since Brian promised him Gordon if he didn't have a fit (sorry, Ciril, we lost him the Gordon you gave him), which will happen the Sunday he goes peacefully to primary.

It went well once the screaming was over and he sat on his teacher's lap. I spied, of course, and even took pictures. Eli was especially enamored with his toys and snacks in sacrament since his grown-up class doesn't give him those anymore. Hopefully the promise of a train will work as well as it did for potty training.

27 Years Ago Today

Thanks Mom.

When I had friends over for a party growing up my mom would always make sure and pull out a note card with sentimental tidbits about my birthday, as if teenagers care about what a beautiful clear day it was with fresh white snow glistening. But I care, and thank you for always making me feel special on this day.

Little Chef

When I'm trying to make dinner and Eli runs in wanting me to come play I always ask if he'd like to help cook. Sometimes I'm just trying to finish quickly and hope he'll cringe at the idea of work and run back to play by himself. Most of the time I want him to help and learn. I'd be so proud if he ended up becoming a cook or chef.

Last week it was salad. He went at the already prepared salad with his toddler knife and when it didn't cut he just tore it and put a few pieces in our bowls. After hacking up the avacado I showed him how to cut and scoop it. Future chef or not, I almost burst with pride when he wanted to wash the dishes he used and ended up asking for 3rds on salad at dinner.

2 Months

No longer a newborn. We're sad about it. She doesn't fall asleep unless we do things just right and she already insists we hold her upright. But we are happy that she's finally plumping up and smiles like crazy.

I'm also realizing that she is already quite a different baby than Eli was. The doctor said her only jobs are to eat, sleep, and poop. The other day I was thought about it and discovered that she is different from him in every way. Take sleeping, she, unlike Eli, must be swaddled tight like a mummy or she jolts herself awake every minute, literally. I'll spare you the details of the other two.

Actually, I'm not that sad. I look forward to seeing her grow and her personality emerge. If the opposite-of-Eli-trend continues she'll be hyper, carefree, and friendly.