Sleep

I woke up this morning at 7:15, not at 4:45 and then back to bed again, but 7:15. What is even better is that I woke to the sound of Paul reminding me that it was time to get up, not to the sound of hysterical crying baby demanding attention. In fact I didn't even hear hysterical demanding baby until 8:35. Let me recap, Gavin went to bed at about 10:15 last night and I didn't have to get up with him, hear him or attend to his every need until 8:35 the next morning, THAT IS OVER 10 HOURS PEOPLE! I got to get up, get ready, and eat breakfast all before attending to his needs. I just wanted to share this blessed day with ya'll. Much sleep to everyone out there!:) (Of course Gavin would do this right after I write about him being a difficult kid, really he's just trying to be, well, difficult:)

The Gavinator vs the Jumper

As many of you are quite aware, Gavin is a ......special baby, perhaps better described as 'high maintnance'. He insists on pretty much constant bouncing and patting and attention while he's awake (which is not easy when there's 3) and then he only sleeps for 45 min-1 hour on average. He sleeps 7-9 hours through the night before feeding again and he demands that you stand and rock and bounce and pat while holding him in just the right position so he can scream at you for about 10 minutes before he will finally fall asleep no earlier than 10:00 (on a good day, but it's better than midnight which is what it used to be) This past week has been especially difficult with very fussy awake periods and very short naps, I have been exhausted by the sheer energy required to calm this teeny tiny little man, so it was much to my relief today when we discovered...the jumper.

At first he was a little unsure about this new bouncy thing

But then his brothers stepped in to show him all the many options this new toy offered. First Braden bounced him very gently. Jacob grabbed on and bounced him very un-gently and was asked to play with something else. Then Braden pushed Gavin to make him swing, he had to be told a couple of times to be gentle. Then he spun him like a tire swing and let him fly, he was very quickly told NOT to do this again. Gavin survived the ride and secretly I think he may have really liked it:) It was really fun to see the boys 'playing' together

After the help from his brothers, Gavin REALLY liked the swing and was actually bouncing himself. I'm really quite impressed for a 31/2 month old first time bouncer. I think this could mean trouble, but I'm not sure yet. Oh well, at least he's happy:)

But finally play time was over and the jumper came out victorious. I realized things had gotten quiet, too quiet, so I peeked over at Gavin and this is how I found him:I was so happy I almost cried. He hadn't screamed or even fussed, he had simply fallen asleep without any help at all from mom. So today I am thankful to whoever invented the johnny jumper that finally exhausted the fight out of our little Gavinater.

Horn Spanking

Whenever we are out driving Paul always feels it necessary to inform drivers on the road how reckless or absentminded they are by what has lovingly been referred to at our house as a 'horn spanking'. Braden has taken careful note of everything dad does. So Thursday we were at our favorite local Kroger where they have the blessed car cart that keeps my kiddos somewhat occupied while I try to get through the store without an extra box of yummy-o's tossed in my cart. After we had somehow managed to make it through the store past the tempting candy displays and through the checkout, Braden hopped aboard the car cart with Jacob and the two sat in there giggling their heads off as they 'drove' the cart. Trouble started as we headed into the parking lot. As we walked to the car I heard honking coming from the car cart and when I asked what they were doing, Braden said they were giving all the naughty drivers horn spankings, of course. When we got to the car Braden then proceeded to hop up on top of the car cart and direct Jacob in who to horn spank, and not just the cars. As people walked by Braden would point and say get 'em Jacob! and Jacob would of course oblige and horn spank these poor innocent bystanders. I wasn't sure if I should laugh or melt into the pavement at the activities if these mischevious little guys, ahhhh boys.