It's Been Busy 'Round Here

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Well hello. Just wanted to say hi and to let you know that we're still alive over here, just busy. It seems that every day there are so many things to do, places to go, or people to see.  

I wish I could tell you that I've been absent from the blog because I've been working on some wickedly awesome DIY projects or renos..... or that we went on a secret vacation to somewhere spectacular. The truth is that I've just been trying to keep on top of regular, every day mom and house stuff. 

No more baking photo shoots. Wah wah waaaaaaaaah.

And I've been trying to be more present, if that makes any sense. I'm figuring out that I don't really need to have mini photo shoots every time I bake a batch of muffins and then write lengthy blog posts about them.  Don't get me wrong, if there were 72 hours in a day I would love to do just that. Instead, I've been making muffins, and then sitting down and eating one while having some quality time with the Coopster. (Although his idea of fun right now is trying to steal/eat said muffins.) I'm also figuring out that it's far more valuable to spend a half-hour of me-time when Cooper is napping actually doing something rather than surfing Pinterest and dreaming of doing something. 

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Speaking of Pinterest, I think we're starting to have a love-hate relationship. A few images I had pinned recently were just burning in my brain. You see at our house there were dozens of nooks, crannies, cupboards, and closets that were jam-packed with... how do I put this..... crap. They were all in need of serious cleaning and purging. Every time I would go to get the Windex I would look at the sink cupboard and die a little inside. Because all I kept seeing were pictures like this:

Source - BHG

Source - Chez Larsson

So I've been using my spare minutes, when Coops is jumping happily in his Jolly Jumper or licking all the toys on his exersaucer, to clean out the "problem areas". So far I've done: 

- under the kitchen sink
- the tupperware drawer
- the kitchen pantry
- the plates/bowls/cups/mugs cupboards in the kitchen
- the broom closet
- 75% of my closet (I'm having flashbacks to this post)
- 90% of the front entry closet

I've taken three garbage bags of cloths to the donation box and have made two trips to the Salvation Army to drop off old dishes, mis-matched mugs, etc.

Maybe one day I'll make those cupboards and closets "pretty" like the above photos. For now though, just cleaning them out is making me happy. 

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I swear that every single other minute of the day has been working with this guy on his sleep.


You see, he was so used to being cuddled and rocked and nursed to sleep that he became dependent on it.

Yup, mom fail. 

But it wasn't completely our fault. We needed to do those things for him to fall asleep. Just call him Distracto-Joe. Since he was about two months old, he would do everything in his power to stay awake. It was like he was on hyper-alert for any noise or movement or thing that could distract him from sleep. (Even still, his eyelids will be rolling back in his head and then he will force them open, over and over again, until he can't do it anymore.)

Then, to make matters worse, he started jolting awake every time we tried to put him down once he was asleep. I think we tried every technique there was to lay him down in his bed - softly, quickly, head down first, butt down first, feet down first. No matter what we did, he was waking himself back up about 90% of the time when we put him down to sleep. So we ended up holding him for his whole nap. Four times a day. Every day. It was exhausting. 

Since I'm one of those types who is a sucker can't handle the cry-it-out thing, I've been doing some super-gradual sleep training. It's taken about a month and a half but now Coopaloops is falling asleep on his back, in his real crib, in his room, without any crying. Granted, it takes him on average about 30-45 minutes to fall asleep and me there to pop his soother back in or rub his head when he fusses/cries but we are making progress people

I am happy to report that today he fell asleep on his own without me having to rub his head or sing him a song. Twice. 

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention that he was only sleeping for 20 minutes at a time, too. So I had to hang around for a few weeks and when he stirred after the first 20 minutes, I had to hold his arms so they wouldn't flail around and wake himself up before making it to the next sleep cycle.

It worked because he is sleeping for 40 minutes now and I CAN ACTUALLY HAVE 40 MINUTES TO MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



{Cooper would like me to mention that other than the troubles falling and staying asleep, he is a highly advanced, super duper good baby. He told me to say that!!!! I swear!!!!!!}

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And last but not least, in any of my other spare minutes, I've been editing photos. I've done two sets of family portraits and two sets of maternity portraits in the last month. Woop woooooooooooop! I'd post some sample pictures on here but I didn't really ask my "clients" if I could blast their pictures on the internet. :)

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So, it's been busy. And that's what we've been up to. How 'bout you? How does your baby fall asleep? How does your under-the-kitchen-sink looks right now? Do you take pictures of baked goods for fun or am I the only super-nerd around here (wink, wink)?

13 comments:

  1. My friend's baby looks sooo much like your baby! It's uncanny. And my first baby slept like an old man. If he was playing on the floor and got tired, he would just fall asleep. I credited my awesomeness as a mother for that. Then I had my second baby. And I realized that I deserved no credit for my first baby's sleep habits. He fought sleep like it was the devil. I'm all about 3-hour naps (because my first baby did it, so why not my second??). I never liked the sound of all of the most popular baby sleep books, but I actually read one called "12 Hours' Sleep by 12 Weeks Old." It was a fast read, and so amazing! You might not need it, because you're making great progress, so you must be doing something right. ;) But if you feel like it, you might even be able to finish it off during one 40-minute nap!

    And I love your blog, by the way. :) I've been stalking you for a few months now. I made the white curtains that you have in your bathroom. They look awesome in my kitchen. :D

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  2. Well, I don't think my sink and closets are ever going to look quite like they do on Pinterest but I have to wonder if people keep them that neat? Especially with kids ha!

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  3. Don't worry your not the only one with a love hate relationship with pinterest. I am sitting over here having a melt down because we are getting married in 7 months and do not have our own place and pinterest is making it even worse because I keep seeing all these amazing ideas and well I don't exactly have my own house to do them....it is becoming quite the debbie downer! But on the other hand it is finally Christmas time so I can use some of the Christmas pins to distract myself (:

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  4. You're not alone! I covet those pantries and nooks and cabinets, but just moving into a brand new house means that our {little bit} extra $$$ must go to more of the obvious things that are actually seen by someone other than myself. I feel your pain! Maybe we'll get there one day! By they way....Coopster is a super duper cutie pie! Love the blog!

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  5. Awe Sarah!! Youre doing so great! Ecery babe ia diff. No mom fail. You soundnlike you have been so busy. Well i am super glad you are giving yoirself the you time you so deserve. The blog can wait. Ill find another vice ;)
    Lets chat soon when you have some mommy chat time!
    Xoxo
    B

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  6. He is such a cutie pie! Sounds like your hard work with sleeping is paying off. Nice job momma!! Keep it up!

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  7. Sarah - first off, NO ONE has cupboards that look like Pinterest. Even if you make them look like that, which I did with my linen closet, they don't stay that way. Seriously, they would only look like that if you never took anything out or put anything into them. Don't lose sleep over it.

    Can I just say that your little Coopster is absolutely the cutest little guy?! Every time I see his little face, I just smile. It's an automatice reaction. Always put that little guy first, J

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  8. hello :-) loving the cooper photos, so cute! your baking photos make me hungry :-)

    i have a request i'd like to put in.... hows about a fixer upper update (with lots of photos!) whenever you get time off from all the baking photoshoots? ;-)

    that would be a super awesome christmas present for me. i guess that's sad isn't it?

    Bells x

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  9. I've FINALLY got my 12 month old sleeping all night, by herself AND napping during the day for longer than 1/2 an hour. And it is GLORIOUS!!
    Cooper is so cute! Great job with the sleeping, it's hard work :)

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  10. I'm all about taking pictures of my baked goods, but sometimes it tries my husband's patience. I have to find the middle road. I would also like to get some sorting and cleaning done. Under my sink does not look good. I have to work on that.

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  11. Not a "cry it out" fan either, but I do know how tough it can be. Here's hoping it gets better for you. Good luck Momma!

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  12. I was always so worried when my fiends would nicely (judgingly) ask me if my baby was sleeping-in-his-crib/done-nursing/still-taking-a-paci/etc. and think "OMG, should he be doing this or that by now?" then, I said why am I fighting what I love and he needs? Every baby is different, and the two of you will find what works for you. :) Heck, my son slept in our room in his co-sleeper (and sometimes mine and my husbands bed) until he was 1 year old and now he's almost 2 and a half and we still rock him to sleep at night. We both like it, he enjoys cuddling mommy and daddy and I still love to sit and smell his sweet little head. Win-win! As far as organized cupbords, a few weeks ago I thought the same thing and went out and bought all these amazing containers to organize my hall closet of its medicines, lotions, soaps, towels, etc. Turns out, the tubs are still on the bench in the hall collecting dust. Ahh motherhood! Ain't it grand!? :)

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  13. He is soooo sweet, my youngest turned two in September. They are such an amazing amount of work but so fun, thank you for sharing his sweet pictures with us :)

    xoxo, Tanya
    twelveOeight

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