Fun (at Chandler's expense)

Kids are so fun as they get older. Especially if they are awesome kids like Chandler. He's fun to talk to. He gets our jokes. He's totally helpful around the house and with the younger kids... So, anyway, last night Ben and I went out to tell Chandler to go to bed. Then we went in to the kitchen to get a drink and turn off all the lights. We turned the lights off, and I came up with the idea to hide in the dark of the kitchen and scare Chandler when he came to get a drink. We heard him go brush his teeth. Then, he started whispering for me. I was trying so hard not to crack up around the corner. Ben kept elbowing me and shushing me. Finally, he came tip-toeing toward the kitchen in the dark. We jumped out at him, and... well, he was scared. He fell to the floor yelling, "Oh my gosh!" We were laughing so hard, and he had this look like, "Who ARE you people!? Why did you do that!?" Then, I hugged him, and his heart was totally pounding out of his chest. Then, I felt a little bad. But not bad enough to stop laughing. I hope he's forgiving. And, I better watch my back. He might just get revenge.

Itsy Bitsy Gabby Lou

Gabriella is 4 months now. (Actually she had been for a few weeks. I'm slow. And holy overwhelmed. But that's for a different day.) She weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds, 13 ounces. She's so little still. Nice in a way, but I'd be darn happy if she decided to go ahead and sleep through the night. Or take a nap longer than 15 minutes.
She is a huge HUGE mommy/daddy's girl. Other people just won't do. I'm surprised by this since she is still so young, but WOW. She totally knows if someone other than mom or dad is holding her. And she ain't diggin' it.
She rolls only from her back to her tummy, and then gets totally ticked off that she can't get back. She plays this fun little game all night. This is another surprise, because don't babies usually roll tummy to back first? Maybe I'm remembering wrong.
She seriously is the most precious thing to me. The fact that I never sleep or get anything accomplished all the day long is ok most of the time. I try to focus on the facts. And the fact is, this little one will grow. And she probably won't want me to cuddle her forever. None of my other kids will let me cuddle them much. So I'm going to cuddle her, and apologize to you if you come to my house. It will most assuredly be a pig sty.

It's a love/hate thing

I've realized I have a love/hate relationship with sleep. I just finished reading a book about a woman's struggle with anorexia. It was very enlightening. I realized that the way she thinks about food is the way I think about sleep. I wake up every morning obsessing over how much sleep I got (or more likely didn't get) the night before. I can't help it. I calculate in my mind like an anorexic counting calories how many minutes I've slept, and somewhat subconciously decide what kind of day it will be based on my calculations. The conversation in my head goes like this, "I read from 10 until 10:37. Lights out. I last looked at the clock at 10:45, probably fell asleep at around 11. Gabby woke up at 2:37. She was back down at 3:03. It took me about 20 minutes to fall back asleep. I woke up at 5. Couldn't go back to sleep. Got up and read until 5:40. Gabby woke up again until 6:15. I half-slept while feeding her in the rocking chair until I heard Jackson at 6:50. Ok, how much sleep did I get? Is there a possibility I might be able to rest during the day today? No. I can't. I won't sleep tonight if I do..." and on and on it goes.
Is this abnormal? Do I need to go to rehab? I think I do. I need to rehab my sleeping habits. I've just always been a terrible sleeper. Just ask my mom. Or any of my best freinds when I was young. Or my husband. I'm surprised he hasn't had me committed, because some nights it FEELS insane.
Last night, however, my head hit the pillow, and I was out. It was beautiful. I'm hoping for the same tonight. I've heard insomnia gets worse as we age. Yuck. I guess I'm destined to always be an OCD sleeper. And the love/hate continues...

Cheatin'

Jackson was running through the house chanting, "Mommy has a boyfriend! Mommy has a boyfriend!" I was in my room with Ben when he came in to chant this to us. I said, "I DO have a boyfriend, Jackson! Guess who it is! Daddy!"
He said, "Mom, dad's just in love with you. He can't be your boyfriend!"
Hmm...
Then Ben tried to make Jackson admit that my boyfriend is the UPS man, as I've been pretty excited to see him every day for the past few weeks. (I think I AM also in love with Amazon. Call me the cheatin' kind.)

Hide and Seek

Jackson loves to play hide and seek with me. He always begs to play. He is hilarious to play with because he ALWAYS hides in the same place, (under the covers on his bed), and he always giggles before I even get there. So, needless to say, his H&S skills need some mastery.
So we were playing, and he hid in his usual spot, giggling all the while, and I found him. Then it was my turn to hide. He was counting in his room, and I hid behind his door. Not too tough. He counts to ten REALLY fast, and then starts looking. He walks right out the door and is looking through the house sporadically calling for me. I stay hidden, and the calling stops. I stay hidden for another good 5 minutes. I begin to think I've hidden too well, and go to find him. I'm looking all over the house for him, and finally Chandler tells me he's out back. Is he looking for me out back? That would be a No. He has totally forgotten all about Hide and Seek, and has moved on to whatever activity drew him out back. Good thing he informed me. Good times.

World's best smell

Is there anything in the world that smells better than a freshly bathed baby? I just love the way their skin is so super soft, they smell so sweet like the delicious baby lotion. I just love to drink it all in. The one thing I love more is my husband who loves to bathe his baby girl right before I put her to bed, then he smells like a daddy who just bathed and lotioned a baby for the rest of the night.
What could be better than that?