This summer has been hot, too hot to try to drag a newborn and a toddler out and do anything fun that requires that I attend to both children. So, unfortunately, we've been spending our days indoors. Usually in the afternoons I would get Angela in the pool or let her soak herself with her water table. Who knew pouring water from one vessel into another could be so fulfilling? We've made friends with a neighbor on a nearby street who also has a daughter Angela's age and we've been getting together once a week, which has been nice. And now that its gotten a bit cooler I've been able to take them on walks around Horn Pond in Woburn, which lots of people go for dog walks and the pond is very pretty with ducks and swans. Recently, I ran into the grandmother of one of Angela's "classmates" in her toddler tumblers class and I believe we'll have a new playdate in our pool of things to do.
Since I bought the Good Night Light for Angela her morning sleep improved greatly. She even started asking for it at nap time... this was after nearly a full month of her missing her nap because I was incapable of falling back on my sleep crutches to get her to sleep and I had to dive into full-on sleep training at naptime. It was either that or deal with an extremely cranky Angela until John got home from work. However, it went from full on crying for 60-90 minutes to her falling asleep with me sitting in the chair in her room, to her going doing and letting me leave the room and generally staying asleep until her light lit up as the sun telling her naptime has been over. I am so grateful that her naps have taken a turn for the better. A lot of praying went on during that rough month of no naps.
Cameron has been wonderful thus far. Relatively easy to put down for naps and he generally falls asleep on his own everytime. His nighttime sleep hasn't improved in terms of length of time that he sleeps, he hasn't slept for more than 4 hours in a long time, however, he goes right back to sleep after being fed and overall he sleeps for 10-12 hours at night, so I really cannot complain. He is a relatively easy going baby, in part thanks to his pacifier, and he smiles and gurgles and laughs so easily I cannot help but feel my love for him fill up inside of me. Angela is turning 2 in a couple of short weeks and although I am excited to watch her grow up, I am feeling pangs of sadness to know that she will never be a baby again. I miss it already, even with Cameron, I wish I could hold her as a chubby baby again. When I hold her I can feel her long legs dangling and cradling her is becoming more and more challenging, I look like I've rescued her from a fire rather than just holding my little girl.
This fall we are signed up for her toddler tumblers gym class again, as well as couple of new classes - Mommy & Me dance (she has to wear a leotard, tights, and ballet shoes - cannot wait!), and Music Together which is on Saturday mornings so either John or I can take her or both of us! Watching her catch on to things so quickly these days and retain memories and information has been a lot of fun. She can count to ten and is beginning to remember the lyrics to songs and sing along.
