Allemans: A Random Post

It seems to me that parenting, at its core, basically entails navigating the tension between what is easiest in the moment and what is better in the long run. I think this applies in lots of situations, but this has really been reinforced to me having a newborn in the house again. Especially in the area of sleep. Sure, Cora sleeps great when I hold her, but I know it is probably better for her to learn to sleep on her own, in a crib - and eventually to learn to fall asleep on her own, too. (Plus, it's just not practical for me to hold her all day - or night! - when I also have a toddler to look after). After all, I'm not exactly going to be rocking her to sleep when she's in high school (at least I hope not!). But I also know that she can't NOT sleep all day, all in the name of "sleep training". So we try to find a balance that keeps everyone sane. And we give ourselves a little grace when we take the "easy" way out sometimes (although, that's not always easier in the long run) - because parenting is also a process, one that we certainly haven't mastered yet.

And this weekend, that meant that Cora slept in a rock-and-play or a bouncy seat or on Dad's shoulder (even though I want her to sleep in her crib!), but the bottom line is - she slept! And last night, she slept for almost 8 hours. Which means Mom slept for 5.5 hours. (Yay!) It's funny because just yesterday, I was telling Brandon that I haven't slept longer than a two hour stretch in almost a month. And I was really starting to feel the effects of that. What a difference a little uninterrupted sleep can make!

Cora is almost four weeks old, and it feels like we have had four very distinct weeks. Week one I was feeling good! Brandon was home, and we were exhausted but figuring out how to parent two kids. Week two Brandon went back to work, my mom was here to help out, and I got sick :( At the end of that week, my sister visited from Colorado and Bibi and Babu (and Uncle Caleb!) came from Michigan - so nice to have all the extra hands around, especially since I was feeling so rotten. Week three - I started feeling better, and my mom came back for a few days, but then I was on my own while Brandon worked 11 days straight. This was a rough week. I was feeling physically able to care for two kids, but Jonah seemed to be struggling to adjust to sharing my attention (now that there was no one else around to entertain him). He suddenly started taking 1 hour naps - and waking up super crabby. I thought I might go crazy! But as we headed into week four, things seem to have turned a corner. Jonah is napping again (yay!) and a much happier boy. He is back to entertaining himself with Duplos or books when I need to tend to Cora. I am starting to feel like I can to this two kids thing. ...And it helps that Brandon finally got a day off!

Brandon took Jonah to the church nursery this morning while he attended a class, and when he picked him up, the nursery volunteer commented that "he sure talks a lot!" He sure does :) Some of my favorite things Jonah is doing/saying these days:

- Utensils are "u-pencils"
- Jonah will repeat almost anything we say. He loves to know the names of things (wuzit?), especially people (whoo-izit?). We are trying to teach him to ask for things instead of just demanding - "More carrots!" - but if something is too long/complicated to repeat back - "May I have some more carrots, please?" - he will just look at you and say, "Yeah." As in: Yeah, what you said.
- Counting. Jonah loves to count. He can count to thirty....but usually skips 15 and 17. He doesn't quite get the concept of counting things - if you ask him how many of something, he will point indiscriminately and count: one, two, fee, four, five! There are always five :) When we ask him to pray before a meal, he used to say: Thank you God for our food, in Jesus name. Amen. Now he just starts counting - one, two, fee, four, five! Not sure where that came from.
- Duplos. The love continues. Jonah is getting quite creative with his Duplo building, and will often build something and then name it. Make a parrot, make a flamingo, make a tanker. And sometimes they actually do kind of resemble whatever he claims he made.
- Take a bite. Jonah has some kind of food radar sensor. Anytime anyone is eating something he wants to take a bite. I have a little cupboard by my desk with snacks in it, and if he hears me open it, he always comes running...wuzit?...Take a bite!...Mo' peeze :)

Cora had an exciting Sunday. She started off the day with a bath...