Sleep...it's a good thing!

Sleep is a good thing NO MATTER HOW you can get it!
We have come to realize this in our household.  Shelby has never been the best sleeper but we can now say she does sleep, which was not the case when she was a baby. She now sleeps and sometimes wakes up once during the night but recently hasn't been, which is good considering her brother! LOL..

Some how we started sleep training Rhett again. It was kinda thrown on me by Josh just doing it! That's good for me because I'm a planner and if I was to think about this subject I would have talked myself out of it! Josh put him down in his crib one afternoon over the Memorial Day break and HE SLEPT! So...that night we tried it! It's a good thing Rhett's room has a comfy twin bed!

Josh took the first shift that night. Rhett woke at 1am FROM 10PM to nurse and then it was my turn to take over. He SLEPT AGAIN til he was ready to nurse at 4am! Hallelujah! This made for a MUCH HAPPIER MOMMA and living environment for everyone...

We tried it again the 2nd night...
it went ok, not as good as the first, but it was still tolerable. That time I stayed in there all night and did the whole shift. He woke for his usual nursing sessions but then was wiggly after his 4a.m. one. Mommy didn't sleep much that night but it was still ok and better than him On ME or in OUR ROOM!
Last night was night 3 and it was GOLDEN! Rhett slept sooo well and so did I! Josh had to WAKE ME UP! That's not happened in about 11 weeks! He woke at 11:45pm and 4am to nurse! those were odd times but it worked! He slept til 6:35am! I got COMPLETELY ready for work (I work just 2 days in the summer but worked 3 days this week like my usual yearly work schedule) all by myself! I didn't know what to do! He woke, got him changed and fed and he and Shelby and I watched Wild Kratts on PBS before it was time for drop off of those two! This morning was so pleasant and that's made for a pleasant day also!

Speaking of "Drop Off's"...
Rhett has been at Miss Lis' for a month tomorrow! He LOVES IT & she loves him! She's the sweetest person and loves her babies! She is such a blessing to our family and a God-sent! Rhett goes just 2 days a week during the summer and will go 3 days when SAU starts back in August. He's done sooo well transitioning to taking a bottle while I work (of breatmilk of course; which pumping has been an adventure too for me but we've got our schedule down and it's all working well!)! I was worried he would have trouble taking a bottle during the day and then nursing in the evenings but he doesn't! No special bottles or anything! Just good ole Dr. Browns!

Breastfeeding has TOTALLY surprised me this time! With Shelby, I had to stop at 7 weeks because it was a struggle for she and I and it seemed to hurt her tummy. With Rhett, he's a champ and as you can see above, he's DEFINITELY getting nourishment! I had a co-worker/friend say, "You don't make breastMILK, you make CREAM! dANG! HE'S A BIG HEALTHY BOY GIRL!" And that he is! He is in the 95% in weight and 98% in height (that was at 2 months old). He's going to be 12 weeks THIS FRIDAY and it's unreal to me.  This go-around has been anything BUT EASY or a joy-ride.  2 kids is a huge adjustment and he's not been the happiest little thing but he's getting better!

Life is always a journey and this one is not always going to be this rough, I keep reminding myself.  Josh is my rock and without him there's NO WAY I'd survive or be able to make it.  He is such an amazing dad and husband.  Looking back and seeing where we've come from and who and where we are now, it's amazing. God has blessed us! It's not been easy but it's been a blessing!

end of her 3rd year of dance...

we did it! Dance recital! we all BARELY survived! it was long but it was great! Shelby did sooo well and we couldn't be more proud of her!
I finally got my video of her cheering from rehearsal to upload....  

 Here's photos to recap the adventure (CHAOS) known as, "backstage!" :)

She got her Little Carol doll right after her first number, jazz to "Baby I'm a Star" by Prince, and she was so excited to see another KDAS Dancer got one too that's in her "Walk Like an Egyptian" outfit that this girl danced to!

Here's Shelby and her Little Carol doll in their matching outfits! :) HERE is where I ordered her doll from. She's amazingly talented and all she went by was the picture of Shelby I sent her in her tap costume! The detail is unreal!

This ballet number made me cry, as ballet usually does. It was to "Someday My Prince Will Come" and all i could think of was her dreaming of her "Prince" but for now, DADDY is her prince and that's all that's allowed!!!

These girls have stolen my heart in the 3 years they've known each other and danced together! Someday I know they won't be this little and won't be dancing together but for now, I'm soaking them in! We love you Joci!

Dance Recital Week!

Why hello there forgotten blog... geese... good thing this blog not for any real purpose other than a place for me to have as a memory-bank... terrible blogger!
Anyway... it's dance recital week!! Woo hoo (***yawn***)!!!! Shelby has finished her 3rd year of dance and I couldn't be more proud of her!
We had our 2nd dress rehearsal Wednesday night and it went so well! I'm amazed at all the dancers and how much fun everyone of them has, after all, that's what's important! We absolutely LOVE KDAS and it truly is a family!