As promised, here is the first (of many) photos of Emma’s new Christmas present from Aunt Meesh, Uncle DJ and the girls.

I know, I know…we are still trying to locate one of the three bike helmets we own for her. I need to unload the garage tomorrow and see if we can find one.

As far as her first “ride” – it was really more of a “push/drag” around the park. Em is having a little bit of trouble getting the whole riding vs. braking concept down. We’ll be working on that, you can bet.

Still, she did look very cute riding it!

In other Emma news, she decided she wants a chore chart. I know, right? Isn’t that every parent’s dream? We were in an office supply store and there was a chart with sparkly, star stickers and Emma “had” to have it. So I explained to her what it was and how they worked, and realized, um…this was a perfect opportunity. So I seized on it. I bought the chart.

Emma has been obsessed with it – all day long.

Our living room has never been so toy-free. Her bed was made, which it rarely ever is. Plus I was a bit sneaky and added no whining and listening to the chart…and it has been working like a charm. If only I had Emma had thought of this months ago.

She keeps calling it her “choice” chart, though. I don’t think she can remember “chore,” but I think that is pretty ironic. Just like the potty training, everything always works better when it is her “choice.”

My sister has shamed me into writing a quick entry tonight.

“Two days with no blog!!”

Truth of the matter is I am in barely-holding-on mode right now. With the projects at work, the “household stuff” that needs to be done, preschools that need to be picked out, and sick kids…I am seriously overwhelmed and feeling a little close to the edge.

So, I promise tomorrow a bigger, better blog – complete with some pictures of little E. on her big girl bike!

I know God has better things to do than worry about my kids’ sleeping problems. But that hasn’t stopped me from offering up prayers to him many times over the past month(s)…I just needed some divine intervention.

I’m not saying all the problems have been solved, but last night was a “normal” night’s sleep.

7:15pm – both girls in bed (Em in mine, and Addie in her crib)
9pm – Mommy in bed
Sleep
Sleep
Kick Smokey off the bed
Sleep
Again with Smokey
Sleep
6:30am – Addie wakes up
6:50am – Em wakes up

Quick calculation = Mommy had 9 (count ’em!) hours of sleep. More than I had the previous 3 nights combined.

Niiiicccee! Life is good around here this morning. We might make it til Friday when J. comes home…

This is what gets me through the long, long days.

How can you get mad when you have sweet, sweet little girls like this?

We are working very hard to get back on track and back into our routine. We had quite a hellish travel day on Sunday – delays, lost luggage, no sleep for Mommy the night before. But it sure did feel amazing to be walk into our house.

Unfortunately, we are still in a sleep funk with little Addie. I cannot figure out what her problem is. Ear infection, teething, just out-of-sorts?

I’m going to bed now. I figure if I cannot sleep through the night – I should at least go to bed early and get my sleep where I can take it.

(Yes, I’m watching American Idol – hence the title of this post. Every year I say I’m through with this show, and I continually get sucked back in. Sleep? Crappy singers? Tune in to find out who wins out!)

This was our view a few mornings ago. Michelle made fun of me for being so excited and grabbing my camera, but it isn’t everyday that we see a deer just wandering through the backyard. The freshly fallen snow…it was just really pretty and peaceful.

The new snow also meant that Emma had to go out and play in it. So Michelle outfitted Madey, Em and Addie. It took us a total of 20 minutes to get all of them dressed. Addie lasted 2 minutes. The older girls, maybe…15 minutes longer.

I think Em got her snow quota for the year. She told me she was excited to go back to California and ride her new bike, “because we don’t have any snow!”

Lately, a typical night at our house involves everybody in a different bed than they are supposed to be at any given moment. The nighttime shuffle is about as close to musical beds as you can get.

It goes something like this…

7:30pm – Addie is tucked into bed, she might talk for a few minutes, but is usually out pretty quickly.
8:00pm – Emma gets tucked into bed, and after a “cuddle”, one more drink of water, the nightly round-up of bear, blankie, and the “glow” watch, and a run through the myriad of other bedtime-prolonging excuses she has, she is off to sleep land, too.
11:00pm-ish – J. and I fall exhaustedly into bed and Tiger (the cat) makes herself comfortable between my feet.

So far, so good, right?

Then sometime between 1am and 2am, all goes haywire. Addie has been getting up (now we know because she has ear infections – in both ears, poor baby!) and J. and I tag-team trying to get her back to sleep. It usually involves Addie and I on the couch for awhile, J. on the floor with us in the living room, or I finally give up and hand her over to J. and return to bed to try to get a little sleep.

Of course, Tiger is still comfortably asleep in my vacated spot.

Then Emma will come and stand by my side of the bed and whimper until I pull her into bed. She’ll “sleep” (and I use that term very loosely!) with me for awhile and meanwhile, J. will get Addie back to sleep and into her bed. When the flailing and kicking get to be too much, I’ll move Emma out to the couch for the remainder of the night…and J. will still be on the living room floor.

Sometime between all of that and dawn, J. will crawl back into bed with me (and Tiger!) and around 7am, Emma crawls in bed with us, too. We try to be very quiet and let Addie sleep a little more – which is usually about 10 more minutes, thus ending our musical beds for another night as we all get up bleary-eyed and cranky.

Except of course, for Tiger. She gets up and stretches like she just had the most wonderful, dream-filled, uninterrupted sleep. And then she moves out to the living room – to continue her nap schedule.

Some days what I wouldn’t give to be Tiger. Each day I just keep hoping praying for a full night’s sleep.

Maybe tonight will be the night….

Dear Shealyn,

I cannot believe you are 7 years old today! It seems like just yesterday I held you for the first time and you were all tiny and soft and full of sweet baby chub! (I searched for my all-time favorite photo of you “nake-y” on the towel with all of your baby rolls, but I couldn’t find it! I will find it though – and embarass you someday, I’m sure. Maybe for your 18th birthday!) 🙂

Anyhow, I know we don’t get to see each other very much because of the (now even bigger) distance between us, but I want you to know how very proud I am to have you as a godchild. I think you are turning into a very independent, smart, and wonderful girl. I love hearing stories of what you are “up to” and seeing pictures and just watching you grow, even if they are all from afar.

I wish you the happiest day today and a great year full of suprises, learning and happiness.

Love,
Aunt Carrie

Yahoo!! Our little Elmo contest is featured at Competizione. Go take a look at the other fun contests and then come back and play – you have til Friday to make us *giggle*…

Okay, here it is.  We have one 10th Anniversary TMX Elmo and we are giving it away to the person that makes us laugh the hardest with their Christmas story or photo. Come on, I know you all have a Christmas Vacation-like incident that you will never forget.  Or maybe a photo like this? Share it with us and you might have a free Elmo under the tree in a few weeks!

Send your story or photo to us by next Friday, December 14th. You can either leave the story in the comments section here or email it directly to me at contest{at}carrievoris.com.  Good Luck!