I'm BACK!

Hey! Mikel here and feeling almosy human again!


I still have great snot, but feel that I'm able to 'cope' with Sarah and not go out of my mind. Now I think I know why our tour guides had some kind of activity each day, then lunch, then nap, then free time, then dinner. I am going to try to do the same thing each day.


Let me tell you, the crib tent is awesome! THANKS MICHELLE! It is actually a little bit smaller than the crib so that even when Sarah 'thrashes' it a bit, she doesn't 'bonk' it - she bounces! The first night she only cried about 30 minutes, woke up at about 5:30 - when I put her in bed with me until 7:30. Next night, 20 minutes. If she wakes up in the middle of the night I let her cry it out. Last night - 10 minutes! I put her down about 8 - 8:30 and she gets up around 7 - 7:30.


Nap time is different. I put her in it the other day and she cried for an hour and 15. So today I tried something different. I figure they nap on the floor in day care, so when she looked like she was getting tired (that was easy - so was I!) we went to her room and I layed down with a pillow and blanket and closed my eyes. I let her play next to me, and asked her to 'shh' when she was too loud. I don't have a changing table, just the pad. I do most stuff on the floor any way. I put the pad next to me and would pat it every once in a while and asked her to lay down. She would, she'd play with the blanket, get up, get a toy, lay back down, and after about 15 minutes she was out. Thanks for the inspiration, Granny!


Well - it's been a hour and she just got up. She was crying but when I went in I 'lied' and told her I was just on the potty. She bought it (unlike her antibiotics laced with syrup)


Now she is still sleepy but in my lap as I write this.


I am sticking with the cry-it-out method. It's either her or me! If I don't sleep then I am no good to be driving her around and what not during the day.


Today is the second day with just the two of us (I was so sick still on the first) and I actually think I might be able to do this! Hooray!


She is getting along great with Shep (the lab) and likes to point to the snake (who finally ate after a month! - don't worry, he stays in his aquarium always!) The cats, tortoise, crab, fish and frogs come home at the end of the month.


We had blood drawn yesterday - only got enough out of two arms for 3 out of 5 tests they want to do. Today's adventure in stool sample collecting was a life lesson! REALLY glad I have tile floors!

Craig has not taken promised pictures yet, we will try to get some of Sarah with the dog, soon.

Mikel