The blog fairy answered my wish! The babies still woke up early this morning, but they weren't screaming by 6:30am...they were laying quietly in their cribs talking a little bit and making just the occasional yelp. Of course it is still a bit early to say that they have learned how to not cry upon waking in the morning, but at least I got me wish of waking up with out hearing crying babies in the morning and even a couple moments of snuggling before I got out of bed.
For the last two weeks we had been letting the babies fuss and cry until our "start time" of 6:30am, as long as it didn't get out of control. I guess your pediatrician was right Emily, that was all we needed to do...and of course ask the blog fairy.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
alarm clocks
My alarms clocks are broken. I have three of them, one on my night stand and two that sleep upstairs in their cribs. Every night before we go to sleep I set the alarm clock on my night stand for 6:00am. Each night as I put my babies to sleep I repeat to my other two alarm clocks....."Sleep at least until 6:30am, sleep at least until 6:30am, sleep at least until 6:30am.....". Then just for good measure, just before I go to bed myself I check on them again and whisper in their ears...."I love you sweet baby and please sleep at least until 6:30am". Even with the constant checking and resetting somehow at least one of these precious alarm clocks loses track of time and wake up too early.
It is not always the same child who gets off track, so I know that they CAN sleep in until at least 6:30am. It also doesn't matter what time they go to sleep the night before. The sweet babies take turns being the one who wakes up early. Each morning one baby will sleep in while the other takes on the responsibility of making noise, talking and then crying-until mom or dad decide that they can't take it any more and give in to the nagging alarm.
The rotating alarm clock responsibilities can start as early as 4:30am, but thankfully this is often a weak attempt, that only a mother can hear, that can be put on snooze at least for a little while. The stronger, louder and much more insistent alarm starts somewhere between 5:30am and 6:00am, those precious quite morning hours when I am finishing up my dreams and trying to squeeze in at least 6 hours of sleep.
This morning it was Max. The previous two days it has been Maya's responsibility. There have been less than a handful of days in the past eight plus months that I haven't been woken up to hair-raising sound of a crying child.
I can't really complain (and yet I do), the babies are sleeping much better than they did while on vacation- when they were waking up sometimes twice a night. At least they are sleeping through the night for the most part. But now that they are sleeping well at night I want more. I want that last hour or hour and a half. I would love to slowly wake up and a enjoy a few quite moments of peace before I get out of bed. Please sweet babies....give mommy a break. :)
Our two sweet babies showing us their innocent faces.
"Who me?? I would never want to disrupt your beauty rest mommy!"- Max
Do you really think you are in charge around here mom?- Maya
It is not always the same child who gets off track, so I know that they CAN sleep in until at least 6:30am. It also doesn't matter what time they go to sleep the night before. The sweet babies take turns being the one who wakes up early. Each morning one baby will sleep in while the other takes on the responsibility of making noise, talking and then crying-until mom or dad decide that they can't take it any more and give in to the nagging alarm.
The rotating alarm clock responsibilities can start as early as 4:30am, but thankfully this is often a weak attempt, that only a mother can hear, that can be put on snooze at least for a little while. The stronger, louder and much more insistent alarm starts somewhere between 5:30am and 6:00am, those precious quite morning hours when I am finishing up my dreams and trying to squeeze in at least 6 hours of sleep.
This morning it was Max. The previous two days it has been Maya's responsibility. There have been less than a handful of days in the past eight plus months that I haven't been woken up to hair-raising sound of a crying child.
I can't really complain (and yet I do), the babies are sleeping much better than they did while on vacation- when they were waking up sometimes twice a night. At least they are sleeping through the night for the most part. But now that they are sleeping well at night I want more. I want that last hour or hour and a half. I would love to slowly wake up and a enjoy a few quite moments of peace before I get out of bed. Please sweet babies....give mommy a break. :)
Our two sweet babies showing us their innocent faces.
"Who me?? I would never want to disrupt your beauty rest mommy!"- Max
Do you really think you are in charge around here mom?- Maya
Thursday, January 22, 2009
walking forward in that light
It was a very important day. We didn't go to Washington, wait in long lines or stand out in the cold. We sat on our couch and watched CNN on a big TV. The babies played with their toys, not knowing how different the world is today than their grandparents imagined it ever would be. Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States. I teared up as the first African American president was sworn into office and as Heather and I watched people of different generations, ethnicites and backgrounds show faith and hope in our country and our society.
Thank you President Obama for seeing beyond the limitations we place upon ourselves and others, thank you for inspiring hope and asking for dedication and commitment. I pray that we can all rise to the challenge.
Thank you President Obama for seeing beyond the limitations we place upon ourselves and others, thank you for inspiring hope and asking for dedication and commitment. I pray that we can all rise to the challenge.
Praise song for the day
Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.
Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."
We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."
We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.
Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.
Inaugural poem recited by Elizabeth Alexander
At just a year old, poet Elizabeth Alexander was with her parents in the crowd on the National Mall when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed, “I have a dream.” This week we came another step closer to that dream. At age 46, Alexander was in Washington D.C. for another historic moment—this time she had a front row seat.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Utah Utes - 2008 National Champions
With creative use of our holiday travel schedule, my Christmas present this past year was a trip to New Orleans to attend the Sugar Bowl and see Utah beat Alabama. Of course, the Utes capped off an undefeated season at 13-0 and had a strong argument to being the national champions. Here's a little video (with commentary added later) that I took after the game. Or you can click this link to watch it on youtube in higher quality video.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
san pedro.....catch-up from over the holidays
While we were in San Pedro, CA (where I grew up) over Christmas we went to the Los Angeles
Maritime Museum with my sister Aimee, her husband Matt and my nieces Emily and Paige.
It was an unsusually clear day for Los Angleles. We could even see the mountains.
Maritime Museum with my sister Aimee, her husband Matt and my nieces Emily and Paige.
It was an unsusually clear day for Los Angleles. We could even see the mountains.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
35 weeks in - 35 weeks out
As of today, the babies are eight months old. They have been out in the world for 35 weeks. They were born at 35 weeks gestation....so they have been living outside of me longer than they lived in the womb. It is hard to believe that much time has passed.
Motherhood has been a much bigger challenge than I had imagined. My patience is tested more often than I care to admit. I am worn down and tired more often than not. Often times in the evenings, between the hours of 5:30pm and 7:30pm-when the babies go to sleep, I feel like I have been a mother forever and have lost all of my motherly patience....then things start to settle down. The babies are dressed in their pajamas, they breastfeed for one last time in the day, and Lonnie and I each hold one of our little ones and give them their only bottle of the day to top them off before they go to sleep. They dreamily drink as their eye lids start to drop. They snuggle in close before we put them into their cribs and quickly fall asleep. Just before Lonnie and I go to bed, I start to miss my babies, and I peek in on them sleeping quietly in their cribs. They look angelic and almost unreal in their perfection of tiny doll-like hands and features. I still find it hard to believe that I am able to participate in making and raising these children.
My pregnancy was not easy. I was sick to my stomach (to put it mildly) for the entire pregnancy. At fourteen weeks, I received a cervical cerclage, due to an incompetent cervix. I also had gestational diabetes. I also wasn't able to have the delivery that I had hoped due to Maya's transverse position and Max's breach. But I loved being pregnant. I loved the feeling of the babies moving inside me. I learned to give up my body and my sleep, which helped only slightly prepare me for the exhaustion of motherhood.
Certainly, there are days when I wonder if I am a good mother, but I am trying. There are things about being a mother that have come a lot less easily and intuitively than I thought they would, like breastfeeding or getting the babies to sleep. There are also a lot of things that have come a lot easier than I thought they would, like my ability to calm my babies with just my voice or my presence. I am trying to learning patience with myself and with my expectations. I also have a much greater appreciation for all mothers.
"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one." (Jill Churchill)
Motherhood has been a much bigger challenge than I had imagined. My patience is tested more often than I care to admit. I am worn down and tired more often than not. Often times in the evenings, between the hours of 5:30pm and 7:30pm-when the babies go to sleep, I feel like I have been a mother forever and have lost all of my motherly patience....then things start to settle down. The babies are dressed in their pajamas, they breastfeed for one last time in the day, and Lonnie and I each hold one of our little ones and give them their only bottle of the day to top them off before they go to sleep. They dreamily drink as their eye lids start to drop. They snuggle in close before we put them into their cribs and quickly fall asleep. Just before Lonnie and I go to bed, I start to miss my babies, and I peek in on them sleeping quietly in their cribs. They look angelic and almost unreal in their perfection of tiny doll-like hands and features. I still find it hard to believe that I am able to participate in making and raising these children.
My pregnancy was not easy. I was sick to my stomach (to put it mildly) for the entire pregnancy. At fourteen weeks, I received a cervical cerclage, due to an incompetent cervix. I also had gestational diabetes. I also wasn't able to have the delivery that I had hoped due to Maya's transverse position and Max's breach. But I loved being pregnant. I loved the feeling of the babies moving inside me. I learned to give up my body and my sleep, which helped only slightly prepare me for the exhaustion of motherhood.
Certainly, there are days when I wonder if I am a good mother, but I am trying. There are things about being a mother that have come a lot less easily and intuitively than I thought they would, like breastfeeding or getting the babies to sleep. There are also a lot of things that have come a lot easier than I thought they would, like my ability to calm my babies with just my voice or my presence. I am trying to learning patience with myself and with my expectations. I also have a much greater appreciation for all mothers.
"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one." (Jill Churchill)
Thursday, January 1, 2009
even more christmas photos
The babies with their great-grandma and great-grandpa Allred
How many Allreds can you fit on a couch?
Lonnie was proud to find out that although I went to BYU (but never attended a football game), Great Grandpa Allred played football at the University of Utah. Here are Max and Greatgrandpa Wallace Allred dressed in their best Ute attire.
more christmas photos
Max really loved his new duck.
Andy and Abby's dog Nacho had a great Christmas too.
Maya with Auntie Aimee.
Max and his red-head cousin Kelly.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
don't do drugs
Just a warning.....
After going to the doctors last Wednesday the babies were prescribed Albuterol to help them breath better. Lonnie went and picked up the prescription on Wednesday night and we started the babies on the breathing treatments on Thursday. The medicine is administered though and inhaler attached to a tube and then a mask. It looks kind of like this (only our kids don't sit quite that still).
Unfortunately one of the possible side effects of Albuterol is nervousness and hyperactivity. Which is exactly how Maya reacted. She was actually in a pretty good mood all day but wiggled and wiggled and would not stop. When we tried to put her to bed and her normal 7pm bed time she fought going to sleep for more than 5 hours. She would fall asleep exhausted and then wake up again screaming less than 30 mins later. They only thing that would calm her down was holding her close. At about 1am she finally feel asleep for the night, I put her in the pack and play in the spare room and tried to get some sleep myself, but I could heard he wiggling all night long.
Just what we all needed while we were trying to get over being sick, staying up all night with a hyper-active-drugged-out-7-month-old. When I called the doctor on Friday morning the nurse said that this side effect is fairly common and we should try Xopenex instead, which does not have the hyper-active/crazy-child side effect. Why we didn't start out with this prescription is beyond me.
Thankfully the new meds and time seem to be working on running the course of this demon illness and the babies are breathing better now. Maya, who is a couple of days ahead of Max in the illness, seems to have gotten almost over it and Max is finally starting to show improvement. I unfortunately have lost my voice almost completely. So if I haven't answered your phone calls please understand, I sound like Darth Vader and it is quite frightening.
After going to the doctors last Wednesday the babies were prescribed Albuterol to help them breath better. Lonnie went and picked up the prescription on Wednesday night and we started the babies on the breathing treatments on Thursday. The medicine is administered though and inhaler attached to a tube and then a mask. It looks kind of like this (only our kids don't sit quite that still).
Unfortunately one of the possible side effects of Albuterol is nervousness and hyperactivity. Which is exactly how Maya reacted. She was actually in a pretty good mood all day but wiggled and wiggled and would not stop. When we tried to put her to bed and her normal 7pm bed time she fought going to sleep for more than 5 hours. She would fall asleep exhausted and then wake up again screaming less than 30 mins later. They only thing that would calm her down was holding her close. At about 1am she finally feel asleep for the night, I put her in the pack and play in the spare room and tried to get some sleep myself, but I could heard he wiggling all night long.
Just what we all needed while we were trying to get over being sick, staying up all night with a hyper-active-drugged-out-7-month-old. When I called the doctor on Friday morning the nurse said that this side effect is fairly common and we should try Xopenex instead, which does not have the hyper-active/crazy-child side effect. Why we didn't start out with this prescription is beyond me.
Thankfully the new meds and time seem to be working on running the course of this demon illness and the babies are breathing better now. Maya, who is a couple of days ahead of Max in the illness, seems to have gotten almost over it and Max is finally starting to show improvement. I unfortunately have lost my voice almost completely. So if I haven't answered your phone calls please understand, I sound like Darth Vader and it is quite frightening.
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