Musings

Topic 1 - Isaiah is still young enough that he can sleep in his port-a-crib in the family room while we are all busily doing daily life things around him. But he is old enough that sometimes he decides he doesn't want to go to sleep - even though he's tired.

I was about to continue this post by saying something sweet, like "All it takes for him to fall asleep is for me to stand near his crib. He just likes to look at me while he drifts off. Sometimes I hold his hand while his little eyes droop. He just needs to know that I am near."

But since I just spent the last 45 minutes trying every trick I know to get him to fall asleep - I revoke all the sweet sayings about how easy he is and admit that he is a willful child. Stubborn little boy. He must take after his Daddy. (just kidding...sorta...) But it is very sweet when he falls asleep holding my hand or gazing at me.

Topic 2 - Lately Naomi has taken to saying no to me. Just outright refusing to do something that I've asked her to do. Sending her to her room is no longer effective since she loves it up there. So I started putting an X on the whiteboard in the kitchen every time she said no to me and if she gets to 4 X's I'm going to take her Barbies away. She hasn't gotten to 4 yet. So I guess that's working. But it got me to thinking about rewards versus punishment. Should I be rewarding her for not saying no instead of punishing her for saying no? I don't think so, in this case. But when are rewards the better option? And is there another option that I'm not seeing right now?

Topic 3 - Poor little Asher has gotten a cold and is having a hard time sleeping since he can't breathe through his nose at all. He keeps waking up and crying because trying to suck on a pacifier when you can't breathe through your nose is frustrating. Poor little guy.

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Those are my musings. Good night all.