Meeting Santa and Happy Birthday Grandma Cathy!

Yesterday was the annual Angels Christmas party. This isn't just any Christmas party, it is my favorite party to go to year after year. I love it because Angels invites all their foster parents, their kids, their foster kids. It really is a special day. There was over 200 people there this year and the best part is, Santa always comes and gives every child a few presents. This year a local church wanted to donate gifts so they worked with our staff to buy the perfect presents for all the kids. They were extremely generous as every kid (and there was probably around 90 kids) got 3 or 4 very good presents. Another person donated all the decorations and centerpieces for the tables. There are so many good people in this world and I am honored to have been in the same room with so many of them. They open their homes and hearts to babies and young children because they want to make a difference. I can learn a lot from them.

And of course Kennedy had to have her special Christmas dress. My mom and I picked out the fabric and my mom made it. My mom rocks. This dress is soooo cute! Thank you mom for making the dress. I am so lucky to have you as my mom!! I love you!! Matt and I tried to get Kennedy to pose but all she wanted to do was eat the dress. Actually, she wants to eat everything, everything and everything. And Kennedy got to see Santa Clause for the first time. When she was sitting on his lap, I don't think she realized who was holding her. If she had looked back, she probably would have freaked out but she was too interested in the present in front of her. Funny how they learn that at such a young age.

This is what it looks like when you see Santa Clause for the first time (Kennedy, not Matt - hahahah)

I would also like to wish Grandma Cathy a wonderful and happy birthday today! We love you so much and we hope you have a day filled with wonderful family, good friends and lots of love.


And now, a more serious topic - sleep. I have to admit, when Matt and I wanted to have baby, I had NO IDEA sleep would be this hard. Really! And I'm not talking about our sleep, I'm talking about Kennedy's sleep. You know, she really is a great baby but she just isn't much of a sleeper. We have gotten her naps from 30 minutes (not good) to an hour and a half (much better) in the morning, and sometimes 30-60 minutes in the afternoon. Our problem????? Waking up at night. She likes to wake up at 11:00, 3:00 and 5:30 to nurse. She is way to old to be needing food at night like that so Matt and I had to make a change.

I bring you to last night, 11:30 pm. Kennedy wakes up and I got in to rock her hold her and comfort her - not nurse her (even though that is what she wants). She wasn't having it. I put her in her crib and patted her back and sang to her. She wasn't having it. About 45 minutes have gone by and she was one fussy, fussy baby. Matt tried and almost got her to sleep but she came to her senses and she just wasn't having it. So at 12:30 am, I got online to the Angels website to the Dr. Mommy column about getting a baby to sleep thought he night. She says that it takes 5 nights tops for your baby to learn how to put themselves to sleep. She suggests that you put your baby down, let them cry for 10 minutes...go in, kiss them and then leave the room and wait another 10 minutes. Your baby will learn to put themselves to sleep within 5 nights. Matt and I were desperate last night so we did that. By golly, it worked! Now, it took about another half an hour but she fell asleep all on her own. And she slept until 5:45 am. I fed her and then she went back to sleep until 8:00 am.

Now I take you tonight. I put her down tired but awake. She cried for all of 14 minutes before she put herself to sleep!!! WOOOHOOO!!!! It seriously went from a loud cry to complete silence. I had to go and check on her because I didn't believe she was asleep already. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Really. I am so close to getting a night full night of sleep!!!

For those of you who have kids, I know you can relate and can feel my pain as well as my joy. For those of you who don't have kids, take notes because reading this can save you a lot of heartache in the future. And if there are those of you who aren't going to have kids then you probably quit reading a while ago. ;-)

That's all for now. I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the holiday season. I know we are!!! Hugs!!