I enjoyed sharing my sleep training adventures with Landon all over the online world. It made it easier to know that I could report back on how my night went. Pretending that my struggles mattered to everyone I know helped me continue to take each step forward.
It was like my mother was there each morning holding my hand as I complained about just how hard the night before was.
To prove my point even more, a woman from church came up to me on Sunday just to congratulate Landon on the big progress we made this week.
I don't know if I have ever said it to you, dear blog reader.... but I am a slob. I struggle with doing the daily chores that a house survives on. The thought of doing big sorting projects gives me the sweats. And worst of all the thought of actually de-cluttering something. What is the point? It is just going to fall apart in a few weeks.
I can't help but wonder if sharing the chores that I have finished each day would hold me accountable. Like knowing that you will be there holding my hand when it has all fallen apart. Laughing at the strange messes I find. And yelling at me when I still haven't done what I needed to.
So here it is, today I....
Unloaded the dishwasher,
Ran 5 loads of laundry (but I didn't fold any of them),
Made Landon's bed,
Made our bed,
Started the dishwasher after dinner,
Had the kids pick up their toys before bed (everywhere).
I know it is not nearly enough when the house is as bad as it is... but that is honestly what is finished right now.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
30 Minute Family Project
Andrew woke up today wanting to do something fun with the kids. Normally I just put off everything that is cleaning related and have fun with the family... The only problem with that, I woke with a desire to tackle some of those pesky piles.
It was up to me to create a plan to make everyone happy.
"Let's set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes and everyone work the whole time. As soon as the timer beeps, you guys can do whatever you want."
I have an awesome husband. I got 30 minutes.
The work that can be done in 30 minutes in amazing! The super stinky trash, that was piling up for too way too long, got taken out. Our desk and kitchen table are both cleared off. The floors are picked up.
Ahhhh!
Next on my to do list, quietly sit and enjoy my picked up house. At least for a little while... Then I have to get my head back in the game and tackle a little more.
It was up to me to create a plan to make everyone happy.
"Let's set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes and everyone work the whole time. As soon as the timer beeps, you guys can do whatever you want."
I have an awesome husband. I got 30 minutes.
The work that can be done in 30 minutes in amazing! The super stinky trash, that was piling up for too way too long, got taken out. Our desk and kitchen table are both cleared off. The floors are picked up.
Ahhhh!
Next on my to do list, quietly sit and enjoy my picked up house. At least for a little while... Then I have to get my head back in the game and tackle a little more.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Today's Progress
There has been little progress on my list of things that I wanted done today.
On the bright side, I have loaded the dishwasher, picked up my iPod from the mac store and put away all of Landon's summer clothes. That is not nearly enough. I really want the house at least livable by the end of the weekend just in case my sister decides to come down.
It is now nap time. After I get all the kids down for some rest and drink a cup of coffee... I am really going to buckle down.... I promise.
The bad part is that the only one I really answer to is me. (I can be too forgiving of myself sometimes)
On the bright side, I have loaded the dishwasher, picked up my iPod from the mac store and put away all of Landon's summer clothes. That is not nearly enough. I really want the house at least livable by the end of the weekend just in case my sister decides to come down.
It is now nap time. After I get all the kids down for some rest and drink a cup of coffee... I am really going to buckle down.... I promise.
The bad part is that the only one I really answer to is me. (I can be too forgiving of myself sometimes)
Friday, May 27, 2011
Family Sleep Update!
I just have to throw it out there... Landon has moved to his crib marvelously.
We have been on the journey for about 2 weeks now. When we started, Landon would stand and scream at the top of his lungs for hours. Everything I tried wasn't working. I thought it was hopeless.
We decided to take baby steps to help him learn that his crib is a safe place.
The plan was to lay him down and let him get all worked up. then come in the room and offer only a hand in his crib. Then sit with my hand in the crib until he was entirely asleep and then slowly sneak out. The last few days, I have been sneaking out as soon as he was asleep enough not to care and letting him cry it out some at nap time.
Those baby steps are done now! He can now calm himself down in a timely matter! New plan, straight cry-it-out method.
After only 15 minutes of tears, Landon put himself down for a nap earlier. It didn't last long but it was a morning one.... those never seem too.
Bedtime was even easier. He was slightly upset for only 7 minutes tonight!
I am now praying for a boy who can last 6-7 hours in his crib without me... that might be a pipe dream.
We have been on the journey for about 2 weeks now. When we started, Landon would stand and scream at the top of his lungs for hours. Everything I tried wasn't working. I thought it was hopeless.
We decided to take baby steps to help him learn that his crib is a safe place.
The plan was to lay him down and let him get all worked up. then come in the room and offer only a hand in his crib. Then sit with my hand in the crib until he was entirely asleep and then slowly sneak out. The last few days, I have been sneaking out as soon as he was asleep enough not to care and letting him cry it out some at nap time.
Those baby steps are done now! He can now calm himself down in a timely matter! New plan, straight cry-it-out method.
After only 15 minutes of tears, Landon put himself down for a nap earlier. It didn't last long but it was a morning one.... those never seem too.
Bedtime was even easier. He was slightly upset for only 7 minutes tonight!
I am now praying for a boy who can last 6-7 hours in his crib without me... that might be a pipe dream.
Two Steps Forward and Three Steps Back
Well, I am sad to admit that my slob brain attacked again. I let myself feel sick for a couple days and all the progress I was making on the massive piles of mess is gone. There is barely space to sit in our house and we are yet again running out of dishes. Those rooms that were beautiful are now quite the opposite.
This just adds to what I have been learning as a homemaker, I don't get sick days. I really don't get 2 days in a row. Ever.
Now that my head has again cleared, my drive to tackle things has returned as well. I am setting big goals for tomorrow;
Clean the kitchen (sadly this has reached project status)
Laundry (to do that the Laundry room is going to need a good picking up too)
Tame the messes in the cave (otherwise known as our bedroom)
That is a long list for a Saturday. I am hoping for some big successes to propel me into the new week.
This just adds to what I have been learning as a homemaker, I don't get sick days. I really don't get 2 days in a row. Ever.
Now that my head has again cleared, my drive to tackle things has returned as well. I am setting big goals for tomorrow;
Clean the kitchen (sadly this has reached project status)
Laundry (to do that the Laundry room is going to need a good picking up too)
Tame the messes in the cave (otherwise known as our bedroom)
That is a long list for a Saturday. I am hoping for some big successes to propel me into the new week.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Desk
For almost 2 years now I have been using a folding table as a desk. Now it wasn't an ideal solution to my furniture needs but for a long time it didn't bother me.
Over the last few weeks I have been keenly aware that whenever the kids are near the desk it seems to quiver in fear. It might be that the kids are using the computer more and more or that Landon has added a need for them to be extra rough. But the "desk" had started to shimmy and shake. Each day it seemed to be doing it more and more.
I can't afford to just head out and buy real desk on a whim. So I made Cragslist my lurking ground. Each day I checked and checked to see if someone no longer wanted a desk with some substantial storage. I didn't want just any desk I had my heart set on a desk to solve some other issues in the house.... mainly a way to hide some of the mess.
Last night my wildest desk dreams came true. Here it was a desk that was about the same size as my wobbly table, with storage cabinets under it and a hutch above. And best of all the price... FREE!
With one look I was in love. This was my desk. I couldn't call fast enough. And was pleased that it was still there when we finally made it over.
And here is my desk.... The contents that are going to fill each of those cabinets are still scattered through my house... but I am no longer fearing for my computers life! And that is a success!
Over the last few weeks I have been keenly aware that whenever the kids are near the desk it seems to quiver in fear. It might be that the kids are using the computer more and more or that Landon has added a need for them to be extra rough. But the "desk" had started to shimmy and shake. Each day it seemed to be doing it more and more.
I can't afford to just head out and buy real desk on a whim. So I made Cragslist my lurking ground. Each day I checked and checked to see if someone no longer wanted a desk with some substantial storage. I didn't want just any desk I had my heart set on a desk to solve some other issues in the house.... mainly a way to hide some of the mess.
Last night my wildest desk dreams came true. Here it was a desk that was about the same size as my wobbly table, with storage cabinets under it and a hutch above. And best of all the price... FREE!
With one look I was in love. This was my desk. I couldn't call fast enough. And was pleased that it was still there when we finally made it over.
Family Sleep Issues and the Bedroom Makeover
I woke up Thursday with a need to do another room from start to finish. The kid's bedroom needed to be rearranged.
Landon's crib was right by the door and the light switch. This wasn't a problem when I was only using his crib for strorage, but since I had started to train Landon to sleep in his crib a few issues with this set up had become apparent.
The first night, he stood and held on to the side of his crib closest to the door and screamed.... for hours. Every time I came into the room to comfort him and remind him I was still there, I would hit his head with the door. It just kept happening no matter how carefully I opened the door.
It is hard enough to comfort a baby who is all worked up from screaming. But each and every time I had just gently hit his head yet again.
That first night was horrible. In fact those first few nights were.
I am not even sure how or when the next issue came out. But somehow, in the middle of the night I heard him crying and all of a sudden he was calm and then just as suddenly he was all worked up again.
Upon listening closer, I could hear the little flick of a light switch at the start and stop of each of his cries.
When I woke up on Thursday, I knew that something needed to be done and it had to happen sooner rather than later. Or we would give up on Landon sleeping in his own bed again!
I spent that whole morning thinking about the puzzle. The kids have an oddly shaped room. I needed to move the crib away from the door but there isn't a whole lot of extra room to work with in there.
I had a great idea and started to move things around. I shuffled around the room moving first one thing and then another. It was like working a slide puzzle. Finally I found myself at the point of just moving one last thing into place.... and heaven forbid it won't go!! I try and I try and I try.
No! I didn't get the puzzle this far along and now have to move it all back? Surely it will fit!
I measured. It should be fitting. There is enough room.
And then I remembered, The baseboards!! They are 1 inch extra around the whole room.
I measured again. Sure enough, if the baseboards weren't there it would fit just fine.
There is no other way to arrange the room so that the door closes and Landon isn't right by the light switch.
Can I pull it out myself.... Sure, I can do it. It is my house. Is Andrew going to be mad.... Maybe.... but would it solve the problems Yes it would. So.... why not? My next thought, Where is the hammer?
After pulling the baseboard and continuing to slowly work the pieces in, I can now say that the puzzle really is solved.
Here is the view from just inside their room.
And finally what the door way looks like.
Do you see those toys nicely put away! I am a happy mommy today!
But at least they have a place.
Landon's crib was right by the door and the light switch. This wasn't a problem when I was only using his crib for strorage, but since I had started to train Landon to sleep in his crib a few issues with this set up had become apparent.
The first night, he stood and held on to the side of his crib closest to the door and screamed.... for hours. Every time I came into the room to comfort him and remind him I was still there, I would hit his head with the door. It just kept happening no matter how carefully I opened the door.
It is hard enough to comfort a baby who is all worked up from screaming. But each and every time I had just gently hit his head yet again.
That first night was horrible. In fact those first few nights were.
I am not even sure how or when the next issue came out. But somehow, in the middle of the night I heard him crying and all of a sudden he was calm and then just as suddenly he was all worked up again.
Upon listening closer, I could hear the little flick of a light switch at the start and stop of each of his cries.
When I woke up on Thursday, I knew that something needed to be done and it had to happen sooner rather than later. Or we would give up on Landon sleeping in his own bed again!
I spent that whole morning thinking about the puzzle. The kids have an oddly shaped room. I needed to move the crib away from the door but there isn't a whole lot of extra room to work with in there.
I had a great idea and started to move things around. I shuffled around the room moving first one thing and then another. It was like working a slide puzzle. Finally I found myself at the point of just moving one last thing into place.... and heaven forbid it won't go!! I try and I try and I try.
No! I didn't get the puzzle this far along and now have to move it all back? Surely it will fit!
I measured. It should be fitting. There is enough room.
And then I remembered, The baseboards!! They are 1 inch extra around the whole room.
I measured again. Sure enough, if the baseboards weren't there it would fit just fine.
There is no other way to arrange the room so that the door closes and Landon isn't right by the light switch.
Can I pull it out myself.... Sure, I can do it. It is my house. Is Andrew going to be mad.... Maybe.... but would it solve the problems Yes it would. So.... why not? My next thought, Where is the hammer?
After pulling the baseboard and continuing to slowly work the pieces in, I can now say that the puzzle really is solved.
Here is the view from just inside their room.
Here is what is looks like from the closet.
I couldn't move the bed any further towards the doorway or it wouldn't close.
Here is what they see from where their beds meet now....
I have to sat that there is still some room to improve... This is what we consider jammies being put away.... I am sure that this plan would fly with my mom.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Laundry Room Project
I wrote this post on Wednesday, but kept put off publishing it because I kept forgetting to get the pictures of how it all turned out. I didn't think you would want to read about work and not see how it all turned out.
I decided to declutter the floor in one room. I racked my brain for a room that wasn't functioning. I started a load of laundry and was inspired by my inability to even open the laundry room door... spilled dog food, enough pop cans/bottles to fill an large garbage bag all mixed with useful things and dyer lint. (Sadly there was even a litter-box in there from waaay back when we still let the cat inside.) This was my project....
I don't have a before shot... well because this room was so horribly wrong that I don't want to remember how bad it was and I want you to have the ability to look me in the eyes again. Trust me.... You didn't want to see the before pictures of this project.
In deep cleaning it, I learned there was a LOT of wasted space.After much more thought I decided to make a purpose the room. I made it a play area for the kids.
Now there is space for dress up clothes.
Their play kitchen is all set up.
And all of their baby dolls have room too!
It is a small room, but doesn't it look good!! The kids have been loving having the extra space.
This is a win-win!
I decided to declutter the floor in one room. I racked my brain for a room that wasn't functioning. I started a load of laundry and was inspired by my inability to even open the laundry room door... spilled dog food, enough pop cans/bottles to fill an large garbage bag all mixed with useful things and dyer lint. (Sadly there was even a litter-box in there from waaay back when we still let the cat inside.) This was my project....
I don't have a before shot... well because this room was so horribly wrong that I don't want to remember how bad it was and I want you to have the ability to look me in the eyes again. Trust me.... You didn't want to see the before pictures of this project.
In deep cleaning it, I learned there was a LOT of wasted space.After much more thought I decided to make a purpose the room. I made it a play area for the kids.
Now there is space for dress up clothes.
Their play kitchen is all set up.
And all of their baby dolls have room too!
It is a small room, but doesn't it look good!! The kids have been loving having the extra space.
This is a win-win!
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