Everybody says it - because it's true!

"That first year goes by so fast."

We've had such a crammed packed year with lots of changes - I can't believe it's only been a year since Rye was born.
I also can't believe she's grown and changed so much in a year.
But I'm also still trying to figure out how the first baby I birthed is now a 10 year old, the same size as me ....
Life goes by fast after you have kids!

Bedroom setup

I've had a couple of questions about the kid's sleeping arrangements. We've tried everything imaginable (or at least everything that we could imagine!) including cosleeping, family bed, kids sharing a bed, separate rooms, and now we're on to separate beds in the same room.

 

Ark Boy has a twin size bed and Farm Girls has a trundle tucked under Ark Boy's bed perpendicular to each other. Farm Girl's bed comes out just far enough for her to have enough room which also gives Ark Boy enough room to open his bottom dresser drawer.
Yes, it's cramped. There is another room they could share that is bigger but it has inconvenient extras (you know, things like the radiator, windows, a closet door) that make it impossible to arrange two twin beds into it. We've thought about putting them in separate rooms too but I'm not sure where we could put our office (and the computer is our top priority ;) ). Plus I assume the kid's will share a room at least in the short term after our move so it seems wise to keep their rooms shared for now.
So that's that.

 

tired

This is were I found Ark Boy at 2pm this afternoon. He didn't fall asleep until midnight last night after only napping for about 40 minutes yesterday. Then Farm Girl woke up and as she was finishing he was awake again and came into our bed. A few minutes later- around 1am I heard Ren Man open the gate- he was home from work. I brought Ark Boy to his bed and went downstairs to actually be able to TALK to my husband instead of just see him in passing. We went to bed around 2:30am. Then Farm Girl needed milk....
I think I'll go lie down too while the two of them are sleeping despite the long list of things I want/need to do.

And this is him from Friday when he crashed at 4pm after his friend Emmie was over to play.

5:40am

"help, mommy! Fix it!"
Hear Ren Man closing gate as he leaves for work
Assume it's close to 7- when Ark Boy usually wakes up
Try to move quickly from the bed hoping Ark Boy's demands don't wake Farm Girl
Glance at alarm clock
5:40am
You're kidding
Pull Ark Boy out of bedroom to help him button up his shirt
Yep, he slept in the button down shirt that he wore yesterday because he didn't want to take it off last night
Assuming he would wake in the night I unbuttoned most of the buttons intending to remove it sometime in the night
But he had slept all night
well
until 5:40am
When he insisted on getting in the "big bed"
Farm Girl woke
Nursed her with Ark Boy yelling for me to turn towards him to spoon
Ark Boy starts crying
Farm Girl crying
Not even 6am and both kids are crying at once- very familiar with this scenario- just not happy it's started so early
Ark Boy insisted he was hungry
Leave Farm Girl to go get breakfast
Ark Boy doesn't want breakfast
He wants lunch
Offer him everything in the fridge
Nothing is appealing apparently
except
cheese
he's on a cheese kick
quickly cut 3 pieces of cheese
Hear Farm Girl getting more upset
put cheese on small plate from last night
move to stairs
Ark Boy starts crying
insists mommy stays down stairs
attempt to patiently explain that Farm Girl needs mommy
Ark Boy wants to come upstairs
Repeat process of Farm Girl almost falling asleep and then being woken by Ark Boy's talking
Finally Farm Girl falls asleep
Don't expect her to stay asleep
Bring Ark Boy for cheese and blueberries downstairs
Turn on Signing Time hoping he'll notice and not come back upstairs
Check on Farm Girl
Still sleeping
phew
she needs her sleep!
Turn on computer
put in contacts
start to feel more human
decide to sneak in shower before Farm Girl wakes up and maybe Ark Boy will remain on the couch
feel guilty for wishing couch potato-dom on Ark Boy
Check email
check on Farm Girl
See that she's stirring
oh no
Ark Boy starts calling for mommy
Go ask if he wants to shower in hopes that he'll be quiet and not speed up Farm Girls awakening
he doesn't want to shower
change his diaper
he wants to shower
take diaper off
Put Ark Boy in shower
Check on Farm Girl
Awake
not fussing
debate putting in bouncy seat but reason she'll be equally content- or not- either way
leave in bed
take quick shower
Hear Farm Girl
Turn off shower
Leave Ark Boy to play with bath toys
Try to get dressed
have nothing to wear!
clothes are overflowing from every crevice but have nothing to wear?!?!
hate this feeling
jeans and tshirt
Try to nurse Farm Girl
Dress Farm Girl
Diaper resistant Ark Boy
Ark Boy wants hugs
Farm Girl NEEDS hugs
distract Ark Boy with "lunch"
Wants more cheese
and more
and more
cheese all gone
blow bubbles for cranky Ark Boy
Farm Girl gets fussy around 9am
try to get her to sleep
Ark Boy wants mommy
Farm Girl NEEDS mommy
This isn't working
keep trying to put Farm Girl in swing and hold pacifier in mouth
Feel stupid for not holding her and for trying to pacify her with... what are pacifiers made out of? silicone?
Ark Boy runs to kitchen to talk loud
Farm Girl seems pacified
sneak to living room to play ball with Ark Boy
Hear Farm Girl get more upset
Try to explain to Ark Boy that he has to stay downstairs
doesn't work
Put on "Ark Boy TV" (homevideo) in hopes it will distract him from coming upstairs
Sneak upstairs with Farm Girl and nurse her in bed
Hear Ark Boy looking for me
Don't respond
Farm Girl needs her sleep
In no time she's asleep
Quietly go back down stairs
It's 10am
Ark Boy is pleasantly surprised to see me
Asks to sit on lap while watching "Ark Boy TV"
Feeling resentful but know that he's just needing more mommy because of recent stressors
Try to ignore resentment
Ask if Ark Boy wants to cuddle with mommy in Ark Boy's bed hoping he doesn't suggest cuddling happen in "Big Bed"
He says no
5mins later ask super cuddly Ark Boy same question
He enthusiastically agrees
Sneak back out of his room at 10:25

It's not fair

10:15pm
feeling resentful
Ark Boy is not falling asleep
Farm Girl is screaming in Ren Man's arms
Try to explain to Ark Boy that Farm Girl needs mommy
Ark Boy: "Mommy-lay-down"
Wait 8.2 seconds
"Mommy is going to give baby milk"
Ark Boy: "Mommy-lay-down"
Arm is grabbed by Ark Boy
Wait 2.2 seconds
try again
doesn't work
again
Ren Man comes to say Farm Girl is very stressed
Ask for 5 minutes
Tell him to bounce Farm Girl
10:30pm
Ark Boy still awake holding arm in death grip
Feeling mad at Ark Boy
He's two years
Farm Girl is two months
Who needs me more?
Insist on leaving Ark Boy
Ark Boy cries for 2.2 seconds
Calm screaming Farm Girl down in 3 seconds
Feel bad for Ren Man
Ren Man is working tomorrow at 6am
Move Farm Girl to cradle
Go downstairs to put ground beef in refrigerator to thaw for tomorrow's dinner because forgot to do it earlier
Back upstairs
Ren Man holding "fire" (pacifier) in Farm Girls mouth
10:40pm
everyone sleeping

12:30am
Ark Boy calls for Mommy
Give him water
Put quilt on top of him
Sneak back to bed
Still feeling annoyed with Ark Boy

2:45am
Farm Girl wakes for first feeding
So thankful for how much she sleeps

4:30am
Farm Girl wakes for second feeding

4:40am
Ark Boy calls for frantically for mommy
not thinking
rip breast for unsuspecting baby
go to Ark boy
try to offer water/quilt
hear Farm Girl get upset
Ark Boy insist "Mommy-lay-down"
Delirious Ren Man pulls me away from Ark Boy's bed
Ark Boy insists on mommy
Leave room
Re-attach breast to baby
Ark Boy comes to our bed
Farm Girl sleeping
Try to sneak out of bed with Ark Boy
Farm Girl wakes up
Ren Man frustrated
Bring Ark Boy to watch "Ark Boy TV" (home video)
Reattach baby

5am
Ren Man takes shower/gets ready for work
Farm Girl sleeping
Too scared to try to sleep

5:30am
Ren Man leaves for work
Hear Ark Boy: "Work! Outside! Van! Work!"
Go calm Ark Boy
Decide to bring Ark Boy to his bed
If he's not asleep by 7am will bring to shower
Look at clock
Too far away
No contacts
Can't see
Hmmm- looks like 7am-ish
bring Ark Boy to shower
Start computer
check time.

5:40am
oh.
very tired suddenly.
DSL is painfully slow
frustrated
check to make sure Ark Boy hasn't drowned
Ark Boy standing in shower spray hugging rubber duck
Check Farm Girl
Still sleeping
Feel mad/resentful/frustrated that she doesn't get as much cosleeping time as I want her to have
Miss her
check to make sure Ark Boy hasn't drowned
Ark Boy standing in shower spray coloring on shower walls with bath crayon stubs
must get more bath crayons
Wonder how long I can justify leaving him in there by himself
Think about cuddling with Farm Girl
Will take too long
Might wake her
Must wear her a lot today

6:10am
check web pages loading
still loading
hate dsl
feels like dial up

6:11am
get in shower
love shower
so does Ark Boy
must share shower spray
Ren Man has tomorrow off
hoping for solo shower tomorrow
maybe more Farm Girl time too

6:15am
think maybe Ark Boy needs more mommy time
try to resolve to spend more time with him today
not sure what to do with him though
he's happy playing by himself
plus- he knocks down the block towers I make for him
say to self: Self, he's 2 -I'm 25
eek
I'm 25

6:30am
shower over
sad
Bring Ark Boy to watch more "Ark Boy TV"
Feel slightly guilty
Feel very tired
contemplate getting into bed with Farm Girl
Wet hair
Bed- no good
should get dressed
having friends for dinner
want to make hamburger rolls and hamburger
Should start while Ark Boy is TV zombie and Farm Girl is sleeping