International Sibling Day

It's National Sibling Day, and while I'm pretty sure this is a made-up thing I can't pass up a chance to jot down some funny things my oldest said. My own mom tells me that I have to write this stuff down!

This morning I told Karlyn,

"Did you know today is National Sibling Day? Do you know what a sibling is?"

"A baby?"

"It's a sister or a brother."

"So what's this all about? You take your sibling to school? You pet them?"

Karlyn likes to talk to her "YouTube" fans sometimes and make these pretend videos. We'll catch her talking out loud at random times and holding a dialogue with invisible friends. So later in the nursery while I was changing Krosby, I hear,

"So it's International Sibling Day and...I don't really know what that means because this is my first International Sibling Day."

ha!!!

The girls stayed home from church this morning after a late and long night so while daddy was gone teaching, I had both Karlyn and Krosby upstairs with me for a quick workout. Karlyn also loves to play doctor and give checkups and who do you think needed a checkup most but little sister!

I love these real-life pics of sweet sisters playing. Krosby needed some "blood work" and then had to have a cast which consisted of a baby washrag + hair rubber band. She begged me to leave it on her, which I did for about a minute. :>

I can't wait to watch these two grow up together and write down all the funny things that are said! I feel so blessed to be their mom and I will always remember how Karlyn prayed for her little sister. She would repeat after us at bedtime:

"God, please let me have a baby brother or sister."

...

"No, just sister."

Happy International Sibling Day!

Come to Jesus Meeting

I can't believe its only been one week. Let me explain.

Last Sunday, Karlyn, Ryan and myself had a little "Come to Jesus Meeting." And it was long overdue. Anyone who knows us knows that Karlyn has had trouble sleeping in her own room (aka always sleeps in our room) since the night before her second birthday party when she climbed out of her crib.

We should have put our foot <feet?> down right then but for one reason or another...she was the "baby," we were going through another miscarriage, Ryan had to work late, I was working, on and on - it was just never a good time. Since then she has needed someone in her room to help her fall asleep at night AND she consistently came to our room in the middle of the night to sleep on our floor. I did draw the line somewhere and that line was out of our bed. Sometimes she still snuck in!

Anyways. Over the past few years, Ryan or I would get our game face on and say, "OK, enough is enough. You've got to sleep in your own bed and/or you have to learn to fall asleep without us." But it never clicked. Call it lack of discipline on our part or failure to follow through but here we were at five years and two months old and nothing had changed.

Enter: The Meeting. I called it to order last Sunday night and the three of camped out in our big family chair while the dog listened in. It went something like this.

Alright Karlyn, Daddy and I want to talk to you. This is long overdue and it's not your fault. It's ours. But you have to start sleeping in your room. And if you don't, there are going to be consequences. So here's what we're going to do. 

We're going to start a bedtime routine where you wind down before bed. (um, instead of watching daddy's phone until 10:30 and then, "it's time for bed!" So at the designated time, we will:

• Eat a snack
• Take a bath (with epsom salts - something the pediatrician recommended and what I use all the time!)
• Brush teeth
• Put on pajamas
• Slather on sleepy dust (magnesium lotion)
• Read in your bed with the lamp on
• Go to sleep

She cried a little, whined a little, and said, "I just don't think I can do it!" I don't know where she gets her drama from/not me. I think we started that night. I even really tried to talk it up like, "Isn't this great?! Isn't this so nice to have a routine where you wind down before bed instead of just watching a show?" She went along with it. score. Then, there was crying once we got to the in bed part but I came back in twice and told her she had to go to sleep. Then...she did. She came in our room in the middle of the night and Ryan took her back. 

The next night, there were no tears. And she went to sleep all on her own! She came in our room a few hours later and this time Ryan just told her to go get back in bed. She did. From there on out, she has been falling asleep in her bed after reading a book or two AND sleeping in her own bed all night!

Ya'll. This is huge! At least for us. And while I admit we should have implemented this a long time ago, at least we've done it now. Ya know. Before Kindergarten.

I think the whole "getting ready for bed" routine is really helpful for her + the addition of two magnesium sources. This mineral is HUGE for relaxation, sleepiness, and great for people with insomnia. Plus a warm bath before bed is going to raise your core temperature. Then, as it lowers you get sleepy. Ta Da!

Not having your face in electronics helps too. The whole blue light thing...So. I am thrilled as you can imagine and pretty darn proud of myself. I love my big girl and knew she had it in her, we just all had to convince ourselves. And - we aren't even having to do the entire routine every night. Because nights vary...like last night, we came home late after a family get together and she still fell asleep after pajamas, teeth brushed, and one book. I'm loving it.

So there you go. Maybe you can take something away from our little family lesson and nip bedtime in the bud sooner. Poor little Krosby. Sweet girl doesn't stand a chance. :-)

FIVE

Karlyn~

You are 5 YEARS OLD TODAY!!!!!

I can't believe it. Where did the last five years fly off to? Wasn't I just packing my hospital bag to meet you sweet girl? And now YOU are the big girl!

Karlyn, you are an amazing kid. You continue to blow your daddy and I away with your sweet and kind heart, the wacky, zany, hilarious things you say, and that you still sleep-walk to our room every night to sleep. I could write a book about you. You made me a mommy and you will always be my special, first girl and baby and hold a place in my heart that can't be filled by anyone else. 

Let's talk about what you're up to at 5 years old!

You wanted to be a mermaid for Halloween!

We took preggo walks together and held hands. #sosweet

You built an amazing castle at the dr's office using all the blocks and legos!

3 things you love: Daddy, His phone, and your Disney Princesses

You like to dress up!

Things you love~

Cheese. All your baby dolls and being a little momma to them. Paw Patrol. Picking out your clothes. Doing Aunt Ashley or Aunt Sam's hair. Braiding! You've figured out how to braid hair and can braid your own in seconds! *You'll braid anything...a long necklace at Express :-0, fringe on a scarf, and you try to braid my fingers. ha. The Target toy aisle. Watching YouTube shows about American Girl Dolls, "cake shows", shows about kids getting casts put on. You love being a little nurse / doctor and giving daddy and I check-ups. You say, "How have you been feeling?" and "Are you allergic to penicillin?" We think you'd make a great nurse one day! Doing "routines." You will talk out loud about your day, narrating it like you are talking to your YouTube fans. And sometimes add, "and you can leave your comments down below!"

Things you don't love~

Cleaning up your room on Saturdays. Sleeping in your own bed. Pretty much anything I make for dinner. Naps. 

Funny things you've said / done~

"Ugh, why did God make our thingers (fingers) turn into raisins after a shower?!"

"It doesn't get much better than this...holding your baby sister and watching a show."

"Daddy, you've been getting a lot of text-es."

"She's breakin' my heart." (holding Krosby)

"You look great! You look awesome! Although maybe not as awesome as a princess."

"Mommy, I'm not tired! I don't need a nap! I have enough energy to run down the street!"

"Mom, why don't I have any knee socks?"

"Uh, I don't know. Do you need knee socks?"

"Well, I don't urgently need them but they do make socks that go up to your knees."

"Sometimes you land on your feet; sometimes you land on your bottom." Talking about a slide...

"Actually momma, I think a pulse oximeter can only go on your thinger."

Hygienist: "Do you floss?"

Karlyn: "No, I just stick my finger in between my teeth and get the food out."

"This is the best part of being pregnant. You have your own belly as a table."

You also tried to give your baby sister a wet willy! Daddy stopped you.

Elsa hat

Even big sister's need naps.

Love you.

You decided you wanted to exercise and this was your outfit.

Always babies in hand. 

Things you like to eat~

Grilled cheese, scrambled eggs with cheese, vanilla yogurt, green apples without the skin, applesauce with cinnamon, oatmeal, PANCAKES! olives, cherry tomatoes, avocado, cheese cubes, mustard-glazed chicken, black beans with cheese (catching the trend here?) pretzels, and ice cream!

Things you don't like to eat~

You've become kind of a picky eater. :-0 What happened?! You eat a lot of the above and don't like eating pretty much anything I make for dinner...you don't like potatoes anymore, rice is hit or miss. Bananas are no more. I think you may have gotten burnt out on some of these. Oops.

Chick-fil-a date

Cheetah girl.

You got to open these earmuffs today for your b-day!

My little silly.

On turning 5~

We had your birthday celebration at Red Robin and you so sweetly remarked that "this was my best birthday ever!" Works for me! =) We were trying to fit in a celebration before your little sister came and we succeeded! You had lots of family there to help celebrate and we made a gluten-free funfetti cake with chocolate frosting. It was pretty delish. You got a pink purse and Barbie Glitter Hair Doll which you LOVED, plus a bunch of other fun things. You kept saying on the way home, "thank you momma for getting me that...I never thought this day would come!" ha.

Barbie Love!

You also got a baby sister this year!~

Karlyn, it has been so fun already watching you with Krosby. I know you have waited and prayed for this little sister and now she is here! I can't wait to watch you grow together and see the love that I know you will have for each other. You are right - she loves you and fits perfectly into your arms!

Sweet girl, I love you. I love that you are old enough to really go shopping with me and you have an opinion on things. I love your sweet, sensitive spirit and that you don't like to disappoint. I love how helpful you have been to me over the past week as a big sister, and I am in awe that I get to be your momma. You are going to do big things and use that little brain of yours in amazing ways!

We love you so much!

Momma and Daddy

Maternity Pictures

I can't get over these.

L.O.V.E.

I knew I wanted to have some maternity pictures taken, of our last time as a family of three. Of the miracle that's taking place. Of Karlyn turning five. Of this sweet baby girl inside me and the journey that we've been on to get here. All of us.

Ryan has stood by my side through thick and thin. Through tears, fights, and doubting. Through doctor visits and losses and tests and waiting. Lots and lots of waiting.

Karlyn has prayed for this sister. specifically. We would pray at night, her repeating~

Me: "God, please help me have a baby sister or brother."

Karlyn, "No, just sister."

:-)

I didn't know if this day would ever come. And while I'm not holding my rainbow baby yet, each day is bringing us closer. Weeks. We're weeks away.

Thank you God.

***Andrea is my amazingly talented friend, photographer, and because she is so kind and generous, nursery decor consultant. ;> I know she is tired of getting my texts..."What do you think about this?" She was one of the first people I told about this pregnancy. I think the day after I found out? We had lunch at Chipotle and I needed to tell someone! I'm so thankful for her friendship and her stripe-painting skills. Having these pictures to remember this time is priceless. Thank you Andrea!

I also have to say a huge THANK YOU to a sweet, sweet mama who lent me this sparkly maternity dress to wear for my pics. I had ordered one that didn't work out and it was so much fun getting to be a little sparkly for one night and feel beautiful. Plus, our nursery is full of gold accents so it totally works.