Peaceful Sleep

Sleep is something that was not happening in this house until maybe a month or so ago... life was always tired for me and I knew some things needed to change. Let me explain...

When Baker was born...he didn't sleep. He never liked it. Typical newborn for sure though, slept when being held, but lay him down and awake we would be. I didn't care much at first...I just figured he would get it eventually. We tried everything, he would sleep with me, we would put him in the crib, the swing, whatever it took but he would NEVER sleep long. At about 8/9 months old he had the nap thing down! Praise the Lord he would take two good naps a day. I could lay him down and he would fall asleep (believe me, we worked on it). Night time was a different story...he would wake up 2/3 times a night to nurse...I didn't mind. At about 12 months I decided he didn't need to be getting up in the middle of the night to nurse anymore...he was a big boy! He ate three meals a day...plus snacks and still liked to nurse. At 14 months, night nursing was completely done! This was crazy for me because Jacob was done nursing at night by 8 months (his own choice). I figured Baker would eventually get it just like Jacob did, but he NEVER did...he loved nursing in the middle of the night! We had to work with him a lot to cut out those feedings (which is a story for another day). So at 14 months old he was done nursing at night...but that didn't mean that he was sleeping through the night :)! He would still wake up and just cry (not every night, but enough for sure).... at first we would just let him cry and after a while he would fall back asleep. And then, for a month or so he WAS sleeping through the night...a miracle for sure :) Then, he started waking up again... and I would go in there and rock him back to sleep (what was I thinking?!?!?) Then EVERY night he would wake up and want me to rock him...this child is almost 18 months...is this normal ?????? So, we had to let him cry AGAIN (which is honestly the WORST)...but this time he would just scream for me. It was horrible! Jacob and Baker shared a room so he started waking Jacobean up. I would go in there to get Jacob and Baker would see me and get MORE upset. And believe it or not he starting THROWING himself out of the crib. It was miserable, scary, frustrating...etc.!

So this it what we did...We split them up. It was sad...but they will share a room again someday:) We purchased a crib tent so little Baker bear wouldn't try to kill himself anymore and we just let him be. Now they both sleep so peacefully. Baker sleeps from 7:30 to 7:15 every night...with limited interruptions (I mean 95% he doesn't get up at all) and if he does wake up he goes right back to sleep! And Jacob is sleeping peacefully as well....and they are both HAPPY boys when the wake up! And I am a happy mom because I am FINALLY (after 18 months...CRAZY I know) getting a full nights rest!

Sleep is a beautiful thing! With children God's grace is abundant, especially when it comes to limited sleep. But seriously at 18 months in this house we should ALL be sleeping and receiving God's grace in other areas :) Next time I will do things differently for sure! But this whole saga did show me that all children are different and something that comes easy to one child might and probably will be completely different with another.

I look forward to night now... and seeing my beautiful boys in the morning after a good nights rest!

Needs to get back to blogging!

I love reading blogs...and if by chance you are reading this then know that I probably am a big follower of your blog as well! I ALWAYS have blog ideas on my mind...and then nap time comes and a million things come for me as well. I love how many of you make time for blogging...such inspirational woman out there that help me want to be the best version of myself. Tonight I sat down to read my handful of blogs...and the tears were flowing...tears of happiness, sadness and how beautiful our Lord is. I want to blog too! I want to share my heart, my stories and my moments of laughter in the day! Tomorrow is a new day...and instead of napping (which I am embarrassed to say I do almost every day) maybe a blog will come your way!!! Love to all my sisters out there!!!!

Good Night!

Baker's 1st Haircut!

This is and always will be so emotional for me..the 1st haircut! For me, it is saying good-bye to my baby and then just like that...a toddler is sitting right in front of me! It had to happen though, Baker had been mistaken for a little girl one to many times. He has such cute hair...it was curly at the bottom (when dry), but when it was wet and I combed it it was all the way to his shoulder. Are you kidding me? Where did all this hair come from? It felt like it grew over night!

It was haircut day at my moms house for all the boys. (We are so blessed to have my mom cut hair!) Jacob...then Dave...and then Baker. I was very hesitant about the whole thing. He is only 15 months and I will be saying good-bye to his baby hair, the hair he was born with. (I actually don't know if that is true, his baby hair probably all fell out at some point. But I like to think of it as true!) I talked it over with Dave, who really didn't care or have an opinion, but talked it through with me none the less and we decided it was a go! WHY IS THIS SO HARD FOR ME???? So we did it! Baker Bear now looks all grown up and has a big boy haircut!

That night when we got home I looked at pictures of his hair before and I started to wish I hadn't done it...he really did look cute with his curls! BUT...he will not be mistaken for a girl anymore. (I never quite understand that...he is dressed like a boy, acts like a boy...really does he look like a girl?) And he REALLY does look cute with his haircut!

I know..I am a little silly! I just need a little girl whose hair I will not have to cut :)

The Pumpkin Patch!

Last Friday we ventured out to thepumpkin patch for some fall fun and to collect our pumpkins! We went to this GREAT farm that had lots of fun stuff for the kiddos to do! They had bouncy castles for us to jump in, an inflatable slide for us to go down, farm animals for us to see and of course pumpkins for us to find! It was a really wonderful day for us!

We got home and put the pumpkins on our porch...they looked so cute sitting there, making our house look adorable! I woke up Saturday morning to find that one of our pumpkins had been smashed! What punks! I guess it will give us an excuse to go back!

Happy Fall!

Brotherly Love

In the past several weeks I have really noticed the relationship between Jacob and Baker start to change and develop. It all started when Baker began to walk...it was a whole new world for Baker and a lot of fun for Jacob to have Baker be able to keep up with him. They will play in the toy room together without me present and they will run up and down the hallway giggling. Jacob can't fall asleep unless he knows Baker is in the crib next to him and has to make sure he knows where Baker is at all times. Baker follows Jacob around EVERYWHERE and does whatever he does. For example, if Jacob is stomping his feet then Baker stomps his feet, if Jacob is patting his chest like a gorilla then Baker pats his chest like a gorilla....really cute to watch! I love when I am cooking dinner and I hear them laughing together...it brings so much joy to my heart. The other day I walked into their bedroom to see what they were up to and this is what I discovered...

Now don't get me wrong, we still have our fair share of timeouts because of hitting or not sharing. I still have to constantly teach Baker to be gentle and tell him not to touch certain things. I have to remind Jacob to play nice with his brother and to treat him like he likes to be treated. But with all that...we have some brotherly love going on in this house!!!

Photo Session

My very dear, best, longest friend Adria blessed our family with her talents and took some pictures for us. It was around Baker's 1st birthday and she really captured some good ones. Take a look...

The Staples Family

Daddy and Baker

Daddy and Jacob

Baker

Jacob

Baker and Mama

Mama and her boys

Baker

Cool Dude Jacob

Baker enjoying some cake

Too Cute for words!

Thank you SO much Adria! Such great memories captured! Love you!

Whats Happening with The Staples...

1. I cannot figure out this whole background blog thing...I will continue to mess with it and hopefully things will start to piece together.

2. I have officially lost 21 pounds! Can you believe it??? I feel amazing and have gained a new found confidence. The discipline that I have had with food now has stemmed over into other areas of my life...its been AWSOME!

3. I can now run 5 miles without stopping with the double jogging stroller...and I actually LIKE it! The boys and I look forward to our morning runs and really love these cooler mornings! The route I take has sheep, prairie dogs, birds, ponds and lots of other runners/walkers/bikers...it keeps us entertained!

4. I have dropped Baker's morning nap! With Jacob I did not drop the morning nap until 18 months...and Baker is only 14 months. He is a lot younger...but it is so nice having our mornings free and not have to work around his nap. Also, when they go down they are ready to sleep and they take really LONG, good naps! Leaves me enough time in the afternoon to get my chores done, check my email/facebook/blog and I can even lay done for a short while! Its been nice.

5. I have finished painting the inside of the house...its looks beautiful and really feels like our home. Paint adds SO much to a room! I have a couple little book shelves I want to paint other then that I am done with BIG projects for now...I will post pictures soon!

6. My house is ready for fall! I have my pumpkin spice candles out, my fall decorations in place, and fall colored dish towels ready for use! I LOVE it! In a couple weeks we will head to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins! This really is my favorite time of year!

7. I am hooked on Gilmore Girls right now! I can not get enough!