These are all the tips and insights I could come up

Oct 5, 2018

**a snapshot of life composed when mom and dad went away for a weekend**

These are all the tips and insights I could come up with for y'all. So as I said I in text: I'm going to err on the side of too much info rather than not enough. I'm certain is going to be great and fun and amazing memories will be created and they'll be begging me to leave again soon.

At the end of the day, if they're loved on and given attention - nothing else really matters.

Y'all have fun and thank you so much!


Saturday

Jackson's soccer game at 9:00
TX OU game at 11:00
Lilly usually naps 1:00-3ish
Nothing else scheduled

LILLY'S NAP

Sometimes you can ask her if she's ready for a nap and she'll say yes! And march upstairs. Others, she needs to sit in the link chair with a fab on and read a book. See more tips on her bedtime below.

She likes to lay her on her side in her crib if you are transferring her asleep from the car or a couch, etc. otherwise



BEDTIME routine:

Bedtime is ideally between 8 and 8:30.

Head upstairs around 7:30 and tell them to "do their things to get ready for bed" (I usually only repeat this and let them think through for themselves what they have to do. On the weekends, of course, there are fewer "things") but they'll just be putting in pjs and brushing teeth, hair. I dim all the lights at this point and it helps them calm down. Lilly's diapers and wipes are in the bassinet in the playroom and pjs are in my bedroom in her dresser. She also brushes her teeth and we usually help her but it's not worth the fight for one night- so if you want to just let her brush her own teeth- that's totally okay. Doing it herself is definitely how she prefers it ;) she has her own toothpaste that's toddler toothpaste and okay if she swallows it. The big kids have their own toothpaste.

Then we usually read books together - either all together on the couch or in their individual beds. Jackson sometimes puts his nightlight on and reads to himself. He can get really anxious, but often with a babysitter he just shoves it all down and deals until we get home and then let's it spill out. Bless his heart. So it's 50/50 on that. It's also possible that he'll be so distracted with the excitement of having y'all there and worn out from the day's activity that he'll go right to sleep. Worst case scenario: I'll either just snuggle him or he asks to sleep on the couch. Either works great if he gets too anxious/nervous/scared at bedtime-along with a heaping helping of empathy and love. Again, you may bypass all of this and he'll just pass out (which is extremely rare- but you never know!) being prepared for it is the surest way to not need it.

As for Molly, sue usually reads a book in bed- either to herself out loud or one of us reads. Lilly likes to snuggle in. Then a quick song, nightlights on and she's generally asleep in a matter of minutes.

For Lilly: the key is talking to her - confidently and calmly, with a little *enthusiasm for her upcoming accomplishment* - that she is "going to go night-night and sleep all night! Right? Yes! And we're all going to sleep all night and then we'll see you in the morning when the sun comes up". ...it may sound silly, but it works. You can also say, "can you show me how you go night-night?! Who do you snuggle?" And she'll usually grab a doll or stuffy and lay down in her belly. Side note and for a good giggle: you can also get her to do this during the day and it's AWESOME. She just dives onto the floor wherever she is and lays motionless. Hilarious. Sometimes she asks "rub my back" once she's in bed - so if you hear something like this, that's what she's saying. It's kinda "ub mah bah"
But I wouldn't suggest voluntarily doing this because she might keeeeeep asking over and over and not actually go to sleep. But if she asks, it's totally fine to appease her. Chances are- she'll sleep soon. Worst case scenario: you can tell her night night and that you'll come check in her in a minute and then sit on the couch for 2 minutes (as she howls) and then briefly check in her, ask her to show you how she goes night night again, give a quick kiss and head out. Once you're to this point, she stays in her crib and doesn't come back out. Then you leave and give her 3 minutes then check, 4 minutes, usually by the 5 minute interval she's passed out.

So there's the full rundown. Alternatively, you could throw all this out the window, and do whatever you want to do to get them to sleep. 💁‍♀️ Only suggestion is if Lilly in particular is nodding off somewhere else, you might softly remind her that you'll move her to her crib once she's asleep so she doesn't wake up startled and disoriented that she's in a different place.

The more physically worn out they are, the better they'll sleep - as long as they don't go to bed so late that they are overly tired/post second (or third) wind.


FOOD

No allergies

we usually have lunch around 11-12 and dinner around 5:30/6.

They are welcome to snack on any of the healthy options/ snack baskets etc at any point in the day... until about an hour before dinner. Then they know they're cut off- because then they don't eat their dinner and are hungry at bedtime- which causes a while other situation.

Molly will likely ask for sugar if some sort very 30 minutes. And especially if she has protein along with it- it's no big deal. In moderation, it's totally fine. I usually allow one sugary item a day, so long as it's earlier in the day. But too much sugar and you will soon arrive in Meltdown City. Population: Molly. Same kind of goes if she just has carbs and sugar (for example: pancakes and syrup with no bacon or sausage = hot mess 30 minutes later)

And we recommend just going to Cabo Bobs for dinner on Saturday night. Joe will leave cash. Jackson and Molly will order theirs (Molly likes a bowl with pork most the time- but sometimes can't remember the name of the meat she likes ) Lilly will either do the kids bowl (like Molly) or a quesadilla - or ask her if she wants a "tortilla" and remarkably- she may already have a strong opinion on what she eats. If so, she'll let you know. They get waters there- despite them asking for the cherry limeade on repeat.

In general- y'all have fun and I as always say: wear them out or they'll wear you out. 😜



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