WHAT. DID. I. DO!?  I must have done something serious wicked at some stage in my life.  Bad.  Bad to the bone bad.  It's the only thing I can think of.  There must be a reason why.  I cannot have TWO babies that sleep this badly, can I?  WHY do my babies start of sleeping well and then start sleeping worse as time goes by?  Obviously I'm doing something wrong!

I breastfeed and I co-sleep.  I know that many many moms out there think this is just wrong lol  I love it though. However, I also need to sleep.  I lost TWO YEARS of sleep with Jason and unfortunately I just don't have any in reserve to go through all of this with Zander again. 

Last night he woke up nine, 9, nege times before 3 am.  We were then awake, as in reading a book awake (while he just lay there, looking at me) then slept till 6 am.  Amazingly enough, I'm still awake and haven't done anything too much out of character.

So. Please.  How do I get my child to sleep?!?!  I do NOT mind waking up once or twice a night.  Honestly doesn't bother me in the least.  But 9 freaking times before 3 am is just too much. (this has been happening for a few weeks now...I'm not going all crazy because of one night)

Under no circumstances will I let my child CIO.  (Cry It Out, Daddy)  Like my dad says:  I'm a wimp and my kids win just because I pick them up when they cry lol (NO I don't want to start a long conversation about that too!) It's just a family joke.  Point being though, I won't let him cry.  How can one every let this lovely boy, CIO.

Here's my thinking.  I'll nurse him, put him in his cot when he is *almost* asleep.  With teddy.  He will wake up soon after that (lol) and I'll offer him a bottle of water (poor child has never had a bottle) so I'm sure he will refuse that.  I will love him till he is almost asleep and put him back into his cot. I'll repeat this for mmm say 20 times and then it will be morning.   So think of us, as we stay awake all night long.

Aww...he takes after me (see me stroking my own ego!! lol)  We finally got Quintus's school report.  My boy did so well.  Especially in maths (well, as basic as maths can be for 5 / 6 year olds!)  See, all those sums we do when we drive in the car are worth it!  Only thing the teacher said was, that he talks too much in the class.  (again like his mother!  Guilty as charged!)

I clearly remember my 3rd Grade teacher.  I never stopped talking.  I just couldn't.  She had had enough of my endless chatter and threw the white board cleaner at me!  I ducked (mmm...having two brothers came in handy) and it struck the poor boy sitting behind me.  Thankfully we don't live in those days and age anymore.  No chance of one of his teachers doing the same.  However, we will be working on that.

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Jason has a tongue thing going on. Which seems to be hand, foot and mouth disease (diagnosed by my internet friends)  I feel so badly for him.  It looks so painful.  He has been complaining that food and drinks burn his tongue.  Now this is nothing new.  Since he bit through his tongue after falling in the bath, he often complains that stuff is too hot.  However he complained more than normal and I took a look.  He had one red mark on his tongue and the scar from the fall was a bit swollen.  Now he has many more red marks all over his tongue and fever blisters on the insides of his lips too.  It must be so painful.  

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We are experiencing somewhat of a cold front, with very unpleasant winds and dark clouds.  I totally convinced myself that I can NOT jog in weather like that! (any excuse right?)  Well my dear husband decided that it is not enough of an excuse and kicked my lazy butt out of the door and onto the road.  Of course I blamed him for every cold breath I had to take lol  But obviously ended up being thankful for the "support?"

Well, okay not a jersey or anything lol  I don't even know what you call it in English.  I will also be interested to know if the kids do this in other countries.

For some reason when we were kids, it was only the boys who did it?  Weird.  So I had as in NO clue how to do this.  He has to do it for school, so we just had to find a way.  With a little help from a neighbour we got started.  Him and I.  Learning how to do this together.

Now, unlike me (yeah right!!!!), Quintus doesn't have much patience.  So I was getting myself ready for one long afternoon.   He did get despondent but got it right after a few tries and me giving instructions (well more like I told him I'm the wool and if he doesn't pull it tight enough I will fall of a cliff - mmmm - never mind.  It worked lol)

He messed up a few times. Me more.  It turned out to be a great bonding time though.  Who would have thought :)  I haven't seen that genuine pleased smile on his face for a while.  WTG Q!

• About my *almost* week away.  The flowers only bloom for a very short while.  Long story short, this would have been the perfect week.  I can also not miss this course, as it won't be repeated and it is very important to me.
• However, thanks for feeling bad for me! I'm still feeling bad for me.
• And my dad.  He was really looking forward to it as well.
• I had a great jogging session yesterday.
• I'm trying to get Zander to sleep in his cot/crib.  I'm not convinced that is what *I* want though, so I doubt it will work lol
• In all reality I just want his brothers to sleep in their beds!
• My SIL has landed in Seattle this morning.  Her first visit over da sea.  Her aunt picked them up in a limo.  She was very impressed.
• I do hope my little nephews survive the month without their mom! I think a month is a long long time for a father to play mom.
• Zander is 7 months old today.  I can't believe he was that tiny little newborn.  Especially since I put some 6 - 12 months pj's on him tonight and they didn't fit!?  It must have been a small make.

It was all planned.  Booked.  Organized.  Then life happened.  Don't you just hate it when life comes in the way of fun???

Saturday we go for our normal breakfast.  We meet up with my in-laws and my MIL invites me to go to Namakwaland with her.  Namakwaland is in the Northern Cape.  Probably one of the most barren parts of our country.  Yet as we near spring, the MOST stunning flowers bloom in this area.  It covers the country in blankets of flowers.  It is just so beautiful.  I have never been there.  Ever.  So I grabbed this opportunity with both hands.

When my folks heard about this, they decided to join us.  (Thank goodness I got a big car lol)  My mom booked us places to stay over night.  I got the boys all excited.  Planned our week.  I could already see the photos I would take.

Then I remembered.  I have a course to attend on Friday.  I can't believe it.  I so badly need a break.  I so badly need to take time of.  Away from work. This was it.  This was what I needed.  Especially now.  My folks are going away for three weeks soon, so I'll be all alone in the office.  I needed a break now.

I'm so upset.  I even cried and believe me I'm not the crying type.  Best I get over it now.

The little guy is finally truly rolling.  For real.  All by himself.  So maybe I won't have to still carry him around when he is three lol

• I just love the smiles I get from him.  Even when he won't smile for others...he will smile for his Mommy.
• I enjoy the scream he uses only for his brothers when they get into his personal space and he wants them to move away immediately.
• I love the way he will put his head against my chest when he wants to nurse.
• The way he will move his head and body away if I put him against my chest (to see if he wants to nurse) and he doesn't want to.
• I love his appetite.
• I love our bath time.  Just him and me.
• I love how he is such an easy little guy.  I can take him anywhere, anytime and I know I won't have a problem.  He will be fine.  As long as he has me, he won't complain.  Not once.
• I love his laugh.  How he will all of a sudden find anything and everything funny.
• I love that he has the biggest smile on his face, when he wakes up and I'm next to him.
• I love how he will wait contently in my moms arms after waking up from a nap (during the week) and will the cry so sadly when I walk into the room to nurse.  As though he wants to tell me that he is sad that I wasn't there.  How could I.
• I love to see him love his Daddy so much.

I love his kisses.  Even when they aren't planted in exactly the right spot :) I love how he will actually move forward to kiss me.
I love how he has two great big brothers too :)