July

I try to practice at home what I preach in parenting sessions every day. However, it is sooo much easier to parent your children than my own! Lilley has been getting out of her big girl bed for a few months. At first, we said she couldn't watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse the following day...still got out of bed. Then, we made her give up a pacifier each time she got out of bed and she had to put it in the trashcan...still got out of bed AND began rummaging through the trash cans. She now has 0 pacifiers and no longer sleeps with one (a pleasing and unexpected result). Now, she has begun getting up in the middle of the night and wanting to sleep in our bed (thanks to Camp McClees in Richmond last week). So, tonight, after I ruled out all the feelings associated with waking up and wandering to my room (fear, worry, anxiety, etc.) and realized it was control and power struggle (shocker), I upped the ante and told her if she chose to get out of bed in the middle of the night tonight, then tomorrow she could not have her girls' date to see Winnie the Pooh with Mom and Aunt LaLa. Michael was silently pleading with me to cut her some slack. She said she understood, and we told her goodnight. I returned a few hours later to check on her. She was asleep, but rolled over and said, "Hey Mom, you came to check on me? Well, I decide I not want to go tomorrow to see Winnie the Pooh. I will go to your bed now." And we are back to the drawing board!

I have added pictures and videos from the past month to http://jenniferbirch.shutterfly.com