Kids Growing Up

After nearing 5 years, naps are almost all gone.  It’s bittersweet for me.  I worked hard to make sure Austin and Sydney would nap at the same time. It was a nice needed break. It allowed us the most time to do things together.  Sydney has always been difficult to nap.  It would take me like an hour to get her to nap for maybe an hour or two. Finally I decided it was not worth it.  Since Austin is starting kindergarten soon, he needed to give up his naps anyways. 

I have them have rest periods when I am home with them alone for 30 to 60 minutes.  Sydney calls it rest experiment.  They don’t really like it but I need a break and they need a break from each other. 

Austin has started challenging authority.  He has been very difficult at times. There are days he has 5 or more time outs.  He goes to his room and has to wait until his clock turns yellow.  He does much better if we give him the attention he needs.  I try really hard but sometimes it just not possible with his and Sydney’s needs.  He also has started talking back.  He will tell him to do something and he will just say NO.  It’s frustrating.  I even got a book at the library to help me find ways to make this period easier.  It’s hard. 

Austin now weighs 42 pounds.  He is hard for me to pick up.  I get really mad when he is to go to time out and he refuses.  I can’t carry him when he is being difficult. 

Sydney finally got her bunk bed set up.  It’s just like Austin’s except hers is white.  She loves it!  She now finally sleeps in her bed.  Once she was in a toddler bed she did not sleep in it much. She preferred the floor.  She has princess Sofia sheets and bed spread.  She likes making her bed (not every day though).  She is proud to be in a big girl bed.

Sydney is a very grateful girl.  She almost always says thank you even for little things.  She will say “thank you mommy very much”.  It is so sweet.  We need to work on getting Austin a little more appreciative of things. 

Sydney can now buckle her own car seat.  It’s good and bad.  It’s great she can do it but it takes much longer.  She will not allow us to do it either.  She can’t unbuckle yet though.  Austin sometimes unbuckles her for us. 

I went and got Sydney's hair cut.  They probably took off 4-5 inches.  I was nervous to do it but she does not allow me to brush her hair.  It drives me crazy.  So we got it cut.  I was sad but she looks very cute.  She likes her new hair cut!

At night, Austin likes his back rubbed to go to sleep.  He has always liked that.  Sydney prefers to hold her hand.  Sydney likes to have someone sleeping with her at all times though.  That is difficult because I get woken up several times to go back into her room.  Austin usually wakes up around 6am and wants his diaper changed.  Once his diaper is changed, I lay with him.  Recently he won’t go back to sleep.  Sydney doesn’t wear diapers at night and has never had an accident.  Austin still needs to wear a diaper every night.  I’m not stressing about it.  He’ll get it when he is ready.  I have stressed too much over potty training already although it seems like a very long time ago that we were dealing with that.