Barnes and Noble

So I headed out to Barnes and Noble the other day at lunch to get a book on Sleeping.  I've talked to a ton of other Moms and pretty much the consensus was...you have to let them cry it out...it's just a matter of at what age do you do it.  I found the fabulous book below and two nights ago we started her new sleeping schedule.  I truly thought that we were doing well by putting Ashlyn to bed at around 8pm - boy was I wrong!  He specifically discussed Ashlyn's behaviors, such as crying when we were trying to put her to sleep and night waking - I realized she isn't getting enough sleep!  No wonder she has been getting crankier and crankier over the last weeks.  She really should be taking two naps a day, but she is getting about 2.5 hours of sleep during her one nap, so I'm not messing with her nap schedule yet.  She fell asleep on her own the first day at 5:30p and started stirring about 9:30p, so we gave her a bottle since she had fallen asleep before she even ate dinner.  She whined a little at her usual 1:30a, but we let her whine herself back to sleep.  She woke up around 6:15a in a FABULOUS mood!  I had a little meeting with her preschool teachers because I am trying to start her on an estimated schedule for her eating also.  If she is sleeping so much more at night, I don't want her to miss out on having enough to nourish her!  I had a chiropractor appointment so I was going to be late coming home and we had decided that for a little while Ashlyn will have a 6:30p bedtime.  David was a rockstar!  He kept her on the schedule we had agreed on!  She had her dinner at 5:30, her bath at 6 and I got home just in time to kiss her goodnight and put her to bed at 6:30. :o)  She slept like a baby, literally!  She didn't even stir until 1:30a (which is the reason we HAD to do something about her sleeping issue) - we let her cry it out.  I'll admit it was hard...but I know it's what's best for her!  She needs a whole night's rest more than we do - there is so much learning for her to do!  We'll see how it goes for the next couple days with this schedule and make adjustments as necessary.

 Of course...I couldn't walk out of a store with only the thing I went there to get!  I found this book on sewing and I'm really excited!  My sewing machine is at Mary's house right now since I make such a mess with the thread when I sew we thought it best to store it there for the time being - but this book had such great tips and illustrations!  Plus it came with 10 patterns!

 I also found this book!  I get so frustrated because I didn't really "learn how to keep house".  My Mom and Granny tried to teach me a lot...but I have a hard head and didn't absorb as much as I could have.  I wish they still required Home-Ec in school.  Now don't get me wrong...I don't mean just for the girls!  There are a whole lot of Stay-at-home Dads now days too! 

 Last, but not least (actually it's not last because I found a book for $4 on how to fold napkins in different shapes, but it was less for me and more for David's catering business) - My Mom is going to LOVE this one!  I decided to attempt to teach Ashlyn some sign language!  They have flashcards (but they are for Mommy and Daddy-They don't recommend using them for the babies) and a CD with some songs and a song book with the words so that you can sign some of the words in the songs!  I have "Water", "Cup", "Eat" and "Bath" down pat.

Last week, I ordered this cd called "Hidden in My Heart - A lullaby journey through scripture".  Someone in our Sunday School class suggested it.  I LOVE IT!  We listen to it a lot in the car and it just creates such a relaxing environment.  You can download a free lullaby from their website here! 

I thought these pictures were too cute! We were playing around at family dinner.  She looks like a little German Grandma!

 And for my finale!  I've seen comparisons similar to the one below and I wanted to try it!  David is around 6 months in the first picture, I'm around 3 months in the second, so I found one of Ashlyn around 5 months.  She has such a mix of our features!  I can't even say she looks like one of us or the other!  I think she has my face and eye shape, but David's nose and mouth.