Updates and Happy Mommy Moment

Well, first off, Endrit didn't get the job in Chicago.  Nothing much else to say there.

Also, I forgot to blog it but Marsi's heart surgery is on Thursday.  She also has her cranial surgeon appointment today to see if we need to do anything about a prematurely closed suture.  I will try to remember to update later on today.

As far as the happy moments, Marsi is a champion at flipping from her back to her front.  She learned how to move her hand out of the way on Sunday and has been flipping over ever since.  It is adorable!

There are a couple of other things that make me feel like an awesome mom.  At first, it made me sad, but now it is just showing me what a big girl she is.  Marsi is very independent!  She loves to do things on her own.  One of those things is sleeping. Marsi sets her own schedule during the day for her naps.  We don't force her to sleep during the day.  We do know her nap times.  But, it is so fun to just have her play around and then just decide to go to sleep where she is playing.  She doesn't need me to put her to sleep.  She doesn't need anything.  She just gets tired and sleeps.  It is adorable.

I have tried since she was about 2 weeks old to set up a bedtime routine.  It took a while for her to go to sleep on the schedule, but it has worked out so well that even with the time change with daylight savings she went to sleep on time!  I was amazed.  This is our routine...

8:00 pm comes around.  Dad goes and gets the bath ready and Mom gets Marsi out of her clothes.

15 minute bath time for Marsi to play and get washed.

It takes a while for Mom to get Marsi ready for bed.  Marsi gets her eczema lotion on and airs out for a few minutes while Mom plays with her.  

Mom puts her night diaper on and dresses her for bed.

At around 8:30 it is "top her off" time where we make sure her little tummy is full.  

When she decides that she is done eating it is time for snuggles.  We snuggle while she is fully awake and we give her kisses.  I think I will start reading to her since we bought a big book of tales.  Plus, I just need to read to her!

Then, when she is fully awake, I lay her down in her crib and walk away.  She doesn't get picked up again until about 4 am for a feeding. If she starts to fuss, I go in and shhh her and give her a binkie, but she doesn't get picked up.  This is so she knows that it is night time and needs to sleep.  

It has worked wonderfully!  She wakes up so happy and gives me smiles before I pick her up in the morning.  If I am home, we lay in bed and nurse, and if I am at work Daddy picks her up and feeds her.  She is so happy and seems to love this routine.  It makes me happy that she is so big and showing that she is growing up so well. She is learning independence and it is fun to watch.