Just a few life updates :)
{one} Life with toddlers is crazy. And right now, life with toddlers is just plain HARD. We are in the trenches of 3-year-old wills, and I find myself eating A LOT of chocolate just to cope. I know this is just a season, and they are trying so hard to learn who they are and how to be little humans...but man, it can make the days pretty tough. Back in October/November, Eli started waking up in the middle of the night. He would wake up crying, upset that his blanket had come off. Despite all of our efforts to help teach him how to put his own blanket back on {because he is fully capable of doing that for himself during the day}, he was still waking up. And then he would take his blanket off himself, put it up on the dresser next to his crib, then cry that he didn't have it on. It took 2 months for him to move past this, and we ultimately found that this Ok to Wake Clock was the thing he needed to get back to sleeping through the night...
{two} ...which was just in time for Maddie to start climbing out of her crib, which forced us to switch them both to toddler beds. I was not ready for this transition {fully intending to keep them in their cribs until they were 4 haha}, but here we are. And it has been a struggle ever since. Eli has stayed in his bed, not once getting out. Maddie, on the other hand...she can't seem to stay in her bed ever. For the past month, bedtime has been a battle. It has improved slightly...which basically means that we only put Maddie back in her bed for 1 to 1.5 hours {instead of 2 to 3 hours} each night, or for 1 hour at nap time {instead of 2 hours}. About half way through December, she started also getting out of her bed at all hours of the night {coming into our room}, but that has improved to only happening a few times a week now. And while we recognize that some of this is normal toddler antics, there is also the element of learning to parent a strong-willed child. Who isn't getting all the sleep she needs.
{three} And then there's our sweet little Aiden. He is still our happy-go-lucky little guy, but at 16 months old, he is also starting to express his displeasure over many things, exerting his own little will. He is into ALL the things right now: Sasha's water bowl, the blinds on our back door {all the slats at his height are broken now}, the toilet, the trash can, all the drawers. He is fulfilling his role as the annoying little brother with amazing ease...he goes right for the things they are playing with or working on, messes things up, then cries when he is told "no." He has also entered into a hair-pulling stage, and he has a surprisingly strong grip. There are elements of walking through this stage with him that are easier, because I remember that I was recently chasing after 2 little ones into ALL the things. But with all the non-sleeping going on, and the difficulties of toddler tantrums happening all at the same time...I have to remind myself that we're about half-way through the craziness of 3 toddlers. We're going to make it...right? :)
{four} And speaking of crazy life changes...Mike is actually at a new job! He transitioned to a new company in November, and {of course} is already rocking it, exceeding expectations. It has been a bit of an adjustment, as we learn a new work schedule and balance a new commute. But we are thankful for God's provision over our family.
{five} I have personally been battling a few health things. Overall, I am still doing well, but I can't help but get nervous when I start to have symptoms, as I know that my Crohn's remission is not ever guaranteed. I think the stress of life change, chasing after crazy toddlers, and the lack of sleep has kept me on the edge of a Crohn's flare for a few weeks now, so I am working hard to try to manage that and keep symptoms at bay. I also tend to experience stress-induced migraines, and I have had several of those over the past few months. The kind with the ice-pick headache and the nausea that drive me to hide in a dark room. And right before Christmas, I found myself experiencing a really painful toothache...turns out I have a wisdom tooth coming in and it got infected. So I think I will be having those removed soon.
Eli: what's the matter, Mommy?
Me: Mommy is falling apart, buddy haha
Eli: why is Mommy falling apart?
Me: Mommy is just getting old and not feeling well right now. But I'll be ok, buddy.
Eli: Mommy will be ok? We need to put you back together? Jesus will healed you.
Me: Haha- yes, buddy, Jesus will heal me.
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The days can be really hard. And I can so easily get overwhelmed by it all. So it's good for me to stop and remember all that the Lord has done, how He continually cares for us. It's why I wanted to record all that He has done over the past decade. Because in the midst of the craziness, God is good and steady and sovereign. And I need those reminders so that I don't get lost in toddler tantrums and health issues and everything that feels like it's in turmoil right now. It's how I can pause and take a breathe, push past the anxiety, and refocus my attention on Jesus. Rest in the peace that only He can give. Have the strength to face another day without actually losing my mind haha. How good is our God, that He cares about these everyday mundane issues, and wants to walk alongside us in it?
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