What we're up to!

It's been a crazy week around here! We have had doctors appointments galore, a sick dad, and Christmas all around! Christmas is going to be SO fun this year now that Ali is two - she is so excited to look at all of the Christmas lights, the trees, the elf on the shelf, etc! She keeps saying that she wants "a kitchen and baby" from Santa - we shall see! :) She is in a phase right now where she wants to do everything "All by myself!". Whether it's walking without holding my hand, opening a door, getting her food, and the new biggie - going to bed! Yes, the past three days, she tells me she is tired and wants to go night night all by herself and, sure enough, she walks into her room, closes all the doors and I look at the monitor to see her asleep under the covers! It is crazy to me - but I do not mind at all! (At least, the putting herself to bed part - not a fan of the not wanting to hold my hand part!) Our little Rhodes is also helping her Mama out with sleeping! Ever since we got back from the beach (where she slept AWFUL! There is something about going out of town that always throws the babies all out of whack!), we started to give her a bottle of formula at night and, OH, what a difference that has made! The last few nights she has had her formula (courtesy of her sweet daddy!) at 10:30 and 11 and slept until 4:45 and 5:45, respectively! Hallelujah! I have gotten 7 straight hours of sleep both nights - so, no complaining here! I have to admit, I feel guilty about the formula at night - I am so bad about making myself feel guilty about little things for my children. I nurse every other time (she still eats every 2 hours or sometimes 3 during the day!), but I guess I feel guilty b/c I never even thought about giving Ali formula until she was almost 8 months! But, it has made such a difference with sleep, and I feel like sleep makes me such a better, happier mother, so I try to reassure myself. (and so do Ryan and my mom!) Ahhhhh - what a great, sleep-filled week we have had! Poor Ryan was sick though on Monday and stayed home in bed all day. I was convinced he had the flu b/c of his symptoms so Rhodes, Ali and I steered clear of him all day. That day was a little rough on all of us -but, thank goodness, he is feeling much better now - we are all just trying to get over colds! So, that is our week so far! We all went out Christmas shopping last night and I am pretty much finished now except for a few small things! Hopefully now I can start to relax and enjoy the fun of the holidays with our two little girls!! Happy Holidays!