Thanksgiving prep!!!

I have started the Thanksgiving prep!

Yesterday, I made cookie dough and washed, peeled, and quartered the sweet potatoes.

Today, I plan to make pie crust, cranberry relish, and the actual cookies, as well as start on the cheesecake. I also want to assemble the cheesy potatoes.

Tomorrow is turkey brine, stuffing, fluffy Jello, and sweet potatoes, as well as the pumpkin pie and finishing the cheesecake.

That leaves turkey, gravy, green beans, and apps for the big day. Plus rolls!!

PHEW!

Also: WHAT AM I FORGETTING??

 

baby pics from a sunday

 Sundays are NOT lazy. 

We usually get our groceries and participate in the useless hygiene theater that we just can't quit. We also clean the house from top to bottom (have managed to squish it all back to one day, so that's great) and typically watched Super Market Sweep with the kids. A BIG DAY.

Minnie napped OK, but I was focused on house stuff over baby sleep, so she got pretty tired before I would remember to put her down. But! Jack was a huge helper

Oh you guys, her pointy hair!

He's so patient

So. Tired.

I love when she contemplates her toes.

Smiling for Cooper

Ben dressed up like Jed Bartlett yesterday.

Saturyay

 Saturday was THE BEST DAY. We were lazy even by pandemic standards. Ben finished the Christmas lights. I held Minnie for 2 naps (and it made zero difference in nap length, BTW). Dorothy played video games in her jammies all day. We were our slothiest selves.

Yay, sleep!

 As I am sure you noticed, this is a really terrible NaBlo attempt, and I just keep back-dating posts.

THE UPDATE NO ONE WANTED:

Totally taking Virginia's advice. Minnie is sleeping 12+ hours at night, and I am getting enough baby cuddles to last a lifetime.

Baby sleep

Baby sleep. Specifically, how to get more of it.

Look at those tired eyes.

 As you can see above, she is a very consistent sleeper with tons of micronaps and a really late bedtime. Here's the problem: She doesn't really go to bed early. 

The best case scenario is that I get myself ready for bed first, start her routine at 7:45 and HOLD HER until 7 am. Then I get up, and she sleeps until 8. That's what's represented by the first night on the graph.

The second night, she fell asleep late, took a 25-min nap, and then stayed up until 10:30.

Last night-- not graphed yet-- we put her to bed a little before 7. She slept until 8 and was up until 10. BAH.

Any ideas?

Start  her in the crib at 6:45-7 / enjoy the break and then hang with her? (last night-- totally fine but she was waaaay crabby and hated me on my laptop, so no catching up on work, but a pleasant time with beatrix and ben).

Start her in crib and devote the time after she wakes to sitting in dark getting her back to sleep" (will she go? will Ben and I ever hang again?) 

Hold her from 8-7? (love this to be honest, but Dorothy needs me to be a little present at bedtime or she turns into Rhoda Penmark. Minnie needs me to sit still and be quiet; only my arms are soporific.)

Another scenario?

I am not tired-- just want to maximize Minnie's sleep and my evenings.

Ugh, I am so slothy

 I have so many kids I need to make a spreadsheet to keep track of holiday shipments.  So, that's happening.  I know I say this every year, but dang. Hanukkah has a lot of nights.

Yesterday on Happier, Gretchen Rubin said that upholders (that's my tendency-- take the quiz to find yours out if you haven't already) can fail when they set low expectations for themselves, and I feel like that is me right now. I am a total slob everyday. I am eating like crap. I have abandoned yoga even though I am pretty sure it would make me feel good. I never read anymore because I am constantly lost in the social media scroll. G A H. Usually, what happens is I just naturally stop wanting to do those things and get back to a productive life because that's what feels good. BUT WHO KNOWS. The thing is, I am meeting the super low postpartum bar I have set for myself, so I sort of feel satisfied.

Make this recipe, sub eggs with applesauce, and add a streusel topping. YOU WON'T BE SORRY.

Morning snuggle. I do breakfast withe big kids because I am HUNGRY in the am, and Ben makes the ultimate sacrifice to sleep with Minnie, who charmingly does not wake up until 8.

Office hours!

She got her chin stuck in the ball.

For quite awhile.

Pre-dinner walk. This little pond is right down the street, and we just discovered it. Also the backs of these houses are fab!

I knew that she should not fall asleep right before bed time, and yet, I really wanted a shower, so:

Sup?

My hair is so long! I can't even. I wore it in a braid down my back today, and I could easily reach behind my waist and grab it. Yikes.

The kids are so bored they are wearing socks and sliding down the hall to see who can go the farthest without hitting the front door.

Dorothy comes for a walk with me and Minnie before dinner, and we all love it.

crib nap!

Pre-bed photo sesh