Siblings

1-18-07
Before I get to the real point of my entry today I would like to vent about the sleeping habits, or lack there of for my almost four month old. Ever since he was brand new he would sleep 3-4 hours at a stretch during the night and sometimes if we were really lucky five. As annoying as getting up to anything less then eight is to someone like me it was dooable. Now all of a sudden he's decided he can only go two hours without waking up. Now before you start giving me your expert advice let me just say, I let him cry during the day and make sure he has time on the floor to stretch his limbs. He stays awake most of the evening and also gets a bath before bed. During the day he'll go 2.5-3 hours between feedings and sometimes his afternoon nap will even be 3-4 hours long. He goes down at night easy as pie... for two hours when he decides he's starving but will only eat four ounces leaving him starving again in a couple of hours. I'm not sure if he doesn't like the formula or he's just being extremely difficult, but I don't know how much more I can take. He's suppose to be sleeping longer not less, and babies on formula supposedly can go longer!!

Now the real point of my entry today is about siblings. Today is my youngest sister's birthday, she's twenty which my husband likes to point out means that when she's my age I'll be thirty. I pointed out that I could make his life miserable and beat the crap out of him. Brian and I can't imagine having another child what with all the crying and eating it seems near impossible, and right now Brian's saying he really just wants one kid. I think that means he's in the midst of baby and can't imagine more then one but I'm in no hurry to have another one right now any way so we'll just see.

It's easy to imagine my life with one child, I love him so much. I can see how it would be easier to devote my self to his growth and development. It's kind of fun to think of my family like the three muskateers, a little triangle full of love and fun, but then I think about my sister (and those boxes of girl clothes I have in the basement) and I wonder if that's what I want for him. My sisters are great and I'm not just saying that because it's Heather's birthday I really mean it. We had our fights when we were growing up (although not as much as some) but now that we're older they're my friends. We have a lot of fun together and if we could just live close together it would be awesome. Siblings teach you so many things about life starting with sharing and on down to devotion and protection and love.

I loved being the oldest getting to watch my sisters grow and become mature adults was so cool. Walking Heather to school when she was little with her little mittened hand in my pocket will always be one of my best memories. Remembering staying up late with Courtney talking about boys and laughing until Dad came in all eyebrows will always make me smile. Christmas wouldn't have been as great as it was if I didn't have two people to stay up with late so excited we couldn't sleep, and just as excited about my presents as I was.

When we moved to Coldwater we weren't living in our house yet (it was being remodeled) but we put a tree up anyway and the three of us slept on the floor in Courtney's future room, with the big ugly yellow flowers on the wall and that wierd empty house smell. It was great! Now that would not have been totally awesome if they weren't there.

I think siblings are important, I know mine are. They're not only great sisters there great Aunts. If I had been an only child my life would have been a lot more dull but what about Hunter he would be missing out on so much; noisy and messy toys (the kind no parent in their right mind would buy for their own child) sleep overs with his cousins, movies and late night snacks before they have children of their own and know better, and mostly love.

I thank God for my siblings, when I look back on our lives together my heart just swells. I want that for Hunter I just hope he's as blessed as I am.

P.S. Just because I think siblings are a good idea in no way means I'm pregnant or am planning on getting pregnant any time soon, so don't get your hopes up mom and Grammy. My body and my sanity needs rest.

P.S.S. Happy Birthday Heather, I wish I could be there with you to celebrate you bring so much joy to our lives!!!!