Monster Mama

Tonight while wrestling (literally) Hannah to bed she screamed at me, "You are a Monster Momma, Go downstairs!"

I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing.

You see, it all started when Hannah moved from a crib to a big girl bed several months ago.  Pre-Big Girl Bed bedtime was a beautiful thing.  Hannah would curl up with her ba-beak and paci and would float off into dream land peacefully.  When she gained freedom we ran into problems. Suddenly she was out of her bed, tearing up her room, dragging everything out of her closet, and drawers and climbing furniture so she could "see what up there."  Lately things have gotten worse.  She now leaves her room and wanders through the upstairs.  Here are just some of the things we've found her doing:

1. Wiping her bear's bottom with an entire roll of toilet paper in the bathroom because "he went poop."
2. Sitting on top of Blaine's bed (with him sleeping in it) stacking books from his shelf all around his body.
3.  "Reading" after taking hundreds (or something like that) books off her own shelf.
4.  Slapping Blaine in the face, while he was just falling asleep.  I can assure you this did not end well for her.

Nearly every night we battle her for a good 30 minutes but most of the time it lasts an hour plus.  We put her in time out, take toys away, and put her back in her bed so many times every night I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

For the last two nights I have had a new strategy. After prayers and kisses and all that sweet stuff I leave her room once and stand outside the door.  The first time she gets out of her bed I put her back in and stand, arms crossed, next to her bed and every time she sits up or attempts to hit or kick me I gently lay her back down on her pillow.  Not only am I standing guard but I don't answer any questions she asks nor do I speak to her.  She doesn't like this... not one bit.  Here are my favorite sayings from the last few nights:

1. HG gets into downward dog position and before I can lay here down she says, "You like this Monster Mama?  Yes or No?  You like this?"
2.  Rolling around her bed, "You like this way?  Yes or No?  Answer me!"
3.  Go downstairs Monster Mama!  GOOO!
4.  Muttering to herself, "Mama is so mean to me.  Daddy holds me down.  Brother hits me.  I get out of my bed."
5.   My feet are cold.  I don't want a blanket.  My feet are cold.  I don't want a blanket.
6.  I hungry.  I need some vanilla yogurt.  No... cereal.  No... a banana.  My feet are cold.

All in all we've had more sucess with this than with anthing else we've tried.  Last night I only had to stand in there for 20 minutes and tonight it was about 25.  Not bad considering most nights we're up there for an hour or longer.  Monster Mama is on a mission... wish us luck :)

And then there is Mister.  Three years ago next week we put Blaine on a Gluten Free diet hoping to get some relief from his sleepless nights and unexplainable aggression.  After just a week on a GF diet Blaine was sleeping through the night and has since that day.  Though he still had his struggles we also noted fewer emotional outbursts and lengthly tantrums.  We've talked several times about introducing gluten back into his diet for a test-run and finally did it this last weekend.

Let's just say that today was Mister's last day on gluten... again.  Gluten free is the way to be for our Mister.

David noticed that his behavior was significantly different (worse) just a short time after consuming gluten but I was in denial mainly because I would love for him to be able to eat like everyone else.  I was looking for changes in his sleep and since we didn't have any problems the first night I was hoping and praying that we were in the clear and then last night I got my answer.  I don't know what time it was but I heard the screams - the same screams we heard so many nights when he was on gluten before.  He screamed our names and I ran to his bedroom.  He was sitting up in his bed, terrified of something but he didn't know what.  He cried and screamed and when I told him I would lay with him he calmed down but then after an hour he was not able to fall asleep so I brought him to our bed.  I thought for sure he would fall fast alseep but he didn't.  He tossed and turned and sat up and just couldn't fall asleep and then after not sleeping in at all, he was a disaster.  Exhausted and full of gluten he was an emotional mess this morning.

He enjoyed eating gluten.  He even said "Gluten is not treating me too bad," so it was hard explaining to him that it would be short lived.  He doesn't see his sleep problems and behavior like we do so he doesn't quite get why he can't eat gluten.  He always thought it was going to make his stomach sick and now he knows it doesn't... so please pray that this next transition goes well and he goes back to GF with no problems.

We have one more family day together before David goes back to work and we all get back to the grind.  And as I write this, it's almost 2013!  I can't stay up that long though so g'night :)

Blaine and his Jumpin' Jordy's card.  (The only
bounce house in our area.)

The next few pictures were taken at the Discovery
Museum in Ft. Collins, CO.

HG and her new baby "Siri"

Happy New Years!