16th December 2015

Adequate

So yesterday the valuator came to the house 'sometime between 10 and noon.'  Monday I worked like a dog cleaning up the (frankly embarrassing) diningroom which has been our cats' room since before Titus was born.  I was shattered (and it was another rough night getting up with the kids) and I overslept.  Sooooo... I woke up up Tuesday morning (late) and thought - oh no, the rest of the house needs to be clean before 10am!!

There's nothing like a deadline to motivate.  I felt like a ninja.  'OK, it will take me 15 minutes to tidy both bedrooms and 15 minutes to vacuum.....yes.  10 minutes for cleaning the bathroom - GO!.....9:40am - do I do the dishes, clean the porch stairs, organize the bathroom shelves, put away laundry or, wait a minute - change out of my pajamas?  Get dressed, then the stairs, *then* makeup (if theres time.)  We were ready by 10am (despite Felicity 'helping' and wetting her trousers at 9:55am.....) and no one came.....so I started on the 'clean-this-if-I-have-time' list  -- for almost 2 hours!  The guy finally came at 11:50am, by which time I was exhausted!

But the house is really really clean.  And I've been a bit OCD about putting things away and making everyone else put things away......I wonder how long I can *keep* it like this?  lol

The sleep training is going well, I think.  Titus has done 4 and 5 hour stretches at night the last 2/3 nights.  If only Felicity also stays asleep, we're on the right track.  Last night I gave up at 8:30 and went to bed as soon as Titus was settled.  So I got a good couple of hours before midnight (when he woke up to eat) and then a great stretch until almost 5am!  I want to record that here as hopefully the first of many nights of at least 4.5 hours of sleep!  

Felicity's nativity went really well on Sunday.  It was a busy day as I was playing violin with the music group, Simon was organizing the sound desk and technical set-up, and we also had a music rehearsal at the house before church.  I had wanted to make sure Felicity had a little rest before church, but it didn't happen.  She and Titus are troopers though and did so well, all things considered.  No, much to my chagrin, she didn't sing Silen Night with the other kids -- she actually turned her back to the congregation and *watched* the other kids sing..... but she looked real cute in her pony costume.  And Monday morning I heard her singing Silent Night to Titus in his crib and she said, 'Mommy, I'm singing Silent Night to Titus because I didn't sing it at church with the other kids.  Is that OKay, Mommy?  Do you like it, baby Titus?'  She's been wearing the cute black and white checked dress (the long sleeved one, mom, with the little embroidered flowers) with her black cotton tights and little black sequin-y shoes.  I haven't caught a picture yet, but I will.

I *almost* got the kiddos down for a nap at the same time today.  They were both quiet in their beds for about 3 minutes..... baby steps.....

Now that the house evaluation is done, there's paperwork and phone calls to catch up on.  :-)  Wish me luck!