My Loves

I Love to Read and A Cry for Help

Ok, so I couldn't decide which picture I wanted to post for this week. So, you are getting all of them. Eleanor enjoys turning the pages of her books and tries to grab them while mommy and daddy are reading to her. She also likes to try and eat them. Hence, the mouth open in the first and last photos.

On another note...calling all moms...I need some advice. I am not one to normally seek out parenting advice on my blog, but we are in need of some help in the sleep area. Eleanor was a great sleeper from birth until just about a month ago. Before we moved to IL she was sleeping through the night and taking two great naps a day and a short cat nap in the evening. Since we moved, our precious angel is no longer sleeping through the night and is having trouble taking a good nap. She is having frequent episodes of night waking which are troubling to this mommy. Daniel and I have tried the "cry it out" method, but E gets so cranked up that she is then incapable of going back to sleep. Our other option is to get up every time she cries out and put her paci back in her mouth. This is what we have resorted to, but results in very cranky parents after an hour of trips back and forth to E's room.

Naptime is another area of concern. The 45 minute intruder shows up every day during at least one nap. Again we have tried the cry it out method to no avail. We also go to E, put her paci in, soothe her etc., but sometimes this does not work. When it does not work E will cry and cry. We can tell she is tired but cannot get her to go back to sleep.

Another issue we have encountered is that E is getting too big to be swaddled. Before you jump out of your skin, yes we still swaddle her. She has been swaddled before bedtime and naptime since birth because she is a mover and a shaker and if she is not swaddled she will not fall asleep. We have had to graduate from the single swaddle to the double swaddle, but now even the double swaddle can be outdone by our little Houdini. Last night we swaddled E before bed and put her down. A few hours later when we were ready for bed we checked in on her and she was out of her swaddle (this occurs almost every night at some point). Last night we decided to not reswaddle her and see how she did. She slept fine until 4:30am (this is about the time the night waking begins). When I went in to check on her I found that she had completely flipped. Her head was now in the place where her feet had once been and she was diagonal.

So, HELP! I know this is a long post but this mommy and her dear husband need a good night's sleep. Do you have any suggestions?

My Own Room

Yesterday I turned 23 weeks old! In honor of this special day, Mommy and Daddy gave me a special gift... my own room! I am so excited. Here is a picture of me in my crib in my very own room. Now I can have sleepovers. Party in my crib!

60 Magnificent Miles

In October of 2007, I took part in the Dallas Breast Cancer 3-Day. I raised approximately $2500 and walked 60 miles over 3 days in support of finding a cure. I chose to walk in 2007 in honor of my mom who was celebrating her 10th anniversary of being cancer free.

This year in August I will walk another 60 "Magnificent" Miles. This time in the Windy City and this time in honor and support of another courageous woman whose family has had to face this ugly disease. I am walking for Arthanise. You can read more about her story here. I became acquainted with Arthanise just before the 2007 3-Day and proudly wore her name on a shirt I had made along with the names of others who were fighting or who had fought the battle with breast cancer. This year, Arthanise is not just one of the names on my shirt, she is the reason I am walking.

I am walking so that a cure may be found. So that my sweet little one may never have to know the terrible toll breast cancer can have on a family.

My goal is to raise $2500 for this year's event. If you would like to help me achieve that goal please visit the link below.

If you would prefer to mail a donation, follow the link above and click on the print a donation form link. The donation form contains all the information you will need.

Thank you in advance for your support in the fight against breast cancer!

First Big Snow

We have had lots and lots of snow the past two days. Eleanor is not sure what to think!

Shoppin' at the Pig

One of the first surprises of our visit to Grayslake back in November was the the local Piggly Wiggly grocery store. Dallas doesn't have these and I had thought they were only in the south. The other day Gloria was standing in line at the local Jewel Osco, the other local grocery store. Somehow she got into a conversation about the Piggly Wiggly. The other woman said that she normally shops at "The Pig." Piggly Wiggly is already a funny name on it's own, but why would anyone want to call the place they get their food "the Pig." The animated gif of "Mr. Pig" above is from www.pigglywiggly.com. The irony is a bit mesmerizing.

Eleanor's New Office

Even with all the hubbub here in Illinois, we managed to get Eleanor's new office setup. I think she likes it. Eleanor and her Dad can work together.

No Longer A Teenager

Eleanor turned 20 weeks old the day we arrived in IL. We intended to take her photo amidst the boxes all over the house, but it never happened. We finally decided to take her picture in front of the house.

Houston, We Have Contact

Happy New Year Everyone!

D, E and I arrived safely to the Chicago area on Tuesday morning and are slowly but surely getting settled in. There are still boxes upon boxes to be unpacked, but our home is finally beginning to look like a home.

Here are a few photos from Christmas Eve. Christmas Day and new home pics to follow soon.

Thank you NaNa and PaPa for my beautiful Christmas Dress

Cooley Family
Our First Christmas As A Family of 3

Letter to Santa

But I Don't Want To Go To Bed!
(This picture is also proof that our child can and does cry. Not very often but on rare occasions it does occur)