I have 4 kids. It's amazing how similar they are, starting with newborn looks. They have all been pacifier babies. They all have a stare that they use on strangers (I call it the Collett Stare, not to be confused with the Care Bear Stare). They all love their Daddy.
Of course, they are also very different. Daniel will beat you up for fun without even thinking about it first. Nathan can hold a pout for 20 minutes, while walking with the family around the block. (By the time his lip retracts and his arms are unfolded, no one can remember why he was mad!) Leah uses her charm to work herself out of trouble, "I'm just a little girl!" Rebekah is still a big ball of baby fat and we just try to keep her out of too much danger.
One thing that has been constant so far is that they all wake up crying. Not just whimpering, but loud, irrational crying that borders on screaming. It doesn't matter if it's at home, or in the car, they just don't wake up quietly. I'm not talking about Rebekah yet. I expect babies to wake up and cry, but not kids who can walk and talk! It drives Chad and me CRAZY! We get so frustrated, especially when we're hoping to silence the noise before it wakes up the (current) baby. The more you work to get them to be quiet, the louder they become. Luckily, it doesn't last forever - Daniel and Nathan have outgrown it. Leah is at her prime. And today was a special day becuase I was extra tired and hoping to get a nap. Leah woke up midway through her nap and started raising the roof. I called to her to be quiet so Rebekah wouldn't wake up. No go. Soon, Leah was back to sleep and Rebekah was screaming! Argh! Rebekah is still gasping for breath from crying so hard (I let her cry for a bit, hoping she'd settle back down).
Well, that's over. Not the best nap on record; maybe 5 minutes for me. Leah might fall asleep in the car later today. The boys most likely will since they don't take naps. Rebekah has a good chance, since she's now under her sleep quota. I won't be asleep until after 11 tonight. I just wasn't meant to be.
But why in the world do they do that? I just assume Rebekah will - it seems to be a given for us. I read somewhere that kids who don't feel secure at home will wake more often during the night. My kids do that, too. Maybe I've messed them up so much that we all need therapy! Daniel is approaching the age for night terrors. I'm crossing my fingers against that one! Actually, it's Nathan who's the vivid dreamer. He gets that from me...poor kid. I guess it's a waiting game on that.
On a happier note, Rebekah's teeth seem to be giving her a break the past two days. She is much more willing to play and hasn't been nearly so beastly. Those little devils are just a layer of gums away from coming out! They'll increase her "cuteness" so much when she's got them. :)
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