May Update Part 1: Sleeping

I'm sorry I've been a terrible blogger. I have STACKS of pictures, but, hardly any computer space left, so uploading them is a probably these days until I clean out my hard drive...anyways, here's a little something that is long overdue. I'm going to publish in pieces so each entry doesn't get too long!

Sleeping:
The kids are continuing to do well sleeping in the same room (although tonight was a little rougher than it had previously been)...but all-in-all, we are satisfied with the transition.

They seem to like being together, and maybe it is my imagination, but it seems like they really are becoming closer as a result.

Michael seems to talk about Matthew more lately, and they seem to be interacting a lot more.

The Barber family band during rehearsal

Of course, some nights, Michael keeps Matthew up late, and Matthew wakes Michael up early, but in the end, and tonight, there was an echoing effect going on where Matthew would try to sleep, but Michael was making racket, and then Matthew was going on and and on and Michael was getting bothered because he wanted to sleep. I would go in and try to calm Matthew, but that was really only effective if Michael was at a place where he was ready to wind down and sleep. Finally, they were both so exhausted that after I re-settled Matthew, Michael collapsed on his bed and they both went to sleep.

Fortunately, as crazy as this can be, it produces the benefit of a) helping them sleep later and b) helping them both nap better, a happy change from Michael's previous no-nap streak! So, all around, it seems to be a win!

Slumber Party #2

Tonight went much better!

Michael was marching around and generally making a ruckus, but Matthew seems to be able to sleep through it! I walked in once thinking I heard Matthew crying, and it was Michael doing a Matthew impersonation, probably to garner sympathy. Imagine my surprise when I saw Matthew sleeping away in his bed and Michael laughing his head off that he got me to come in!

Michael is in the midst of this game called "throw my stuffed animals and pacifier out of the bed and try to get my parents to come in and give them back."

Well, I don't like that game and we decided that we would stop playing by simply NOT giving him his things back. Unfortunately, that just makes him go on and on louder and longer.

But in the end, he finally passes out sans ele-fountain and sans pacifier. I guess we are doing a little bit of two things at once: getting the kids used to sleeping in the same room and weaning Michael off that pacifier, though I guess the latter is more of his fault than anything because he would still have it if he didn't toss it over the side trying to bait us in!

Anyways, this morning, the kids were tired, and they both napped, but I'm sure it will take them awhile to adjust to the big change.

We are so excited to have them in the same room. It really is a landmark...this is how things are going to be from now until they leave for college (oh..sad to think about that). Having the kids share a room will further solidify their friendship and it really will create a bond between them without Mom and Dad facilitating it.

Plus, we like having our apartment back! We would move Matthew from our bedroom to the front room every night at 11, but couldn't really go to bed any earlier than that or later than that. Anyways, it's nice to have him tucked away with his brother!

Roommates

Tonight is the first night Michael and Matthew are sharing a room.

Let's just say it is 9:15 and they are still not sleeping. I think it will be a long process.

Matthew I think just wants to sleep, but Michael keeps marching around his bed yakking away doing anything but sleeping.

I don't know if it's because of a new situation, or if it's just because he is not tired, but fortunately, he is quieting down and keeping it to a dull roar.

I don't know if Matthew is able to sleep through it all, but whatever it is, he is being quiet. We'll see how tonight, tomorrow, and the next few nights go, but unless it becomes too unbearable, this is how things will be from here on out!

Offering prayers...

Please offer some prayers for the Campbells!

From my sister's blog:

Praying for a miracle

Things aren't looking too good for the newest baby Campbell. The dr did an ultrasound at my appointment today and the baby measured very small, and she couldn't find a heartbeat. I should be 9 weeks along, so we really should have seen a heartbeat, some movement, etc. She did note that there was a tiny chance that the machine wasn't getting a good reading, or the baby was in a funny position, so she scheduled me for a follow-up ultrasound ext Tuesday the 27th with an ultrasound technician and a better machine, so it's remotely possible that everything will look OK, but the doctor really didn't want to give me too much hope. Strangely enough, I still feel totally pregnant and have had no indications that anything is wrong (unlike my other miscarriages). I go back and forth between whether this gives me a little more hope, or whether it's torture to be still feeling sick from a pregnancy that is no longer viable. Darnit, I wish I could have a re-do of today!

Despite the normal confusion, sadness, and disappointment that I'm feeling right now, I'm actually doing pretty well emotionaly and spiritually. I feel at peace with whatever happens on Tuesday. I know Christ will give us the strength and grace to get through this -- He has before and He will again. I am going to be bold enough to pray for a miracle, but also for healing and strength for whatever is in store for us -- I would be so grateful if you join me in this prayer!

We are praying for you and love you and joining you in hoping for a miracle.

St. Gerard, patron saint of pregnant women...pray for us!

Been a While...

...but do these make up for it??







I thought so.

The Moo*

* Alternate Titles: "Mamoo" "Moose" "Moose-y" "Moo-Moo" "Mamoolicious" "Mam-i-li-moo"


I felt like dedicating a post to our little Matthew. I know I just did an update on him not too long ago, but, I'm going to splurge a little.

Matthew is reaching 5 months old soon. After that, it's only a matter of time (a month in fact) until he is six months. Six months is when a child's development sky-rockets. Eating solid foods, sitting up, starting to move, really being able to play with toys are all things that pave the way to toddlerhood. So, if he is much like his brother, this 5th month is, in many ways, the last vestiges of helpless little baby.

Matthew just inspires so much abundant affection in us! We love to kiss him over and over again, until he gets bothered...which takes a whole lot because he is too easy going to get bothered!

Our precious little boy!

The Heavy

In childhood disciplining, it normally works out that at any given time, one parent is generally "the heavy." You know, the one who is going to be strictest on the punishments, etc.

Well, it seems that in our household, the "heavy" turns out to be the vacuum cleaner.

Michael cannot stand the vacuum cleaner. He hates, hates, hates it. He can't even have it out of the closet without being wide-eyed and weary about it.

So we have turned this to our advantage to help encourage good mealtime behavior.

It started out one time when Michael just dumped his plate on the floor. He wasn't even having a temper tantrum, he just did it because, I don't know, he was bored or something. It was a bunch of eggs that I just couldn't imagine cleaning up by hand (cold eggs feel gross) and they were small enough pieces that it was out of the question. I needed to vacuum, and I couldn't wait until he went to bed, which is what I usually do, because, well, they were eggs--it was breakfast!

So I got out the vacuum cleaner and cleaned it up, and he was terrified. He clung on to my leg and just kept saying "bye-bye vacuum!" over and over again. And when I turned it off, he screamed out his pent-up terror.

Ever since then, if he looks like he is about to have a tantrum and toss his food, all we have to say is "If you do that, we'll have to clean it up with the vacuum!" and he snaps right back into shape and keeps his food on his tray...usually saying "bye vacuum" or "no vacuum. Ok."

Michael likes to rock violently back and forth in his booster chair and he is SO close to falling all the way forward. It drives me crazy. I don't think it would actually hurt him, but it still doesn't look all that safe. So the other day, we came up with the genius plan:

"If you rock in your chair, it will spill your plate and we'll have to clean it up with the vacuum!"

He kept rocking.

"Ok Daddy, I guess you should get the vacuum out of the closet and have it ready just in case, because it looks like Michael is going to spill his food."

Michael gets up and heads toward the broom closet and baby Michael sits up straight, panic-striken and says to Michael:

"Chair Daddy!!" violently pointing to his chair, indicating he wants his dad to sit back down.

"Back!! Back!!" he stammers on, on the verge of a sob. He hasn't been rocking in his chair since then.

I know it is sick and twisted of me, but I secretly get a kick out of his fear of the vacuum. It's so funny!

Anyways, it seems like all we have to do is convincingly threaten the vacuum and he'll get into shape. Of course, if he merits the vacuum, the threats aren't empty...he'll get the vacuum right under his feet...but with only one exception, the threat has been enough.

Sometimes, if I speak with him sternly, if it has nothing to do with the vacuum he'll ask "Vacuum?" and I'll say "No vacuum, we don't need the vacuum" and he'll say, relived, "bye vacuum."

Other times, he'll randomly ask about it throughout the day, like he's sort of got it on the mind all the time. He says "bye vacuum" un-provoked just to remind himself and get my reassurance that the vacuum indeed is nowhere in sight.


So now, I'm trying to think of ways to involve the vacuum into other disciplinary issues: "If you hit Matthew, I'm going to get the vacuum!" or "Anymore whining, and the vacuum will have to come out!"

I know, that is going a little too far. At least with the food, it's not just threatening the most terrible thing in existence just for the sake of scaring him...but it sure is tempting to have the vacuum be the official all-around Heavy and we will get the most well-behaved boy on the block!