Last week + a mini movie.

So, Q has been a general disaster in the sleep department ever since the new year started. We've had a few normal nights, but we've had far more where he has woken up at odd hours, sometimes multiple times a night, & always early for the day. Sometimes he wants his blankie put over him again when he wakes up, other times a song, & always his Donkey. It's exhausting, especially when you throw in a baby & a traveling husband into the mix. 

Last night, West slept until 4:30am which had the potential to be lovely, of course. But Quinn! He woke up shortly after going to bed wanting to be tucked in again - & then again around midnight. At 2am, he was up for almost an hour, with nothing wrong in particular, just not wanting me to leave his room (I did, & he cried until around 3am when I finally went up & gave him Donkey again, who had been thrown on the floor).  West woke up shortly after I'd actually fallen asleep again, & Quinn was up for the day at 6:15 - after I'd gotten maybe an hour of sleep after feeding his little brother. All arguments about the sun still sleeping! & it just being too early to start the day - especially after a night of little sleep for either one of us - were in vain. We are losing this battle, & we are tired. I can't chalk it up to anything except for his little toddler brain working in overtime & learning all sorts of new tricks, or maybe perhaps it's because I've offended the universe somehow. I've consulted my library of sleep books & failed to find a solution. He's not hungry, cold, hot, or in pain. His bedtime isn't too late or too early. His naps are still mostly great. It's the biggest mystery right now, & a cruelly timed one at that. Someday, I keep telling myself that someday I will have two little boys sleeping at the same time, & I will no longer need to wear under-eye concealer that costs as much as a decent dinner out. 

(To be fair, they often nap at the same time in the afternoon. I, of course, cannot get myself to nap despite knowing that I should.)

Mike has been working nonstop, like all hours of the day nonstop. I've learned to hate anything associated with Asia, & not to expect him home often. He's been traveling a lot, & when he is here, he's often squirreled away in the office working until two, three or four in the morning. This current deal he's working on has been absolutely brutal & I'm counting down the days until the initial phase is over (& dreading the ones to come). I mean, hooray for having a job & a house & temporal blessings & blah blah blah, but right now I just sort of want a nap.  

But last week! The sunshine was out, & we got the happiest surprise. Mike's sister Cara sent us an email Friday morning asking when she could come visit. I called her a few minutes later & that night she was on a flight from DC to Houston. That night! We've had so few visitors outside of parents since we moved here, so it was such a happy thing. She spent the weekend with us & it really was so great. I'm sure Cara's tolerance for choo choo's & stacks was seriously tested, but Q had such a great time with her, I loved & appreciated her willingness to help, & we had a really lovely, mellow weekend. We made yummy food, ventured to the park a few times, & otherwise mostly stayed at home. It was nice.

Photos! And a little video snippet at the end showing off Q's latest trick at the park.

(Also! We're well aware that West has a giant head. Oh my goodness!)