Ten to Five

Miriam and I are in Jackson. We were missing Steph and crew and this was about the only week this month we could come for a visit. Stephanie and Jimbo have set up a cool summer pad. Their patio looks great: a NICE inflatable kid pool, potted flowers everywhere, a super-cool playset, and little tables set up all over. They have enclosed their garage, added an A/C, so the kids can ride their bikes and stuff indoors, outside of the heat. It's really nice here.

Miriam is TOO funny with her cousins. Cooper makes her giggle like he's the captain of the football team or something...she practically bats her eyelashes she loves him so much. Just because we live in Alabama doesn't mean she needs to love her boy cousin that much. Her and Mia are hysterical together. They chase each other and jibber-jabber constanly. It's like they have their own little language. Mia yells, "Mee-Yam" and Miriam yells back, "Mee-Yah". It's getting pretty loud.

Miriam went right to sleep last night. So tired from all her cousin fun. I slept in the same room with her and when she woke up crying at 4:50 A.M. I knew something was up. Now, Miriam is historically an early riser...it's EXCITING if she sleeps past 6:30...but, Paul and I are OK with it because she goes to bed at seven every night.

Back to TEN TO FIVE this morning. I held her, comforted her and made sure she knew where she was. Then I let her in the bed with me. Why I thought that would work, I don't know. Miriam has NEVER slept in the bed with us. In her 19 months, I can only remember 2 naps she has taken in the bed with me. It was just really early and I was still really sleepy. She gets in the bed with me, yelling for "Mee-Yaa" and enjoying the huge body pillow that is in Cooper's bed, "Oh WOW!!!" She was climbing up all the pillows I had stacked on the other side of the bed saying, "Oh Dear! Oh Dear!" It was pretty funny, but I was pretty tired. So, in the dark, I sat her up and could barely see her super dark brown eyes. I told her, "Miriam, it is ten to five in the morning. You have to get back in the bed with Lovey for one more hour. No discussions. One Hour." She said, "OK, Mommy" really big girl like. So, she and Lovey got into the Pack and Play and I didn't hear from her again until TEN TO SEVEN -- two hours!!!! Well, I did have the big body pillow on my ears for a good portion of that time. I might have heard something if I hadn't blocked it out.

We are having a great time at Steph's!!!