Sunday, January 29, 2012

2Y70D Repurpose Formula Cans

I hate that my daughter takes formula, but it's something I'm slowly coming to terms with.

Instead of throwing the used cans away, I've been saving them for...something.

Today I figured out what that purpose is - A GARAGE!!!!


Empty Cans:

Hot Glue them together:

Wait until it's nice and cool...a couple of layers...and...

Instant garage!!

Different shapes, spray paint different colors... endless ideas.



Thursday, January 26, 2012

An Open letter to Doctors in Residency

You can't just go to school and be a Doctor, more specifically, an M.D..  Though I suppose you could play one on TV.  There is a long residency program, then time spent in specialty.  Part of the residencies usually include clinic hours - you know, the T.V. version in House? No-one wants to do them.

The patients at these clinics usually don't have a choice of places to go, otherwise they wouldn't be going there.  Here is an open letter to Doctors at a clinic such as described above.  If you know of any Doctors in training, please pass this along.



Dear Doctors,

You are so close to being done with school. For some of you a few more months, for others, a few more years before you set out on your own.

Before you got here, your patients were here.  When you leave, they remain.  The caring staff and nurses are the only stability the patients have when they go “to the doctor,” and they are wonderful.

If it were up to me, I would be going to a small practice, with doctors who know me and my children by name.  A place where we do not have to give a full medical history to each doctor we see.  A small group of who love what they do without the dreaded “clinic hours.”

Unfortunately, I can’t right now.  Thankfully, we have a place to go, a place that will see my children when they need to be seen, and doctors who can help when they are both sick and well.  I also know  it is state insurance that allows us this.  So do you.

I ask of you, please, remember that we are not just names on a sheet of paper.  We are families who rely on your generosity and your commitment our health.  Remember that the children who come here are scared, young, and trusting. Remember that they are also impressionable, and have longer memories that you think.  Remember that though we are poor, we respect ourselves and you, and expect you to reciprocate this respect.  Remember that the children you see are real, not just clinic cases.  They need smiles and high fives, they need pats on the back, and firm urges to eat well, brush their teeth, and wash their hands.  They need to trust you.  They need to learn to trust all doctors, for you are the first ones they will ever know.  You are creating the base that will indelibly mark their opinion of doctors for the rest of their lives.

Thank you for your time, and good Luck in your future pursuits.

Sincerely,

(The parent of two current patients)

2Y67D: How to toddler proof a chair

The chemicals are all locked away.

The bathroom is gated.

The entertainment unit is banded, and the pots and pans are harder to get into than new jar of pickles.

But the table top is still a flat surface, and the chairs still move...

...and that is a problem.

I say "Daniel, get down off the table, please!" So often, he says it when he's up there himself!

I put him in time out.

What else can I do?

Today, in the center of the table was a glass.  There was a glass on the table.  At the table we eat our meals and drink our beverages, there was a glass...



...and then there wasn't.

I must come up with a way to keep the chairs tucked under the table without flat out lashing them in.  Suggestions?

Also, I made instant mac n cheese (I know I know, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do) and this is how it came out of the microwave - pretty neat ey?


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2Y65D: Contest and Giveaway!!!! (Reader Appreciation)

I didn't realize how many people read this little place in the world - a few wonderful, interested folks, have subscribed, thanks!!

"What's That Mess?"
...a contest.

This is my 1st contest, with a small version (8.5 x 14) of my home made Alphabet Poster as a prize.

Here's what you have to do:
1 - Follow my blog
2 - Leave a comment with your answers
3 - 1st person to guess the most correctly by the end of the month (Midnight, Jan. 31st, 2012) WINS!!

You'll find 8 pictures below.  I have had to clean each of these up.  All you have to do is leave a comment numerically with your answers. e.g.
1. dog in a lake
2. monkey on a farm
3. chicken  on my car

Get it??

OK, here goes:

1.

2.(tough one)

3 .  
4.
5. (what is she eating?)
6. (easy)
 7.               8.



Good Luck!!

Monday, January 23, 2012

2Y63D: COFFEE!!



Doctors used to prescribe cigarettes to calm the nerves during pregnancy. 

Perhaps they were also the same doctors who prescribed Thalidomide.

Today's contentious drug is caffeine.   To have some, one, or none?

When I was pregnant with my eldest, caffeine was a no-no.  With my youngest, it was ok to have a cup or two a day.

I don't know what the current thinking is.

Regardless of what they think I gave up that ghost three years ago and haven't gone back.  Turns out, caffeine was a huge trigger for my migraines, who knew? 

It took a grueling two weeks of withdrawal, which included a solid headache, miserable  mornings,  and unfounded irritation at everything and everyone.

It was worth it.

...but today...

...today is different.

With a week of sleepless nights (one kid wakes up and then 20 minutes after he/she goes to bed the other one wakes up), early mornings,  and a desire to see my husband at night for a few hours outside of the bedroom, I just can't keep my eyes open today.

It's like I stayed up all night working on a project that was due at 8am, the begining of a four hour class and now, it's 9:30am, I've presented my project, and have to sit through the pedantic sprawl of the last few.

Except I've been up longer...

...and the stakes are higher.

So, with mug in hand, toothpicks holding my eyelids open, and the sugar scooped, LET THE COFFEE FLOW!!!!!

Sure, I cut it with a little decaf, but a little goes a long way.  I can already feel my pulse getting faster.

Don't know how long this will last, but it's better than it was a few minutes ago.


Saturday, January 21, 2012

2Y62D: Alphabet poster

For the last few months as I walk the kids around in the stroller, I've been taking pictures.

It took a while to compile them all, but I love what I did.

I think I'll make a poster like this wherever we live.  It'll be a nice reminder of where we've been, and a fun thing for the kids to look at.

I love photoshop.

Want one?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

2Y60D: I've Fallen and I can't Get up

I've said before that there are times when I have to laugh...

...to avoid crying.

You know that rule; "When things get rough, they'll usually get rougher?"  Well, this week takes the cake.

The kids have been wonderful, and horrible at the same time (it's possible, trust me)

On a positive note, yesterday, Amelia started saying "Da-Da-Da-Da-Da"  Sure, she said DaDa first, don't they all?"

But the day before yesterday was a bust (the day Daniel did so well with quiet time) Brian herniated a disc at work and spent the entire day in the ER.  They pumped him full of tons of pain killers before they could manage it - poor guy.

With back injuries, you can't do anything, lift anything, hold anything (including your kids) so...I became what I like to think of as close to a single mom as it gets - yay me.

I have a true respect for real single moms, I have no idea how they do it.

Yesterday, while going to change Amelia's diaper, Big D ran up behind me and clipped my leg.  You know, kicked my rear leg over so that when I went to took a step I tripped over my own leg.  I went straight down (A. in my arms) and landed on my elbow and knee ( curled under me so that A was padded - she was fine, just scared at the fall)  My falling tripped Daniel and he went sprawling out next to me face first - both of us onto the ceramic tiles.
.
Ouch.

Now, I'm stunned, assessing the damage, Amelia is crying, and Daniel is hysterical next me.  She's fine, he would be fine, too, and me? Not so good.  I call for Brian ( remember he is in bed and can't move) because  I think I've broken my arm.  Eventually he comes out, slowly kneels down and cuddles Daniel and carefully takes Amelia from me.

Making sure Brian is OK to watch Daniel (at least make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble) I take Amelia with me to the Urgent Care Center and get x-rayed.  YAY bruised bone only - lucky shot.

So now, what a pair we make:

He can barely walk, can't be in a car for any extended amount of time, can't pick up Big D, and can't drive.  I can't put any weight on my elbow, and my knees are bruised ( cant crawl on the floor with the kids)


Fun times.

AJ came all the way from Long Island to help take care of us.  We are loved.  We are indebted to her - guess we'll just have to keep her around.

 On a side note, while doing my vitals at the Urgent care, the nurse had to check my pulse three separate times - said it was low...very low.  Eventually is leveled out at 63 bpm but it was in the 40's and then 50's for a while.  She suggested I call the Dr...  hmmmmmm  do I have time for this?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

2Y57D: He wants what? On TV?

What do the following have in common:

Blue's Clue's Pad and Bulldozer, Mighty Machine's Digger, Electric Company's Hats, and Star Trek's Spaceship??

Well, if you ignore the fact that the TV is on too much in our home, you'll realize they are all items on the screen.

Intangible.

Unattainable.

But as of this week, it's all he wants to play with.  It amazes me.

Until we figured out what it was that he was crying for - yearning for almost, we thought he might be hurt or in pain somehow.  But OH No, he just wants to play with the items on the TV - in person.  Here.  THAT ball, on TV.  THOSE bubbles on Sesame Street. etc.

What do I do?

Logic/WHO/ et.al. would all tell me: "Turn off the damn TV!!" ...and I do, sometimes.  But he doesn't vegetate in front of the TV, doesn't drool, and doesn't sit and watch - it's just on, and as he plays he looks up here and there.

I'm not a bad mom because I let my kid watch TV. 


I'm not.

I can see how marketing is geared towards children.  It's a dirty, dirty business.

Monday, January 16, 2012

2Y56D: What does not kill us...

...makes us stronger.

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep the streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.  He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'here lived a great streetsweeper, who did his job well.'"
- Martin Luther King Jr.

And so, I should be a mom of such great fortitude.  I should be a mom with unending patience, unbound charisma, and unconditional love.

But I don't think I am.

The mere fact that the children are asleep before 8pm should in no way, give you the idea that I have done a good job today.

It started out just fine, you know, like every other day.  We even made fruit smoothies for breakfast!  Big D tried one sip and ..."all done!" he says.  Figures.

At 11:30 I get a call from my husband asking that I pick him up from school, he had hurt his back.  Normally, this man works through everything; pain, blood, weddings, holidays, you name it, he has missed at least one all for the love of theatre and the dedication to his craft.  So, ending a day early was  huge deal.

He could barely move, so we call the Dr. who, suggests he goes to the ER. ( That was 11:45am) It is now 8:30pm, they finally controlled his pain and they are on their way home...drugged up, muscle relaxers, and an rx for classes only if he can manage it.  No heavy lifting, and a mandate to call his back Doc tomorrow for follow up tests.

While he was in the ER I was back at home with the kids wishing I could be there for him.  I tried "quiet time" again today...

As toys crashed, I stood my ground, eventually he would fall asleep, right?

 Oh no...he just emptied his toy box outside the room. One by one.  One by one.
He did not fall asleep.
He did not nap at all today actually.

Also, he barely ate anything.  Connection?  I don't know.

Later on in the day, I smell a very strong spice...almost like Christmas baking, but not as nice...and certainly the wrong time of year...and from this apartment?

DDDDaaaannniieeelll????

"Hi!" he says, throwing down the bottle of CLOVES, and running into his room.


By 6:30 I was exhausted.  We took a little trip to our next door neighbors house to let Big D play with her dog for while - that was great until he just about took her place apart, as well.

At 7:15, bath time completed, diapers changed, dinner done, bottle fed, I decided to drive them both to sleep - I needed a break.

7:45 both kids asleep.

9pm - Husband home.

-------
Good friends are hard to come by, easier to loose.  The people you keep closest to you are precious.  More precious than gems, or gold.  Tell them. Appreciate them.  Be there for them, for you will need the same in return when you least expect it.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

2Y55D: Quiet Time - 2 points for mom, and 1st foods.

If you've followed along this year, you'll no doubt know that bedtime is the worst time of the day at our house.

Until today.

With a 5 month old at home, a husband in school full time, the impending winter, and the ridiculous price of gas, something had to be done.

We're doing what I like to call "quiet time."

Quiet time at our house goes like this, (and is subject to change as I see fit):

At 12:00, the house takes a nap...or rests.  If the TV is on, it turns off.  If the radio is on, it too turns off and stays off until 2pm or until he wakes up (whichever comes first.)

We all go into Daniel's room and put the baby gate up (really so he can't get out) and read a book.  I give him a cup of milk and say. "Quiet time," give him kisses, and walk out of the room.

It took a little while but he eventually fell asleep.  

It was so successful, we tried it again at bedtime.  IT WORKED!!!!!

2 Points for mom!


Also, we attempted to feed Amelia some solids for dinner.

I've never been good at this...ever, but she loved it!


Saturday, January 14, 2012

2Y54D: What was that? ...and something I made.


Look, rounding that corner...

Is it a bird?

Is it a plane?

It's Super Toddler!!

Able to cleave tall garbage cans to the ground in a single blow,

faster than a mom can reach him before he empties a basket full of clean folded laundry,

more powerful than a graco baby gate...


...and all of this in less than a minute.

Leaving in his tiny footed wake, adult mouths agape and speechless.

He pulled out and emptied half full garbage cans' contents all over the kitchen floor, followed by barreling over the baby gate separating the kitchen from our room. In the same motion he reached directly for the basket of folded laundry and dumped it all over the floor.  A true whirling dervish.

Perhaps it was his lack of nap, we will never know.

He was penned into the living room as cleanup began, but nothing but an empty room would have been toddler proof enough for this one...

------In other news:
I made a felt cover for my new cell phone, and made one for a friend.  I'm sure if I made another it would come out even better.




Also, if this little angel is anything like her brother, in two years I'm in big trouble:





Friday, January 13, 2012

2Y53D: "I Love You!"

"I love you"

A trio of sweetest proportions do these words make. 

We say it daily to the little ones in our lives who unfailingly shit on us, puke on us, keep us up all night, and, when we can't take anymore, smile at us with their entire pudgy face so genuinely it brightens every fiber of our being.

When they get older and start saying things like "more," "firetruck," "all done," and "NO!", we marvel at how smart they are before removing bit and pieces from their noses, ears, hair, and in the feet of their pajamas.

A few short months pass (that seem like an eternity), and those single words turn into phrases, and, if all goes as planned, they ask for things politely: "cookies, please" and "more chocolate milk, please." Perhaps they even say "thank you" once in a while without prompting.

And then, when you least expect it, instead of crying when you leave the room they say "bye-bye, see you soon!"

...and you cry a little on the inside.

One day, out of the blue, after he's said "bye-bye, see you soon" he finishes his thought..."I love you!"

Today, as my husband left for school, and waved to Big D through the window as he walked by, this is what he missed:

"Bye Bye, see you soon.  See you soon Daddy. I love you!  I love, too! I love you  garbage truck!"

...and proceeded to play with his garbage truck.

Progress.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

2Y52D: YUM! Kitty Treats.

Since he first started eating, my son has always had a texture/swallowing issue.  We've been working with an OT since he was 9 months old - still do.

Sadly, as much as I try to expand his palate, he has a very small list of foods he likes.

You know the winners:  chicken nuggets, sweet potatoes, fries, carrots, pb&j's, and pancakes.  Few exceptions.

Today, we add a new food.

Kitty Treats.

Why not? They're brown like everything else he eats.  Sort of crunchy, and a little chewy.

OK, so he only ate one, maybe two.

Baby steps.

Perhaps he'll eat fish for dinner??

Sunday, January 8, 2012

2Y50D: 10 parenting tips I can't emphasize enough (plus reader amendments)

10 parenting tips I believe every (new) parent needs to know:

1.  Take Pictures and Print them.
     - You'll take hundreds and hundreds of pictures.  Print them and make albums.  Make albums for yourself and make a few the kids can look at anytime they want to.  Snapfish, My Publisher, and others have great deals on photo books.  My son loves to look at them.  It also brings friends and family into everyday conversation especially if you live far away from them.

2. Mind your manners
     -Always say please, thank you, and excuse me. Knock on closed doors, and teach a "clean-up" song of your choosing. Once they are old enough to talk, it'll be hard to start the process.  If you mind your manners always, they will, too. (hopefully)

3.  Keep a New Born diaper/ or size 1 around for comparison.
     -Though neither of my kids wore newborn diapers (even in the hospital when they were born) we had some from a baby shower.  Keep one around for comparison.  It's amazing how fast they grow, and before you know it, they'll be in size 4's learning to potty train.  Currently I have both my kids in size 4 diapers ( yes, at 5 months...I know, crazy, right?) and I can't believe just a few short months ago she wasn't even here.  PLUS, the NB diapers are perfect for baby dolls when the kids are old enough to play with them (should they so choose)

4.  Keep one outfit from a time that makes you smile -
     - Do you have a memory box?  I do.  I toss a couple of things in it here and there.  The tags from when they first came home, some cards, a lock of hair, the feet I cut out of PJ's, and one outfit that makes me smile.  Before you know it you'll have bags and bags of clothes that don't fit.  Save one.

5.  Practice makes permanent -
    -Don't do anything you don't want to keep doing over and over again.  For example, getting my son to fall asleep is the worst thing in our house.  We've read all the books, tried all the methods, got yelled at by our friends for not being hard enough/strong enough parents, and you know how my son still have to fall asleep nearly every night?  We drive him.  It's ridiculous.  My daughter can be put down sleepy and fall asleep on her own in her crib (unless she is uncomfortable) and most of the time it works, she falls asleep.  I can't go back and do it differently, I wish I could.

6.  Make an emergency kit and keep it in the bag you carry with you everyday separate from your diaper bag-
    -There will be a time that you are so tired you forget the diaper bag and that will be the day your kid will have a huge poop blow-out in the car seat while you going to the grocery store.  I make an emergency kit in a gallon zip-lock baggie.  My kit contains 3 diapers, some wipes, a bib, a pacifier, a burp cloth, and an outfit for each of my kids.  I also keep a bottle of pediasure in my bag (just in case), tylenol, and gas drops.

Here is what mine looks like:

 (the cat is not included)


7. You'll need more bibs with water resistant liners than you think.
     -Once teething starts ( in my case, it started at 2 months) We go through 5-7 bibs a day, more on some days. If we had a washer/dryer that we didn't have to pay for, we'd have a wash going twice a day.

8.  Have books...lots and lots of kid books.
     -Instill a love of real books, not e-books, with your children.  Have a little library area where, as many times a day you have to clean them up, they can look at, read, play with them.  Also, if you have special books, don't leave those out unless taping the pages back together is something you'd be OK with.  Our son's favorite book is an airplane book.  There is packaging tape on just about every page inside as well as on the spine keeping this book together.  He loves it.

9.  It's within reach, even if you don't think it is.
    -Nothing seems to be high enough, out of reach enough, or behind an impenetrable baby gate.  Toddler proofing seems like something I strive to do everyday, yet never fully succeed at.  If we had less stuff, it might be easier.  Get child locks.  Make sure he can't get out before he really can open the door.

10.  When things get really rough - odds are they'll just get rougher.
     -I wish it were easier.  I wish it were as fun having babies as was making babies, but it isn't.  Times get tough, times get rough, times get down right pull your hair out, cry your eyes out, throw the towel in hard.  And then they get harder.  I've found the best way to get through those times is to write about it.  Sometimes it's so tough it's just funny.  Laugh out loud.  Shake your head, even throw that towel, but find humor in the rough times.  Whether you find yourself covered in puke, poop, AND milk all at the same time, and one of the kids decides to dump your bottle of tums all over the floor then tries to eat one, and your cleaning, calling poison control, changing, and putting the other kid in time out ALL at the same time  - stop (after your realize TUMS isn't poisonous) and laugh as you finish cleaning.  It'll make it easier, I promise.

The following are reader amendments:

11. As posted before in the last time I called poison control, memorize the number for poison control.
     -You never know what your kids are going to get into - we didn't.  So far we've had to call about:  butt cream, fish food, cat litter, windex, TUMS, and white acrylic paint.  All of those is small amounts require giving baby lots of water and flushing out their mouths - nothing too serious.  One time, my son got into the fish food and aquaphor at the same time: he made a lovely colorful paste that stained the couches, walls, his outfit and was a lovely schmear all over his face.

12.  Choose to find the joy in your children
     -No need to explain this one, but remember it (refer to #10 above)

13.  Choose to find joy in your marriage.
     -So true.  Remember you married the person of your dreams, not just the parent of your children.  If you're not married/in a relationship, refer to #12.

14.  Play a game that only you and your child shares - eg "tickle fight"
     -There are few things as joyous as the sound of a child's' laughter.  My husband has games he plays with the kids, and I have "kiss attacks,"  My son doesn't like if I do "tickle fights" with him just like he doesn't like when my husband does "kiss attacks"  Find your niche.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

2Y49D: Move Over Bill Cosby!


Move over Bill Cosby,  there's a new dessert in town!!

Remember the days of Jello Pudding pops?  OK, some of you remember the delicious hunks of chocolate pudding frozen on a stick...

If you don',t here's a commercial that might trigger  some memories:
Here's the pudding pop commercial
Commercial for jello pudding

In my attempt to rescue my body from the damage of 2 kids in 2 years plus a few cookies, cakes, and other misc. sweet treats, I've discovered a new sweet treat.

It's a chocolate pudding (you know, they're usually on sale 10 for $10 (for a pack of 4) or 3 for $4) frozen with some delicious berries.

I like to eat the frozen pudding right out of the cup, too, berries aren't the easiest to keep fresh on hand.
Try it with vanilla, too.

Cheap, fat-free, and deeelicious!

Also, I love my kids:



Friday, January 6, 2012

2Y48D: Cat Litter - Poison control

If you have a child, you need to know what the number for Poison Control is.

Memorized.

Today's venture began at 5:30am, when Big D. opened the baby gate.  Yes, I know, we need a new one.

From the bathroom comes:  SPLISH SPLASH SWIRRRRRL SPLASH

He is stirring the toilet with the cat litter scoop.

There is a little cat litter on the seat, inside the bowl, on the floor...

...and clay wet paste on his face.

He ate the litter off the scoop.

GROSS!!!!!

Poison Control said as long as he didn't eat too much ( which he didn't), and we have indoor cats ( which we do) he should be fine.  Give him fluids and watch for signs of dehydration. ( We do have clumping litter after all)

Aside from the fact that it's nearly 9am and he is wired from being up so early, along with being up for a few hours in the middle of the night, it's going to be a very long day.

Good Morning!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

2Y47D: Great Puff Tornado of 2012

When it's quiet...something is happening that shouldn't be.

When it's quiet...be afraid.

And then the welcome sound of a bucket of blocks crashes loudly through the house...

...and another...

...and another.

The footsteps are quiet in the kitchen, then fast and excited back to his room.

And more quiet.

SURPRISE, MOM!

You know how much I love puffs, right?

Sorry I trashed my room, mom he seems to say.

No problem, I say, let's just clean this us shall we?

...and I did.

Not soon after he found the other bottle of puffs:

...surprise, surprise.





Ok, not really a surprise.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

2Y45D: Ribs and Docs

There are few things more tiring than a family trip to the Doctors office.

Since Big D's Epic encounter with the dried pasta (see  Elbow Macaroni ) he's hated all Doctors.  Anyone with a stethoscope makes him cling to mommy like that alien did to peoples faces, but not to my face.

And he's not an alien.

I don't think so , anyway.

Getting the poor kid to just stand on the scale is a huge production.

And why do all the nurses laugh and smile when a diaper clad 2 year old goes running down the hallway saying "running, running, running."

A couple of level headed Docs finally headed him off (seeing the chase)

Poor Amelia, who can't run away, was a good sport.  Although something is wrong with her that might be formula related, they say "it's not abnormal" so I guess she's fine?  Now I just wait another week to see if I was right or they were right.  Hmph.  Sometimes I think I'm not a good mom switching her to formula - but...

I NEED MY BOOBS BACK!!!!!!

*sigh, sorry...but it's true. Selfish maybe, but true.

Did I mention that formula stinks?

Big D never drank a drop of it - he nursed to a wise old age of 18 months ( and that was too long for me, honestly) and Miss A is already almost fully on the nasty stuff.  I'm thinking of giving her a week on a soy formula to see if she starts to feel better... we'll see.

Speaking of dinner - I made ribs tonight.

No, I started the ribs at 8:00 this morning and they slow cooked for  10 hours. Deeelicious! (- pretty awful if you don't eat meat.)

I used:
5lbs Ribs rubbed with salt and pepper
2 sweet onions cut up and put at the bottom of an unheated crockpot
A bottle ( or lots of a large bottle) of your favorite BBQ sauce ( I love Sonny's Sweet BBQ)
Set for 10 hours on low.

That's it!

Enjoy!  ( if you eat meat, that is)

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2Y44D- You're still up? Happy F-n New Year.

It's New Year's Eve.

Bedtime comes and goes for both children.

Amelia, who is normally asleep by 8 is still awake at 10:30.  So is Daniel.

At 10:30, Desperation hits and I take them for a drive.  It took a half an hour.

Beginning an hour before the New Year, I sit on the couch, stay up and watch some "truck free" TV, bring in the new year,   then head to bed.
            
At 3am Big D wakes up and wants some milk.  No problem.

At 3:30 he says "I'm hungry."  Now, my son hardly ever says he's hungry, so I figure he really must be. 

I get up to feed him.  What does he ask for?  Pasta.

Oh no.  I refuse to make pasta at 330, but he's ok with chicken nuggets.

As I write this, it is 5:30am.  A fine time to wake up.  Oh wait - HE'S STILL AWAKE!!

Happy New Year.

UPDATE:

He finally fell asleep at 6am.

At 8am, sleep deprived and all, they both wake up.

When daddy comes home, he gets to watch the kids while I sleep.

Hope he sleeps in the car on the way home.