Seeing improvement

So I have been reading the parenting book at night and it has some really great ideas and helps me to understand why Sarah acts certain ways and how to deal with it, and coping strategies for me to handle things myself.
Today I was reflecting that the last few days have seem to be getting better. In the book they talk about sleep and to protect it. Well, Sarah was lucky to get maybe 10 hours of sleep a day and she needs at least 12-13 hours. Well, she has started to sleep in the spare bedroom, which is really good for her. She thinks that it is a privilege and there isn't any toys to play with or brother to talk to and play with and usually she would do all that and then keep herself wake by singing or talking to herself. With being by herself she just has to lay there and talk to herself and the last few days she has gotten about 12ish hours of sleep a night (maybe a little less). But it has made a big difference in her mood. Also they talk about just having time alone and this week she will lay in the spare bedroom and lay quietly and then play in Jonathan and her room for another hour. It has also helped Sarah to calm down and relax and not have stimuli for a bit. I have also been concentrating on talking to Sarah about her feelings and emotions when she is very intense, which helps me and hopefully helps her to understand maybe what she is feeling- also getting down on her level. Sarah takes her time getting ready and there really isn't hurry her up. So this morning we had an early appointment to get somewhere at 9:30 and had to leave about 9:15- I let her know we where needed to get ready to go and that she needed to finishes her breakfast. In the past I would have just said you took to long (since this was your second bowl) and scooted her along. But I got everyone in the car and everything I needed and then she was finally finished and she seemed happier that she was ready now.

I feel that as I take a special effort with my Sarah that she is able be happier and express herself better- and I can understand her better. Like yesterday she needed to wear a wrist band at the museum we were at and right when she put it on, she wanted it off. She is very sensitive to to tight things on her body, I talked to her about it and why she needed it and why she might have not liked wearing it. Well, by the end of the time there she was very persistent and she was able to get it off. In the past I would have been frustrated, but now understanding her personality- I was able to just laugh and have understanding. I am thankful for learning to try to be a better parent, which is a continual process

Fall Break and Life

This was two Sunday ago, but I never posted about it. This was Family Home evening, Dave prepared the lesson and the kids thought it was great! We have been learning about Lehi and Nephi in the scriptures, so Dave had a great idea to act it out. Dave and i were the camels and we led Lehi (Jonathan) and Sariah (Sarah) through the wilderness and ended up in at there tent. Dave did a great job. It was prior to church and so Jonathan wanted to wear this signs that said Lehi and Nephi to church, I thought it was rather cute!
Dave went and did a few errands with Sarah. I stayed home with Jonathan. Jonathan entertained himself with trains. I thought he was was cute playing!

Dave posted below what happened, but here are a few pictures of cute Sarah!

This past week was Fall Break for Dave, which was a very much needed break for him. But, with him being home I worked a LOT. I mean I worked four days in a row! It was so HARD I had a few meltdowns. The night before the last shift Dave gave me a blessing, which helped immensely! With me being at work Dave was at home with the kids, he did great trying to keep the house clean and make dinner. On Saturday night he even had the kids bathed and ready for bed when I got home (maybe that was a sign that he was DONE). On Friday night we canned chicken and they had to be processed and it was a rather long process. But Dave did all three batches for me! He was great this weekend for me, thanks sweety! But, on Sunday night we both said we ready to get back to normal life- Dave going to work and me being home!

On Sunday, after church I was talking to Jonathan on the phone and he was talking to me about his day, and I asked him about what he learned in nursery. He told me he learned about Joseph Smith, temples and church. I thought okay but didn't really think that he learned about Joseph Smith- but he has a thing about him right know and refers to him often. Well, at dinner that night we were talking about how church went and Jonathan blurted out Joseph Smith he was in the forest and then Dave showed me what he made in nursery. I thought it was great he was actually learning and listening!

I am really liking the stage that Jonathan is at right now! He is really starting to understand consequences. So today we went over to Papa's and I gave Jonathan the choice between sleepers or shoes. He couldn't find his shoes so he choose slippers. Which is a choice probably not the best in my mind- but it didn't matter that is what he choose. I did remind him that he couldn't play outside if Benny or Abby were out there. He said okay and we were off. So we got to Papa's and I started to practice and Jonathan asked Papa to put a show on. Well, later I see Sarah with one of Jonathan's socks. Well, he thought that if he just took of his slippers and socks then it would be fine. So I sent him to time out. And then when I went to get him out I talked to him about why he was in there, and he knew. Then I asked him bout what he could do differently to play outside and he answered shoes. He understood. It was a wonderful feeling, as a mother, that he understood the consequences of his choice. Yes it is small, but that is where it STARTS!!

Our Sarah is doing better at not screaming back when she is told no, or something is taken away that she is not suppose to have. She still has a long ways, and goes to time out here and there but I can till she is connecting why she is going to time out in her little head. However she doesn't still understand that the sooner she stops crying and calms herself down she can get out. But I believe she will get it!

I am so thankful that I was about to go to "Love and Logic" Parenting class twice and I have read the book once. But it is on my Christmas list cause i want to read it again to help me be a better parent and pick up more technique and ideas to help Jonathan and Sarah.

This is more just for me, I think it is cute of Sarah. She was dancing to this slower music while Daddy was singing to it and getting dinner ready. So I picked Sarah up and started dancing with here. I then put her down and then she would sign more. It was cute so Dave taped it. On a side note, Sarah picked up candy as a sign- the important things of life you know!