2009 List of Christmas Shows

Get ready to set your DVRs! Below is a list of all of the Christmas shows that will be playing through December 25th with channels and air times. (check your local listings to verify the times...I think these might be Central Time) Sorry, international readers...I wish I could hook you up with something like this in your corner of the globe! Maybe try looking up something similar for your area?

Nov 24
· A Christmas Memory – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· The Christmas Gift – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· The Note – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Taking a Chance on Love – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· All I Want for Christmas – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Visitor – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Nov 25
· A Christmas Visitor- Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· A Season for Miracles – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Sons of Mistletoe – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· The Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· The Christmas List – ABC Family, 9:00 p.m.
· Silver Bells – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Nov 26
· To Grandmother’s House We Go – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Thanksgiving Day Parade – CBS, 9:00 a.m.
· Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – NBC, 9:00 a.m.
· A Season for Miracles – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· Silver Bells – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· Santa, Jr. (2002) – ABC Family, 4:00 p.m.
· Finding John Christmas – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· When Angels Come to Town – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Charlie Brown Thanksgiving – ABC, 8:00 p.m.
· Miracle on 34th Street (1994) – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 9:00 p.m.
· Our First Christmas – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Nov 27
· Ernest Saves Christmas – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· A Dennis the Menace Christmas – ABC Family, 4:00 p.m.
· Mr. St. Nick – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Meet the Santas – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 7:00 p.m.
· I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Moonlight & Mistletoe – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
· The National Tree (2009) – Hallmark, 12:00 a.m.
Nov 28
· A Christmas Carol (1984) – Hallmark, 12:00 a.m.
· Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure – ABC Family, 10:00 a.m.
· Meet the Santas – Hallmark, 10:00 a.m.
· Mr. St. Nick – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish (1998) – ABC Family, 1:00 p.m.
· I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· All I Want For Christmas – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· The Christmas Card – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Merry Madagascar – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
· The National Tree (2009) – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 9:00 p.m.
· The National Tree (2009) – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Nov 29
· The Christmas Card – Hallmark, 10:00 a.m.
· Ms. Scrooge – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Carol – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· Once Upon a Christmas – ABC Family, 2:00 p.m.
· Twice Upon a Christmas – ABC Family, 4:00 p.m.
· Ebbie – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Silver Bells – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Home Alone 4 – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· The National Tree – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· A Dog Named Christmas – CBS, 9:00 p.m.
· The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2009) – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2009) – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
· Ebbie – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Nov 30
· Silver Bells – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· One Magic Christmas – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· Off Season – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2009) – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Naughty or Nice – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· Moonlight & Mistletoe – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· How the Grinch Stole Christmas – ABC, 8:00 p.m.
· Shrek the Halls – ABC, 8:30 p.m.
· Mr. St. Nick – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – AMC, 10:15 p.m.
Dec 1
· Moonlight & Mistletoe – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· Mr. St. Nick – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· Our First Christmas – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Finding John Christmas – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· The Year Without a Santa Claus – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· A Charlie Brown Christmas – ABC, 8:00 p.m.
· Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· When Angels Come to Town – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Disney’s Prep & Landing – ABC, 8:30 p.m.
· The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show – CBS, 10:00 p.m.
· A Grandpa for Christmas – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
· The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – AMC, 10:15 p.m.
Dec 2
· Finding John Christmas- Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· When Angels Come to Town – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· A Grandpa for Christmas – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Fallen Angel – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· The Christmas Choir – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – CBS, 8:00 p.m.
· Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – AMC, 10:15 p.m.
· I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 3
· The Polar Express – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Carol (1938, Reginald Owen) – TCM, 8:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· The Polar Express – ABC Family, 8:30 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – AMC, 10:15 p.m.
· Tenth Avenue Angel (1948) – TCM, 11:30 p.m.
· Ebbie – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· Silent Night – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Ebbie – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· A Diva’s Christmas Carol – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Ms. Scrooge – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 4
· A Christmas Carol – Hallmark, 12:00 p.m.
· A Diva’s Christmas Carol – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· Ms. Scrooge – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Visitor – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· Frosty’s Winter Wonderland – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· The National Tree – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· Meet the Santas – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
· National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – AMC, 10:15 p.m.
Dec 5
· Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle (2009) – Hallmark, 12:00 a.m.
· Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish – ABC Family, 8:30 a.m.
· A Christmas Visitor – Hallmark, 10:00 a.m.
· The Dog Who Saved Christmas – ABC Family, 10:30 a.m.
· Holiday Affair – TCM, 1:45 p.m.
· The National Tree – Hallmark, 2:00 p.m.
· Meet the Santas – Hallmark, 4:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 4:00 p.m.
· The Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Hallmark, 6:00 p.m.
· White Christmas – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle- Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle – Hallmark, 10:00 p.m.
· White Christmas – AMC, 10:45 p.m.
· Home Alone 3 – ABC Family, 11:00 p.m.
Dec 6
· Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· A Dennis the Menace Christmas – ABC Family, 8:30 a.m.
· Naughty or Nice – ABC Family, 10:30 p.m.
· Christmas in Connecticut (1945) – TCM, 12:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 12:00 p.m.
Dec 7
· ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 7:00 p.m.
· Cranberry Christmas – ABC Family, 7:30 p.m.
· Unaccompanied Minors – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special – FOX, 8:00 p.m.
· Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – ABC, 8:00 p.m.
· All I Want for Christmas – AMC, 8:00 p.m.
· Jack Frost – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 8
· All I Want for Christmas – AMC, 6:00 p.m.
· Mickey’s Christmas Carol – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too – ABC Family, 7:30 p.m.
· The Year Without a Santa Claus – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· A Miser Brothers’ Christmas – ABC Family, 9:00 p.m.
· Rudolph’s Shiny New Year – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 9
· Rudolph’s Shiny New Year – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys – ABC Family, 9:00 p.m.
· ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – ABC Family, 10:30 p.m.
Dec 10
· Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Holiday in Handcuffs – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· A Flintstone Christmas – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 11
· The Year Without a Santa Claus – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· The Santa Clause 2 – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· A Muppets Christmas: Letters To Santa – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
· Yes, Virginia – CBS, 8:00 p.m.
· Unaccompanied Minors – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 12
· The Little Drummer Boy – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· The Story of the First Christmas Snow – ABC Family, 9:30 a.m.
· The Little Drummer Boy: Book II – ABC Family, 7:30 a.m.
· Pinocchio’s Christmas – ABC Family, 8:00 a.m.
· Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· Jack Frost – ABC Family, 10:00 a.m.
· Frosty’s Winter Wonderland – ABC Family, 11:00 a.m.
· Cranberry Christmas – ABC Family, 11:30 a.m.
· Rudolph & Frosty’s Christmas in July – ABC Family, 12:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Carol (1938, Reginald Owen) – TCM, 12:00 p.m.
· Rudolph’s Shiny New Year – ABC Family, 2:00 p.m.
· The Year Without a Santa Claus – ABC Family, 3:00 p.m.
· A Miser Brothers’ Christmas – ABC Family, 4:00 p.m.
· Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – ABC Family, 5:00 p.m.
· The Santa Clause 2 – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – CBS, 8:00 p.m.
· The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· Christmas in Canaan – Hallmark, 8:00 p.m.
· It’s a Wonderful Life – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
· The Flight Before Christmas – CBS, 9:00 p.m.
· The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 13
· A Garfield Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· The Little Rascals Christmas Special – ABC Family, 7:30 a.m.
· I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – ABC Family, 8:00 a.m.
· Snow – ABC Family, 10:00 a.m.
· Snow 2: Brain Freeze – ABC Family, 12:00 p.m.
· A Carol Christmas – ABC Family, 2:00 p.m.
· Holiday in Handcuffs – ABC Family, 4:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe (2009) – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 9:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 14
· Eloise at Christmastime – ABC Family, 5:00 p.m.
· Shrek the Halls – ABC, 8:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 11:00 p.m.
Dec 15
· To Grandmother’s House We Go – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Gotta Catch Santa Claus – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – ABC Family, 8:30 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 9:00 p.m.
Dec 16
· The Munsters’ Scary Little Christmas (Premiere) – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Pinocchio’s Christmas – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Mickey’s Christmas Carol – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too – ABC Family, 7:30 p.m.
· Frosty’s Winter Wonderland – ABC Family, 10:30 p.m.
Dec 17
· A very Brady Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Christmas Town – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· The Story of the First Christmas Snow – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey – ABC Family, 6:30 p.m
· Jack Frost – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Jack Frost – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· Saturday Night Live Christmas 2009 – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
· Christmas in Connecticut (1945)- TCM, 8:00 p.m.
· Jingle All the Way – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
· Holiday Affair (1949)- TCM, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 18
· Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· A Dennis the Menace Christmas – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· Phineas & Ferb Christmas Vacation (Premiere) – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· Disney’s Prep & Landing – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 7:00 p.m.
· Frosty The Snowman – CBS, 8:00 p.m.
· Frosty Returns – CBS, 8:30 p.m.
Dec 19
· A Flintstone Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Jingle All the Way – ABC Family, 8:30 a.m.
· Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – ABC Family, 10:30 a.m.
· A Muppets Christmas: Letters To Santa – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
Dec 20
· Jingle All the Way – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· Home Alone 3 – ABC Family, 11:30 a.m.
· Home Alone 4 – ABC Family, 1:30 p.m.
Dec 21
· Chasing Christmas – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Christmas Do-Over – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· Sons of Mistletoe – ABC Family, 11:00 a.m.
· The Christmas List – ABC Family, 1:00 p.m.
· Unlikely Angel – ABC Family, 3:00 p.m.
· A Carol Christmas – ABC Family, 5:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe – ABC Family, 9:00 p.m.
Dec 22
· Home Alone 3 – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Home Alone 4 – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – ABC Family, 11:00 a.m.
· A Very Brady Christmas – ABC Family, 1:00 p.m.
· Once Upon a Christmas – ABC Family, 3:00 p.m.
· Twice Upon a Christmas – ABC Family, 5:00 p.m.
· Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
Dec 23
· Naughty or Nice – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· Stealing Christmas – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· Snowglobe – ABC Family, 11:00 a.m.
· Holiday in Handcuffs – ABC Family, 1:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby – ABC Family, 3:00 p.m.
· Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe (2009) – ABC Family, 5:00 p.m.
· Disney’s Prep & Landing – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Miracle on 34th Street (1994) – ABC Family, 7:30 p.m.
· The 11th Annual A Home For The Holidays – CBS, 8:30 p.m.
· The Polar Express – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 24
· The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· The Little Drummer Boy – ABC Family, 8:00 a.m.
· Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey – ABC Family, 8:30 a.m.
· The Leprechauns’ Christmas Gold – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· Mickey’s Christmas Carol – ABC Family, 11:00 a.m.
· Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too – ABC Family, 11:30 a.m.
· Pinocchio’s Christmas – ABC Family, 12:00 p.m.
· ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – ABC Family, 1:00 p.m.
· Rudolph & Frosty’s Christmas in July – ABC Family, 1:30 p.m.
· Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of the Misfit Toys – ABC Family, 3:30 .m.
· Jack Frost – ABC Family, 5:00 p.m.
· Frosty’s Winter Wonderland – ABC Family, 6:00 p.m.
· ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – ABC Family, 6:30 p.m.
· Rudolph’s Shiny New Year – ABC Family, 7:00 p.m.
· Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
· It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) – NBC, 8:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 8:00 p.m.
· The Year Without a Santa Claus – ABC Family, 9:00 p.m.
· Christmas in July (1940) – TCM, 9:45 p.m.
· A Miser Brothers’ Christmas – ABC Family, 10:00 p.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 10:00 p.m.
Dec 25
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 12:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 2:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 4:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 6:00 a.m.
· Jack Frost – ABC Family, 7:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 8:00 a.m.
· Cranberry Christmas – ABC Family, 9:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Carol (1938, Reginald Owen) – TCM, 9:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 10:00 a.m.
· Jingle All the Way – ABC Family, 11:00 a.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 12:00 p.m.
· Christmas in Connecticut (1945) – TCM, 12:15 p.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 2:00 p.m.
· Miracle on 34th Street (1994) – ABC Family, 3:30 p.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 4:00 p.m.
· Holiday Affair (1949)- TCM, 4:30 p.m.
· A Christmas Story – TBS, 6:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 8:00 p.m.
· Elf – USA, 9:30 p.m.

Month 1

Lots of people have been asking me, "So how is life with three? Is it what you expected?" Friends with two kids who are considering a third, friends who have three and whose worlds were rocked when the third came along, friends who stopped at two and think I'm nuts for having more kids, everyone wants to compare notes to see if it's as bad as other moms make it out to be. I'm suddenly outnumbered when it comes to available hands, parents, etc.

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What I've noticed is that moms who had an easy transition from one to two kids have trouble adding a third and those who were overwhelmed adding a second child have no problem adding any more after that. For me, incorporating Kaylin into our lives wasn't tough, so I was prepared to be stressed out adding Jason to the mix!
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Honestly, I'm barely making it through each day. Mondays and Tuesdays are much better than Thursdays and Fridays, probably because I get recharged on the weekends when Mike's here to help. I've gotten comments about how chipper I am or how well I seem to be doing, but I assure you...that's probably just my optimistic personality showing through. Some days are better than others, but I've been in an exhausted daze for almost every moment of Jason's life. I've been functioning, yes, but barely remember any details from the last month. I'm so tired that I'll often close my eyes "just for a quick minute" and wake up 30-90 minutes later. I'm so glad I've taken lots of pictures and blogged about a few things because I don't remember much about the early days of Ryan and Kaylin's lives and I knew I wouldn't remember much this time around, either!
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I guess my analysis is this: so far, life with three is fine. No baby blues, no signs of post pardum depression. I've only had a couple of meltdowns, which I think is pretty good. They were both directed at Mike, the poor husband whose needs are sometimes forgotten when a newborn enters the house. I truly believe that he subconsciously seems to think that I should be acting perfectly normal so soon after giving birth regardless of my crazy hormones balancing out, being ridiculously sleep deprived, trying to keep up with three times as much laundry as before, having no time or energy to be productive, trying to pay attention to the older kids with love and patience (that I often don't have) so that they don't feel ignored or decide to rebel and act out, all while managing a newborn baby boy who completely relies on me 24 hours a day for every. single. need.
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Did I just say, "life with three is fine" before spewing out all that??? Wow. Bipolar much?
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Really, though, I don't feel the weight of everything I just said on a moment-by-moment basis. I seem to be living each day in blocks of time. What can I do or accomplish (even if it's relaxing, playing with the kids or taking a nap) during this particular wake-time/nap-time of Jason's? What needs to happen before walking Ryan to the bus stop/picking Kaylin up from school/making lunch/putting the kids to bed? Everything is in short chunks of my life...I survive by taking baby steps.
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A new neighbor pulled up to see Jason for the first time last week at the bus stop. As I popped his little head into her van, I realized that he was almost 4 weeks old and he'd never met my neighbor. The one I saw nightly for a week as I took walks to encourage labor. The one who brought an unsolicited meal to my door because she didn't have my phone number to call to arrange a drop off time. The one who has four children herself and didn't bat an eye when my husband walked the thank you note down to her (two doors down, mind you) because I somehow hadn't gotten around to it. Suddenly, Jason was already 4 weeks old and I was shocked that I had never shown him off to this particular neighbor. How had 4 weeks slipped out from under my nose so quickly? Time is in a weird little vortex for me lately.
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One thing I've noticed is that I've been really lazy chill about enforcing a routine with Jason. With both other kids, they were on strict schedules by 2 weeks, already falling asleep on their own 100% of the time. Just like the other two, Jason has also been eating every 3 hours around the clock, unless it's more convenient for me to let him sleep. Like for Mike's birthday when we spent an hour driving the older kids to my mom's so Mike's parents could take us out to dinner. He fell asleep as soon as we left the house and dozed completely through the 2+ hours at the restaurant. I ate a hot meal and didn't have to excuse myself with a fussy baby in a public place or listen to crying in the car. His 4-hour nap was totally worth it. It's also worked out well that he's overslept several times while Kaylin has been in school. It meant that I got a much-needed nap. Again, sometimes the lax attitude is worth it, even it means he's not as sleepy at nighttime.
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So far, I've had several situations where the relaxed attitude worked well for me, but it's time to start enforcing a real schedule. Having my babies on a schedule has always been my sanity. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but I need to know what to expect from my days and so do they. I re-read some pages from Baby Wise last night and was surprised at how much more flexible it seems now that I'm on kid #3. I was such a Baby Wise Nazi with Ryan. 90 minutes awake, 90 minutes asleep, racing home to make sure he fell asleep in bed, scooping him out of the baby swing so he didn't doze off...it seemed so rigid the first time I read it and now all I see are the time frames and flexible windows of opportunity to do this or that.
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Regardless, I'm committed to getting serious about sticking to the schedule ASAP. I'm also ready to commit to loosen up on the kids. Especially Kaylin. I can TOTALLY see how the middle child syndrome happens with kids. I caught myself red handed the other day doing exactly what parents should not do with their older kids! I was working on homework with Ryan (which is always a little stressful for me because the homework requires more patience than I have right now) and Kaylin was playing with a flashlight around the house. She decided to go up to Ryan and shine it on the paper he was working on. Then wave it in his face. Then shine it IN his face. (trying to get attention, right?) Frustrated, I said, "Kaylin, what are you doing?! STOP it. Give Ryan some space and he can get his homework done faster so you two can play together that much sooner." She then went over to Jason in his infant seat and put her face an inch from his, causing him to get annoyed and fuss. What did I do? "Kaylin, seriously! Leave the baby alone!!! He was fine and now he's crying. Go play in the backyard or something." The words caught in my throat as I realized what I was doing to my poor little girl. She was obviously displaced. She needed attention and was bored and was trying to keep herself occupied while I tended to her brothers. I hope that memory sticks with me, because I don't want to repeat that situation again. Ever. (you can tell that the mommy-guilt is lingering...)
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However, I have done a good job of labeling Kaylin as "my big helper" and she loves it. I often give her jobs to do that would take me a fraction of the time to do myself, but you can see the pride in her eyes when she helps me. She gets me diapers and wipes, throws away dirty diapers, turns on the fan and gets me water to drink when I'm nursing, tickles the baby's feet when he falls asleep while eating, puts the pacifier in his mouth when he's fussy and I'm preoccupied...all little jobs, but she needs to feel needed. So I'm not a complete failure as a mother with the middle child!
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This post was supposed to be full of first-month milestones for me to look back on and I haven't even gotten to that part yet! Without further delay, here goes:
- Jason's hair is getting a little longer and is starting to show signs of being - are you ready? RED. At first, I was convinced he'd be a white, white blonde, but it's beginning to look red-ish. A stranger even mentioned it the other day when Kaylin wasn't with me, so her opinion couldn't have even been swayed by my current red head! Once it was brought to my attention, it became really noticeable.
- I finally clipped Jason's nails for the first time last week. And they needed it! I've been so scared because I managed to not only make Ryan bleed during his first manicure, but Kaylin, too!!! I was so careful this time and there was NO blood. (whew)
- For the last couple of weeks, we've had issues with baby acne/newborn rash. I was able to Photoshop it out for our Christmas card picture (which is AWESOME by the way...I'll post it next month) but between his little tiny zits and his plugged left tear duct that glues his eyelashes together, my poor boy is a sight!
- I've also been concerned that he seems to have a stuffy nose. It actually sounds like he's snorting like a pig when he's getting ready to cry. I can't decide whether to call the doctor or ride it out.
- Jason has some distinct cues that I've picked up this time around as a "new" mom. He doesn't spit up (praise God!) and I think it's because he completely stops eating when he needs to burp. If he's not sucking, you sit him up and he'll burp within seconds. And if you try to shush him with a pacifier and he's not tired or needing to be comforted, he simply won't take it. It makes it really easy to figure out when he's sleepy. Also, when he starts breathes really, really fast just before crying, his diaper needs to be changed. 100% of the time...he hates having a dirty diaper. It's the coolest little signal ever!
- Speaking of, I think this kid might have my plumbing issues. His tummy makes the most horrible gurgling noises and he seems to get gas pains quite a bit. I'm actually considering going on bouts without dairy and wheat to see if he has an intolerance to something. Until now, I haven't been careful about what I eat, so maybe it's just on days when I eat lots of vegetables or something else high in fiber - ?
- One thing that helps Jason take his pacifier when he's obviously uncomfortable with gas pains is when I place my hand on his abdomen, pressing very slightly. Just after I had Ryan, my autistic cousin did that when Ryan started crying and he immediately calmed down. I wouldn't doubt if my cousin knows that the pressure helps for some reason; kids on the spectrum seem in tune with things that we often aren't.
- This one is still a snuggler, which I love. So much so, that I've taken the controversial advice of several mom friends and put him to sleep on his tummy a couple of times a day. He falls asleep immediately and often wakes up with his head facing the other direction, so I know he's strong enough to lift his head. (an initial concern after all of the warnings about SIDS in recent years) I know it's a huge no-no, but I'm at peace with it and he's so blissfully happy on his tummy.
- On Friday, I laid him down at naptime, completely awake, and changed the sheets on both of Ryan's bunks to see if he'd drift off by himself. Sure enough, after a few minutes of droopy eyes, he fell asleep without a peep. And he didn't even have a pacifier! I forgot how amazing that is...and that it's even possible! He continued to fall asleep on his own for the rest of the day and didn't cry again until bedtime. Halla!!! He kind of napped all over the place this weekend, so I'll be interested to see if this habit continues this week.
- Last week, I decided not to dress Jason. It was so freeing! What's wrong with him staying in his gown for errands and hanging around the house? I only have a few long sleeved shirts and it seems like I'm blowing through them every day. All of Ryan's hand-me-down clothes are summery, so I need to keep the newer baby clothes clean and in good shape for when we DO go somewhere that I want to get him "dressed" for.
- It's so chilly in the mornings taking Ryan to the bus stop that I had to buy a knit newborn hat at the store the other day. It came with little matching thumb-less mittens and is a hilarious combo. He loves it. Can you tell? (actually, he doesn't mind...I wanted to get a picture of him in the hat at an inopportune time and THIS was the result)

I think that's it. I can't believe my baby is already a month old. Seriously, where has this last month gone? Time flies when you're...exhausted and a walking zombie. :)

Buttery Sandwich Cookies

I had the pleasure of experiencing these delicious little cookies at a friend's baby shower. I made them for my cookie exchange this weekend and had to swat Mike's hand away to keep him from eating too many. (he suggested we call it a "cookie keep" instead of a "cookie exchange" so we don't have to share our bounty) Anyway, here is the recipe. Enjoy!

COOKIES:
2 cups butter, softened (4 sticks)
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups flour
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Cream softened butter, gradually adding flour, then cream. Roll onto a generously floured surface, approximately 1/4 inch thick, and cut into 2 inch circles (or another small cookie cutter shape). Prick each cookie with a fork three times and back for 7-9 minutes at 375 degrees. (I baked 2 cookie sheets to save on time and they turned out great)
* I found these cookies to be VERY delicate, so I froze them after they cooled slightly, which helped them hold up while I frosted them.
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FILLING:
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1.5 cups powdered sugar
4 T. heavy cream
2 t. vanilla
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Combine filling ingredients and spread between two cookies.
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Yields 50-60 sandwich cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.

What's on my mind today

I just have so many thoughts. They need to get out. Enjoy.
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I wash my hands so much anymore that my knuckles are cracking. I need to put lotion by each sink to remember to moisturize after drying my hands each time they're washed.
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I need to find a children's devotional book to get back into morning Bible time with the kids. Any recommendations?
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Within 5 minutes of brushing my teeth tonight, I went downstairs and poured a bunch of Monkey Munch into a bowl to snack on. I just can't stop eating. I'm hungry ALL the time! Even when I eat satisfying snacks that are NOT coated in chocolate and powdered sugar...
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I love my friends. I love that they're willing to listen when I vent about nonsense. I love that they give me hand-me-downs so I don't go broke trying to clothe my kids who keep growing and growing and growing. I love that they randomly offer to take my children for a couple of hours so I can reconnect with my husband. I love that I have friends who email me at 9:00 at night to tell me that they made an extra lasagna with dinner and that they're dropping it off in the morning, ready to cook when I need it, complete with breadsticks and a cookie-mix-in-a-jar. I just love, love, love my friends.
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I am so sick of Ryan's writing homework. "Helping" him takes forever. As in 1-2 hours at a stretch. His attention span isn't that long and my patience level can't be tested like that!!! He tries and tries, then he goofs off, then he intentionally messes up so he can use the eraser, then he gets distracted, then he focuses again, then he makes an honest mistake (like interchanging the letter "b" and "d"), then...then...then...I slowly, but surely, lose my mind. It took him an hour to write two (TWO) sentences about what he's grateful for and why this Thanksgiving season. An hour. Two sentences. I can't wait to set up a meeting with his teacher to get some guidance because this is ridiculous!!!
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I am an idiot. Jason has been asleep for over an hour and I'm exhausted. But instead of going to bed early, I've been on the computer and on the phone with girlfriends. And I wonder why I'm so tired...I'm clearly not taking advantage of every opportunity to SLEEP!
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And on that note, I'm off to bed. WOW it feels good to get all of that out of my head. (Hey - that rhymed!)

Thumb or Pacifier?

(Ryan, 2 months old, sucking his thumb after accidentally dropping the pacifier onto his chest)

My older kids are both thumb suckers. Ryan started out with a pacifier until he was about 6-7 months old and started chewing on the outside of it while teething. When that happened, I figured it had lost its purpose and got rid of it. Then he became a big fan of his thumb. He's only ever sucked his thumb when he has his blanket, which is at bedtime. But now he's five years old and, despite many dentist-recommended, too-early efforts to break this habit, he still sucks his thumb.

These pictures are from the same photo shoot: Ryan's 1 month pictures. It was around this time that he found his thumb, but I'd always pull it out and put his pacifier in his mouth. And I don't remember whether or not I put him to bed with his pacifier, but I know that in the early days, I used to put it back in his mouth again and again if it fell out. I tired of that game quickly.
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Then there's Kaylin. She never took a pacifier, but found her thumb, too. And now she's just like her brother: a blanket and thumb girl at bedtime.

I struggled with this issue with both of the older kids. There are pros and cons to both thumb sucking and pacifiers. You never lose a thumb or forget to pack it in the diaper bag, yet you can't throw it away when it's time to stop the habit. I was told that kids naturally stop sucking their thumbs around 4-5 years old, but it's not happening with Ryan yet.
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So here we are with Jason. He loves to suck, too, and takes a pacifier well. He falls asleep with it very easily, but it often falls out and I refuse to keep popping it back in his mouth 100 times each night. But I'm at a point where I don't WANT him to find his thumb. Ryan found his thumb while sleeping when his pacifier would fall out, so I'm sure Jason will, too.

He WILL fall asleep without it, but it's painful. I mean look at the poor kid in the picture below...it always gets stuck under his cheek, which you know has to be torture for someone without the ability to put it back in his mouth.

At least he didn't end up like Ryan many times. The picture below was taken when Ryan was 2 weeks old...trying to suck on the outside of the fallen pacifier. Asleep.

What I want to know is this: for those of you whose kids took pacifier, did you go through an early phase of retrieving spit out pacifiers as your babies were falling asleep? Because I'm not up for that. But I really don't need another thumb sucker. Do you realize how expensive our orthodontist bills are going to be as it is???
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I guess the nights have just gotten really long already. If the pacifier falls out before he's completely asleep, he cries. And I get up. It falls out again, I get up again. After 2-3 times, I won't get up, hoping he'll be so tired he'll fall asleep. It happens, but it's rare. Because I'm a sucker (no pun intended) and I keep getting up. I didn't do this with the other two...I need to get a spine. I'm looking for advice from the pacifier moms out there. Anyone?!?!
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(I know at least half of you reading this are already arguing with me silently to yourself. There are lots of schools of thought on parenting, so if you comment, remember to be nice!)

White Pizza Pinwheels

I made this appetizer for our Italian-themed dinner party last weekend and everyone loved them!

2 - 8 oz. cans crescent rolls
1 - 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup pureed spinach
2 T. prepared pesto
2 T. garlic powder
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets. Unroll crescent rolls, do not separate them, and press perforations together to make one large rectangle. Mix filling ingredients together in a large bowl and spread onto each rectangle. Roll up like a jelly roll and place in freezer for 15 minutes for easier slicing. Cut into 2 inch slices and place pinwheels cut side down onto baking sheets. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Why I Make My Bed

My house has been a pigsty lately. I rally everyone together to pick everything up and it's a disaster again within the hour.
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When I walked into my bedroom yesterday, it looked so cluttered. I remember reading once that when the bed is made in a bedroom, it tends to look more tidy because the surface area of the bed is so much of the room. This thought popped into my head at that moment and, although I wasn't convinced it would do much good, I decided to make my bed (My bed is unmade most days anymore because I take so many naps, which is very unlike me. The unmade bed, that is...not the naps.)
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I instantly felt better. There was still a basket of folded clothes on the floor. There was still a huge pile of dirty clothes waiting for the laundry basket to be emptied so they could appear contained. There was still a grocery cart and baby stroller that the kids had dragged upstairs from the playroom...last week. My dresser was still piled high with baby stuff, clean clothes that needed to be put away, hand-me-down clothes that needed to be packed up, congratulations cards from friends, random cords from our new video monitor, even birthday party supplies that have lingered from this summer.
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But because the bed was made, the room didn't seem like such a train wreck.
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I realized that there are certain things that help areas of my house "feel" clean to me. As I said, in my bedroom, it's my bed being made. In my bathroom, it's Mike's stuff (brush, gel, deodorant, razor, etc) not being on the counter. (I found a great way to contain it all a few months ago that has made a world of difference!)
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In my bedroom, my dresser is my catch-all.

Upstairs, it's the desk at the top of the stairs.

In my kitchen, I have a small, but packed, "junk counter" that only gets on my nerves when I can no longer fit things on it. Unfortunately, that is it's current state today. The junk counter is my area of transition for paperwork, my dumping ground for my purse and camera and the place where I throw random odds and ends until I have time to find them a permanent home.

I'm one of those "a place for everything and everything in it's place" people. But not to the extreme. For instance, in my kitchen, I need the counters to be clear for it to feel clean. As long as the dishes are at least in the sink in my house, they don't bother me. For most people, the dishes have to be in the dishwasher, but as long as they're at least in the sink, I'm fine. (until they start overflowing onto the counters...) Either the sink OR the dishwasher can be the "place" for the dirty dishes.
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Would I like my house to look like it's staged for a magazine photo shoot? Absolutely. But at this stage in my life (with little kids, toys and baby stuff everywhere) that's unrealistic. I have baskets scattered and hidden throughout my house to contain much of the mess. It helps the kids be able to quickly help pick up their toys, no matter what room we're in.
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One thing I learned while thinking about this yesterday is that I need my desk clean in the office. I've always known this, but have decided to commit to cleaning it off every night before going to bed. There's no reason for me to be on the computer and have non-office stuff staring at me. I mean really...did you see what was in that picture above? My day planner and some Thank You notes are the only office-appropriate things on that desk. A Krispy Kreme hat, new office supplies, hand-me-down shoes for when Jason is older, Barbie shoes, a storybook, a bib, tissue paper and a card from a recent baby gift and Ryan's dirty socks. Dirty socks, people. On my desk. EW.
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Think through the areas of your house that help it feel clean to YOU. I challenge you to focus on straightening those areas today so your home feels a little more calm. We're about to get into the whirlwind of the holiday season, so thinking about this before life gets chaotic might keep you a little more sane for the rest of 2009!

Snug as a Bug

On our way to a dinner party this weekend, Mike grabbed my coat for me. But it was the wrong coat. It was my "big girl" coat from over 10 years ago. Not only was I heavier when I bought it, I was still living in Kansas, wearing big sweaters and college sweatshirts under this coat. In Phoenix, people throw on a coat over a thin t-shirt, not a bulky sweater.
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When I put it on to sit around the fire in the backyard with the group, it was huge - even post-pardum. Then I got an idea. Do I look a little pregnant in this picture?

Oh, there's a baby in there, all right. But he's ON my tummy, not IN it. I decided to tuck Jason inside the coat and zip him up (with room at the top for him to breathe, of course) so he would stay warm. It worked like a charm.

I literally just unzipped my coat for that picture. He stayed in there for over two hours, snug as a bug in a rug. Who needs a sling???

#54 - Allow the kids to have dessert before dinner

Mike's parents bought him a fire pit for his birthday and we built our first backyard fire tonight. It was finally chilly enough to pretend it's fall this weekend!

We ate a late lunch and no one was really hungry enough for a meal, so we decided to bum some marshmallows from a neighbor friend and roast them for "dinner." I know...SO not me, right?

And if we're doing this, why not do it right and put them on some graham crackers with leftover chocolate bars from Halloween?

Dinner is served. It occurred to me as we were enjoying our sugar high that this family event crosses another item off my list of 101 Goals in 1001 Days. Does it count that I let the kids have dessert FOR dinner, not just BEFORE dinner??? Yeah, I think so, too. #54 is officially accomplished!

Happy Birthday to my Honey!

Mike seemed to have a great birthday yesterday. He always tries to take his birthday off work because really...who wants to be at WORK on their birthday?!?
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Before we were even out of bed, Ryan came in with Mike's birthday card (that he'd been hiding in his suitcase for 2 days) and wished Mike a happy birthday. Unprompted and without a reminder! Mike was so touched.

(I had Ryan sound out the letters in "Happy Birthday" and he forgot the "day" at the end. Oh, and you'll notice that he's learning to put periods at the end of sentences and everything else he writes. Too cute. And the picture is of him and Mike hiking.)
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From there, I made Mike's choice for breakfast: bacon, eggs and homemade hash browns. I'm a big believer in putting candles in everything possible on a person's birthday, so for breakfast, Mike got a candle in his hash browns.

It took so long to cook and get on the table that Ryan missed the bus and we had to drive him to school. Good thing Ryan felt like a rock star getting dropped off at the curb by his dad!
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Later in the morning, we drove to the outlet mall to do some shopping. Mike hasn't bought new t-shirts for himself in...too long, so he actually looked forward to getting some new clothes. From there, he went straight to surprise Ryan at school and eat lunch with him. I pack Ryan's lunch every day, but yesterday Mike bought them both a hot lunch...a huge deal for our Kindergardener!
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Before taking the older kids to my mom's for a sleep over, we put candles in a couple of cupcakes to celebrate with Daddy one more time.

To top off the big day, Mike's parents took us to dinner last night. Jason was an angel and slept through the whole meal. (Which I paid for later in the evening by him being too awake to sleep while I wanted to sleep! The 10 glasses of iced tea couldn't have helped with my lack of sleep, either. I do it to myself, I tell ya.)

Mike was beaming all day and night. I think he genuinely had a great birthday. Happy Birthday, Honey!!!