The State of Samantha

Many people keep asking me about Sam and all those hot topics we are dealing with.  Here is an update on The State of Samantha.


Oh, those sleepless nights!
I am going to take a big risk, tempt fate and say this out loud.....for several weeks now, Sam has consistently been getting 11 hours of sleep and making it through the night without too much turmoil.  If she gets through the day without a nap, Sam will go to bed easily at 7:00pm.  However, if Sam falls asleep at any point during the day, she won't fall asleep at night until 9:30pmish.  Its nights like these that you can bet she'll wake up earlier than the roosters and greet the day grumpily at 5:00amish.  It makes for a long, long day and you only hope she won't fall asleep again before bed time and can get back on schedule.  We are all happier that Sam's sleep issues have seemed to work themselves out.


Here a temper tantrum, there a temper tantrum, everywhere a temper tantrum!
Now that Sam is getting sleep, her temper tantrums have been taken down a notch.  I'm not saying we are out of the words completely, but we can reason with her more and for the most part, Sam listens to what we are saying and is satisfied with the answer.  If Sam is tired in the least bit (which is likely the case starting early afternoon), then she is whiny, cranky and downright miserable.  In other words, very hard to be around.  I have noticed some change for the better in her temperament.  Either that, or I've become more tolerant.



Potty Training - Day 23
I made it 23 days in this crazy potty training saga before I couldn't take it anymore. 

Here's what finally made me snap and jump overboard the potty training ship (so to speak):  We went to the movies on Saturday (Day 21).  Sam had a spectacular day and I was very impressed with her ability to tell us she had to go, hold it until we made it to the bathroom and keep her underwear dry.  The whole day she was a rockstar.  The very next day, on Sunday (Day 22), she had absolutely no success and we went through 30 pairs of underwear in less than 1/2 a day.  It was the craziest thing!  We did nothing different than the day before.  She never made it in time to the bathroom, and some of the time didn't even tell us she was peeing.  It was a nightmare!  On Monday morning (Day 23), when we had 5 accidents within an hour, I was beyond frustrated and couldn't go on like we had been.  I told her we were doing pull-ups from here on out.  When she can show me she can keep the pull-up dry for hours on end, then I will reconsider putting her back in big girl underwear. 

She obviously can do it and has proven to us that she is capable.  So now we will wait it out and use the pull-ups in the meantime.


Need ear plugs STAT!
Sam whines so much I want to offer her some cheese to go along with it.  OMG!  It's grating on the ears and makes me sometimes wish I was deaf.  I've tried every tactic in combatting it and now resort to telling her I can't hear her in that voice and do my best to ignore it until she changes her ways.  The other day I found myself yelling at Sam for such a long time, that I am sure Joan Crawford ("Mommie Dearest" reference) from her grave was taking lessons.  It was really bad.   Ian said he was feeling a little left out and I asked him if he wanted me to yell at him too. 

Now that I've come to terms with the potty training not working out, the whining is the one thing that needs major work. 


Let's wrap this up!
Sam is amazing.  She can be playful, funny, sweet and cuddly a good portion of the day and then something will her set her off and it's all downhill.  I'd like to think I am doing a better job of anticipating her moods and trying to side-step some of the major explosions that can occur.   Every day brings a fresh new start....that is until I get back from the gym at 7:00am and see what kind of mood she is in.