lose/lose

So, lately Benjamin is scared of the dark, and he already didn't go to bed well for Momma when Daddy was gone for the night, and now it is even trickier.  I thought I had manipulated him into sleeping in his own bed...Violet went down at 7:15 (cried at the word bed time and sight of her crib, but fell silent as soon as her head hit her blanket!).  I than read "lots of stores", to Benjamin...45 minutes worth to be exact! (He's very into quantities lately. 5 is common, but tonight it was "lots and lots")  Then I warned him when it was our last story, and said if he went to bed in Benjamin's bed without crying, he got gum in the morning.  He then bartered with me, and asked for a big piece of gum (I normally give him 1/2) and he won.  We read, we walked, and then Momma made a critical error...I forgot he still had his gum in his mouth, and he is a new chewer, and didn't realize he had to take it out to sleep...So going to bed without crying was looking improbable.  I then agreed to leave the door open, and he asked for the hall light on.  He won again, and I thought we were in the clear.  Well, occasionally Violet wakes up when Benjamin goes down, and we ignore her, and before we've reached the door, she falls back asleep.  Well, tonight the light was on in the hall, and It was a lose or lose for this chick.  Leave the door open/light on and Violet would continue screaming...Shut the door or turn the light off and Benjamin would go ballistic.
Having no choice, I quickly grabbed Benjamin and ran out of the room.  Violet must have been in a terrible section of her sleep cycle because she was ticked!  I put Benjamin in our bed, and went back to comfort Violet...Long Story (made a little bit shorter) this continued, and two hours after the beginning of bed time...They are both finally asleep.  What a night!  I had big plans for my "post 8:00 evening"  But warn out, and deathly afraid to make a noise has left me right in front of my computer...posting again! (I feel like this scenario keeps replaying itself on the nights Joel is gone!  With a small house, one VERY light sleep, and another requesting the door open, not much is getting done in my neck of the woods.  Oh well I guess!

With all that said, here's some pictures :)

Violet has eaten her share of wax this week.  I was hopeless with a sad girl, poo pooing every idea because of her age, her obsession with eating things, fear of getting the casts wet or dirty...etc.  Well I gave up being careful, and her new favorite activity is coloring.  She doesn't use the paper very much, and I find a lot of crayons in her mouth (I do try to pay attention, really I do!), but she's a much happier girl this week...and for that we are all happy!

Her new favorite spot in the house!  

She talks for a very long period of time!  Hallelujah!

I can't even begin to tell you how much happier she is this week than last!

This is our new favorite look of violets...She gives it a lot!

I took this picture because she was being silly with her grapes, but it shows off her new hair cut...I couldn't look at her head without wincing, so something had to be done!  I could get pig tails in, but she takes them out in seconds.  So I layered up the back and cut more/shorter bangs.  I think it improved things immensely!

Happy Friday All!