Yikes! I guess I better dust the cobwebs out of the corners around here. Time has gotten away from me these last few days and just last night Andiclaus reminded me that I hadn't posted forevah.

Not much has been happening that is noteworthy. Just enough information for my favorite post style. Random short paragraphs!!!!

Last week, playgroup went to the Arboretum in Overland Park. I may not have mentioned previously on this blog that I have a very severe reaction to bug bites. My doctor has informed me that I get this way because I was bitten by a brown recluse when I was a child. Anyway, in addition to being highly allergic to mosquito bites, I also seem to be a mosquito magnet. (My mom: That's because you're so sweet. Me: Have you read my blog?) I had no fewer than twenty mosquito bites up and down my arms by the time we left. The next morning (and really all last week) I was crazy itchy and red, black and blue all up and down my arms.

We (read: my mom) bought our tickets home for Christmas. We'll be in San Diego Dec. 25-31 and in Phoenix Jan. 1. I can hardly wait. I desperately need a vacation, particularly if it's the kind where other people want to play with Alliclaus. We're going to Chicago at the end of this month (Oct. 27-30) and Sarah and Joshiclaus will supposedly be coming to Kansas City for Thanksgiving. All these visits and visitors should make these next few months fly by.

Alliclaus has decided to go on a sleep strike. She had been sleeping great at night (in her own crib), but was refusing to take naps. In a desperate attempt to fix this, I bought the no-cry sleep solution book after Alliclaus' pediatrician told me to let her cry it out. (I am not getting into this issue with you, Internet. I do not judge you. Kindly step off.) Well, we seem to be improving in the area of napping, but now she refuses to sleep at night. I've been trying to move her bed time earlier in the day, since I like to feed her once before I leave for work at 6:30. She's been refusing to be put in her crib after her last feeding. Once we finally get her in there (which is significantly later than she used to go to bed), she only sleeps for a couple of hours before she's awake and crying. Because I am oh-so-tired and lazy, we've been just letting her come sleep with us once this happens, because I can breastfeed her while I get a few more minutes sleep. But lately, she won't even sleep once she's in bed with us. I think this is probably a combination of some tummy troubles due to the introduction of solid food and her strong desire to try to crawl every time she is on a flat surface. I've read that babies sometimes stop sleeping when they are hitting these milestones, but holy hell! When does she sleep again?

I've started looking for a babysitter for a few hours a couple nights a week, since currently I'm having to bail on a lot of things in order for Alliclaus to be home for her bedtime routine. It's really difficult being in a city away from family when we are in these situations. There's a girl at church who's offered to babysit, so I'll have to see if she's available these nights.

Well, today is playgroup at Deanna Rose, which is this strange little children's farm. Strange to me because I am a city girl who is in playgroup in the burbs. It's supposed to be 95 today. Ick! I guess we'll see how long it takes for the kids to have a meltdown.