Stage 4

Ruth has entered stage 4 of her sleeping life.

Stage 1: Newborn, waking up every 2-3 hours.

Stage 2: Only waking up once a night, 2 naps a day.

Stage 3: Sleeping through the night in a crib, one afternoon nap.

Stage 4: Sleeping in a big bed (because she climbs out of the playpen)! Which almost brings you back to stage 1 because it's impossible to control how and when they sleep since they have mobility.
*Interesting side note about Ruth. All my other kids LOVE when I lay down with them. They still beg me to sleep with them. The second day I was having a hard time getting Ruth to take a nap. I offered to lay down with her. I cuddled up next to her. Do you know what happened? I'll tell you.

Ruth: MY BLANKET (as she ripped it off of me)!

Ruth: MY PILLOW (as she grabbed it under my head)!

Ruth: MY BABY (as she pulled it out from behind my back)!

Me: Ruth, aren't you going to share?

Ruth: No mine, Mommy floor.

Needless to say, I have not cuddled her asleep yet.

This is also the stage of dutch tape. Ruthie now gets her diaper duct taped because she won't leave it on. Eden & David went through this same phase. She isn't quite ready to be potty trained. I can't afford to go through 20 diapers a day, nor clean up poop everywhere!

She cried when injustice has been done. In her mind almost anything David does is intolerable. She commands everyone to "go in corner". She has started eating food off of David's plate at dinner. It drives him crazy. He doesn't want to move from his usual dinner seat. Ruthie also doesn't want to move from her usual dinner seat. We're working on it.

I am happy to report that she is getting better. She has been taking naps in her bed (most days). It is the cutest thing to see her come out of her room all by herself in the morning. I love her so much. We still have no idea who she looks like. She has a big forehead. Her eyes are wide apart and her nose is smashed. We love her to pieces.