Sunday, August 23, 2009


This is just something I wanted to share with the group (haha) and am far behind on my random thoughts..... I bought this for Garrett this summer:






And by 'bought', I mean 'search out on the www, ordered from overseas, and payed more than was worth'. Somewhere after the time change, after the transition to big-boy-bed, and before potty-training... "mr. independent" (I use this term loosely, as he is still the child who would crawl inside my shirt if he smelled a nursery or unknown sitter within a 5 mile radius) started getting up with the chickens!! And me and Lilah, who also gets up at an unholy hour. So it wasn't so much that he was waking me up, it was just that I felt he needed to be sleeping longer-- I won't bore you with all the details on why I thought this to be true. Besides, everyone knows that true parenting genius involves trickery, superstition, bribery, and threats to get your child to sleep longer than they want and/or need to survive.

This is funny (to me) because I was so excited about this clock (sheep sleeps during set sleep times, and hikes during nap times--a stroke of genius, right?) and like most of my 'ideas', didn't quite pan out in the way I had envisioned (i.e. obedient and silent child waiting in bed until sheep starts hiking). The first night he said "ok", but woke up the next morn way before scheduled time and I made him stay in bed until time (screaming). The next night I checked on him in the night and the clock was shut and shoved under his pillow. The third morning he again woke up early and I said , "Garrett, where's your clock? What's sheep doing?". Garrett: "Ugh, nope. I turned that clock off". The equivalent of giving me, my controlling ideas, and the stupid sheep clock the finger.

And, like so many things...just when I was about to sell him to a band of traveling gypsies, he started sleeping until a respectable hour....all on his own. So, if anyone wants a 'sheep clock'....I'll sell you mine for a discount.:)

6 comments:

Elizabeth Myatt said...

You make me laugh! Gayle has come to get my children and I am all alone in the house!!! I think H would love that sheep clock...it was a good idea. Glad he is sleeping better despite the failed sheep clock attempt.

Jessica said...

:) Around the time of big boy bed transition and dst...Oliver started waking-up early too. Now, a good morning is 7am and most mornings is 6 or 6:30 am. I've learned to deal with it, but he now goes to bed at 7pm on the dot to ensure enough sleep. GL!

lukeandsarah said...

Oh Gina, that is hilarious! What a sweet picture of G and Lilah by the way.

Sara said...

love, love, love it! does the sheep do any tricks to actually make them want to go to sleep? that's our problem. :)

The Leonards said...

you're so funny. it is really amazing what we will do to try to to get our kids to sleep. love the header picture!! felt so good after running the other day...even though thought i might die during the process:)

Anonymous said...

Hey! I really might buy that clock from you if you still have it. I think Jackson would love it. Let me know!
~April G.