26 weeks

This picture was taken a little over a week ago.... I am 27 weeks now, but there have been a few requests for a belly update, so here is the last picture we took. Enjoy!

The elephant in the room

I've mentioned many times about how much like my sister Amber Claire is. We've found yet another couple similarities.

Claire over the past week has been waking up multiple times at night telling us she can't sleep. This morning, we were awakened by Jacob crying because Claire had come into his bed (oh yeah, we bunked kiddos' beds... pictures to come...) and had accidentally hit him in the nose. Later, we again asked her why she woke up so many times and was in Jacob's bed. Her answer:

"There is an elephant trunk that comes into the room at night while I'm asleep and wraps itself around my bed and it makes a noise like breathing."

Crazy, realistic dreams!!! Thing #150 (okay, I haven't really counted, but it's gotta be close) that Claire and Amber have in common.

So, tonight, the ordeal (outside of an emotional, crying-like-a-teenager-at-an-EFY-testimony-meeting Jacob who needed to hug his mama because, as he put it, "I just love you so much!") was trying to keep Claire safe from the elephant trunk. Dani (the logical one) first tried talking common sense to Claire that it was just a dream with no luck.

So, we tried a different strategy. Here are the steps we've taken, illustrating thing #151, a lack of common sense when tired and convinced about the realism of a dream:

1. I need a bear. "What about your stuffed bears?" No, I need a REAL bear! "Claire, real bears couldn't even get up the stairs - they're too big!" What about a baby bear? "Claire, a baby bear plays even rougher than Jacob."

2. "What about if I put another light in your room to shine on the door?" He doesn't come in the door.

3. "I promise it won't hurt you." It doesn't hurt me. "then why are you worrying about it?" I just don't know what damp means. (!?!?!)

4. "What about robo-panda (a gift they were given for their birthday)? He moves" But he isn't real!

5. "What about the gator-golf (another gift)? If something goes in his mouth, his mouth shuts!" Oh yeah!

Claire and Jacob run back to their room. We go and set up the gator. 1 minute later

6. BUT WHAT IF IT GOES AROUND THE GATOR!!! We go back into the room He can go around the gator. "What about if we put these (decorative bulletin) boards next to your bed?" No, I need real wood! "Claire, we don't have other wood" It has to be nailed with a hammer. "Claire, look, these block all of underneath the bed. There are toy bins there at the foot and a wall at the other side and the head."

7. But I need noise! "The radio is playing." Not loud enough! We turn it up a bit "There you go, it's perfect now."

this appears to have worked. for about 45 seconds after we leave the room.

8. BUT I HAVE TO MAKE NOISE!!!!!

9. "Fine, Claire, let's have you sleep in the green room (okay, it's a white room with a green bed in it - known as the green room)."

we relocate Claire to the green room, get her set up with a nightlight and music, say goodnight, walk out of the room, sigh once, and hear...

10. SCREAMING!!!!! "Claire, what's wrong?" There isn't enough light! "Claire, there are 3 nightlights in your room. Let's go there. We'll leave the door open a little." All the way! "Fine."

So, there you have it. With gator, wooden boards, louder music, an extra nightlight, and an open door (we forgot robo-panda and didn't get her a real bear), Claire is in her room asleep. We'll see if that protects her from the elephant in the room (which doesn't do any harm, but breaths, oddly enough, just like a sleeping Jacob) so that all can get a good night of sleep!