Let the right one in

Temple and the Sleep Sheep. 
If you think "Sleep Sheep" is fun to read, believe me when I tell you that it is more fun to say.  The Sheep has 4 white noise options.  T favors the sounds of the ocean.

It is due at least in part to the Sleep Sheep that we had a calm Monday, and we hope to have a good Tuesday.  Both Sunday night and last night, I got nearly 9 hours of sleep, in 3 hour blocks, of course.  T can fuss before bedtime, but she has gotten good at going to bed.  We are usually the ones to wake her up to eat, too.  When Temple and mamma wake up around 9am, she eats, then she can chill in her crib and listen to the Sleep Sheep.  She has been awake and taking in her surroundings without being upset and fussy, and without mamma needing to hold her at all times.  

The Sleep Sheep has let a couple habits back into my routine.

I got to cook yesterday.  In the past few years, I have come to enjoy cooking very much.  It relaxes me, and I've found that cooking my own food is good for my body and soul.  When I was working in children's welfare law in Baltimore, after a long and annoying day of arguing cases about drug babies, weeks old babies with broken ribs (and parents who had no idea how that could have happened), 6 year olds with gonorrhea, and pregnant 12 year olds, I liked nothing more than to come home and chop vegetables for a few hours.  It's soothing.  Yesterday, I made buttermilk marinated baked chicken chunks with curry, garlic, chili powder, etc.  It was an Indian or middle eastern type dish, should have been made with yogurt, but buttermilk works.  It's milky and spicy.  Next time, I'm going to add cauliflower and peas.  It's going to be major noms.  

Another welcome addition to the daily baby routine: I read a book for 20 minutes before going to sleep.  

Also, I pressed the snooze button for nearly an hour this morning.  T wasn't fussing to be fed, so we slept in.  Maybe this isn't the best habit to let back in.