Struggle

It's cold outside. Winter has arrived. We had some snow and now temperatures have dropped to -10C. We are still going out twice a day, but yesterday morning it was way too cold for a walk, so I bundled them up and we went shopping in the morning. In the afternoon we went out again as normal. I love how crispy clear the air is.

Right now I am struggling when it comes to bed time. Niklas who so far nursed to sleep, doesn't want to nurse on his favorite site anymore. He will arch his back and just refuses with a lot of crying. I am sure he is uncomfortable somehow but I don't know what it is. He is nursing fine on his less preferred side.  On top of that his going to sleep can be anything from 10 minutes to 2,5 hours, unfortunately we are looking more at the longer times. It's all connected as far as I am concerned. I went to the doctors on Monday with him but nothing wrong was found, other then a slightly red throat. It's trying my patience to be honest but we will get over it.

Snow

After a long wait the first snow of the season has arrived. Initially it was only a bit, barely covering the ground but eventually it settled into a nice blanket of snow. It was the boys first snow and I was way more excited then them but next year will be different.

What they don't tell you

before you become a SMC is, that there will be days when you wish there was someone there who could give you a break, so you can keep your sanity.

Right now life with the boys is tough, at least when it comes to going to sleep. I don't mind that I need to be around them all the time when they are awake. Sure I don't get much done but I figured that out a long time ago and am OK with that. Plus they are too cute and growing way too quick. 

Going to sleep though is a different can of fish. Both of them have been fairly good sleepers, don't get me wrong they don't sleep through the night but they used to fall asleep pretty quickly at night (within 10 - 30 minutes) and when they wake up during the night, they get a bottle and are back to sleep in 10 minutes (Jacob) or turn around and latch on and are back to sleep immediately (Niklas). 

Now though going to be bed is feeling like a fight. It can take up to 2 hours (not even counting the amount of times I have to then go back in because one of them woke up again) and it's draining me. I know it's just a phase but when the few hours between 7ish and 9ish (the boys go to bed around 6pm) are the only hours were you can relax for a bit or get things done, it's draining. 

On the bright side, we had the first bits and pieces of snow this morning and it kept drizzling a bit of snow all through the day. Not enough to make a blanket of snow but it's a start.

2016

2016 is here, I didn't celebrate to be honest. Between the dogs being terrified of the fireworks and the boys, I was tired enough this morning & didn't need to spend all my time staying up. The boys didn't sleep well last night, well Niklas did once he finally was asleep, he slept right through the fireworks. Jacob was up 3 or 4 times until midnight, which is totally out of character for him. So I was slightly tired this morning...

2016 is here and with it some New Years Resolutions:



- adopt minimalism as a lifestyle (de-clutter home, don't buy things just because I want them etc.)

- be there in the moment with my kids (and take lot's of pictures)

- participate in the January Money Diet

- reduce debt's by €3.000 

- write a harvest log for 2016 (including what was planted in the garden, how much was harvested, what was it used for, how long did it last)

- re-introduce meat rabbits to the homestead and have a log for them too, including bought food but also sold rabbits etc