I don't talk about my kids development very much because I don't want that to be my main focus on them. But every now and then it is kind of nice to step back and enjoy the progress they are making. This time I want to talk about Macy. That girl has been astounding me since she was a little baby. She just has so much spirit, ambition and independence. If she truly wants something she can generally find a way to get it. For example, a couple of days ago Asher and I did not get her out of the high chair fast enough so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Asher walked in as she stood up in her chair and climbed down the side of it to the floor. If it were me watching I think I would have freaked thinking she was going to fall. But Asher said she had no problems. I already knew that she was a climber. She can get out of her playpen with ease, and she has been climbing the ladder since and sliding down the slide since she was way too small. One time when she was about a year old, her high chair was about six inches away from the counter. I was in one of the bedrooms doing something when I walked out to check on her. She was no longer in her high chair. She was sitting on the counter eating chips.

I just wonder what she is going to be like when she gets older.

By the way, we did have a strap for the high chair threw it away after Natalie because I never really needed to use it.

Yeah! Bethany is sleeping through the night. You would think that after having four children so close together that I would have that kind of thing figured out, but guess not. Bethany used to sleep through the night, but about six months ago she started waking up wanting a bottle in the middle of the night. I think it started because of a growth spurt, but quickly became a habit. I have been putting up with getting up once or twice a night for so long now because I thought that because she would drink her whole bottle that she must be truly hungry. Natalie also used to have a bad habit of waking up at night, but she did not eat anything. I would try to feed her but she would go back to sleep. So I thought that Bethany was different. About a couple of weeks ago I was talking to Sheryl, my neighbor's sister-in-law and somehow she brought that subject up. She told me that she did not ever personally try it, but she knew somebody who used a method of not giving the baby a bottle or attention, but just going in there and patting him/her every 10 minutes. I had used that method with Natalie, minus the patting because she didn't even cry that long. But I had just thought I couldn't with Bethany because she really needed to eat. At that moment a light went off in my head and I realized, "Hey, she doesn't have to eat at night, she just wants to." Babies should be able to sleep through the night at her age. She wants to eat, but does not need to.

So here is how it went. The first night she cried for about a couple of hours because she was not getting what she was expecting. That was rough for everyone. Then slept through the rest of the night. Then for the next couple of nights she woke up and cried for about 20 min, then slept through the rest of the night. Now she usually sleeps for the whole night without waking up. This is great. I actually have a chance of sleeping through the night. (Is any mom with lots of kids ever guarenteed a full night's sleep?)

Speaking of Bethany, she is developing so fast. About the last week she started going through a growth spurt. She is crawling quite expertly, she has been standing up against the furniture and the other day she even took a couple of steps leaning on the couch. She is also eating big girl food like biter biscuits, bananas, potato wedges, cereal and even some crackers. She has four teeth now, so that really helps. Speaking of eating, man, that girl has been putting it away. I expected her to eat a little more because we dropped the night feedings, but oh my goodness. She has been eating every hour, on the hour. I just can't keep her full. I have been putting rice cereal in all her food just to keep something in her tummy. I sure hope it slows down soon.

The girls at Bible study just love her because she is too small to be shy. She will just crawl right up to them and get on their lap. She is loved and doted on by them. Macy is loved and gets lots of attention too, but Bethany is the favorite because Macy prefers Mommy.