staying awake 101

so i do not like to go to sleep. i do not like naps, and i really really really do not like bed time. do you? i doubt it! here are a few of my methods for staying awake. they are not perfect, because i always end up falling asleep eventually. but i hope that you find them useful!

1. protest. sometimes this will buy you a couple minutes before the laying down happens. you might get to watch a homestar runner cartoon with daddy.

2. demand drink. juice is best, but i always end up with water, if anything. i am working on this one.

3. claim that something hurts. just the first thing that comes to mind. if you can not think of anything right away, just say, "...hurts!" this actually works out better for you in the long run, because then mom or dad have to figure out what hurts, in case something actually does.

4. kick off blanky. demand blanky. repeat.

5. engage the layer-down in conversation of any kind. usually a persistent "mom.".... "mom."........ "mom."....... will work. they cannot help but respond, even if it is just to say, "shhh. lay down and go to sleep, sam." tell them about every sound you hear. tell them about your day. sometimes if you are lucky, they will talk back a little bit before they remember you are supposed to be sleeping.

when all of those have worn out their usefulness, just fight to stay awake. here are some good methods:

1. kick and flail. motion and exertion keep your body awake. lift your head up and bang it down on the pillow. do whatever it takes.

2. inch your way up the pillow until it is completely uncomfortable or until you fall out of bed. it only hurts a little, and it is a sure way to keep yourself awake.

3. sing. it does not have to be a real song. just anything. make up your own words. this keeps your brain in it.

4. when all else fails, blink a lot.

kodak moment

left to right: daniel, ME, rebecca, jacob, rachel, and isaac

this is me and my cousins. we are arranged according to size and age, except the little bitty one, isaac. he can not really sit up by himself, and his head is still a little bit flopsy.

i overheard aunt keri and uncle michael telling mom and dad that they need to catch up, and mom and dad said that would only happen if they adopt a herd of 8 year olds. would they really do that?!?

p.s. i am wearing jacob's shoes, and the baby becky is holding is not real.

cousins

i have five cousins. three are older than i am, and two are younger. having cousins is really a good time. i got to see mine this weekend because it is daniel's birthday; he is 2! i remember when i turned two, and it was a lot of fun!
the thing is, i am not really that used to being around other kids, and it kind of surpises me when life does not really revolve around me. i am trying to learn how to deal with this, but it is really hard. what do you do, for instance, when daniel steals your toy that you are playing with? you love him, but you are mad at him. it is not like other random kids that you do not really know, and you would not mind hitting. i had a little bit of internal conflict, and i decided to hit him anyway. i mostly was just playing around, though, when i chased him through the house with those big plastic spoons, whacking him on the head. mostly.

lies.

so there have been some people who have written on my blog lately. most of them are friends of mine, and i am always real excited to read what they have to say. i apologize that i do not really ever respond to your comments on here, and i want you to know that i love you more for writing to me. please keep it up!

there are some other people who write on here, who i do not know. they all say the same thing, about how they like my blog, and i might like their blog too. let me tell you, that is a lie! never believe it when someone says something like, "you might find my blog inquisitive," and then they put a place where you can click it and it goes to their blog. it is never inquisitive! it is only stupid! never click those! to save you from wanting to click on those blogs and go there and be sad and not inquisitated, i made it where you have to type some letters that you see, in order to post here. it is very exciting, because i think it is a secret language! i have heard that the people with the inquisitive blogs do not know how to type the secret language! anyway, please keep writing and reading and posting. next time i see you, i will give you a good tickling, followed by some shrieky laughter!