We have three computers in our house.  Currently only one is working, and that’s after an hour working on it, to get it to work.  So my blogging and emailing has been less than sporadic. In sort of good news, Damara slept from 10:30 pm to 5:30 am two nights ago!  No crying it out or anything.  I nursed her to sleep, and cuddled with her on the couch for nearly an hour, then laid her down in her crib, fully expecting to just be settling into that comfy spot on my pillow.  She surprised me!  It didn’t happen again last night, but I’ve done this enough to know not to get premature in my excitement.  Anyway, both nights I didn’t sleep through, of course, but not really because of her.  I think she may have stayed asleep last night, at least longer than she did, but there were interruptions from her sister and the dog.  Lately, Copper has decided to conk out through the evening, and then spend the hours between midnight and when Greg gets up, waking us up every so often by jumping up with his front paws and smacking us.  Ouch!  We really don’t know what to do.  He seems so restless.  He used to sleep through the night too!  I guess it might as well happen all at once - baby and puppy - and hopefully we’ll get them both settled at night, and sleeping through.  Anyway, it was nice just to have some room to sleep - usually I’m perched on the edge of the bed with about six inches, while Damara takes up nearly two feet!  But if I move her or myself, she wakes up.  Anyhoo…thanks for all the comments.  I hope this computer issue works out soon - it’s power related on the laptop, the old laptop was replaced by the new one for the same reason….gah!  Irritating.  Cole turns EIGHT tomorrow.  No freaking way can I be old enough to have a child on the threshold of the double digits…..it’s just not possible!  How did it go so fast?  I don’t now how working moms handle it - at least I get to be with my kids all the time, and take in a lot.  But I was thinking about this the other day as I was cuddling Damara for the hundredth time - and because I wanted to, not because she was fussing for it.  I was feeling very sad for all the mommies and babies who spend most of their days apart.  I’m so thankful that I’m able (and encouraged by my husband) to be home with my children, and to homeschool.  Some days are hard - esp. this past year while recovering from baby and kidney stuff, and fighting PPD, but it is so worth it, and I wouldn’t be enticed away for anything.  This time is really precious to me.  Oh, and Andrea…your suggestion on catching up on sleep and eliminating outside activities, well we really are pretty much home all the time.  I do go out sometimes on Wed. afternoons, just because the kids and I are going squirrely, but other than that, we haven’t even been going to church for quite a while.  And I always wonder, how do other families do it?  All the extra-curricular stuff.  I have felt guilty for not getting my kids signed up for at least one thing, but I really don’t miss the stress of getting out the door.  They go to “Team Kid” (kind of like Awana) at their cousins’ church on Wednesday evenings, so we’re already out in the afternoon.  That makes one trip out of the house a week.  And usually one evening or maybe Sat. to get groceries with Daddy.  I’d nap if I could, but with Greg gone so many hours through the day, it’s usually dinner time when he gets home, then bedtime for the kids, and too close to bedtime for me to nap.  Besides, Damara is just starting to be okay hanging out with Daddy.  She thinks he awesome, and gets excited when he comes home, but she wants Mommy in the evenings.  Daddy’s got hairy boo-bies!  lol! And three years….that’s what I’m afraid of!