Elisabeth's Baby Blog

Meet Elisabeth

Elisabeth Hasselbeck has had many roles in her life - daughter, art student, shoe designer, Survivor contestant, wife, The View co-host, and many others, but her favorite by far is Mom.

Journal Entries

Week of December 10: MOMMY, WHY ARE YOU STILL IN YOUR P.J.'s?

Grace posed the question as we drove in the car the other day. True, I was still in my pajamas. Also true: it was close to 2pm. I had not even noticed myself…as I have been in the same outfit for nearly three weeks! Leave it to a two and a half year old to set you straight.

We headed home, singing Christmas carols, amidst the cacti! Upon setting foot in the door, I asked Grace if I should shower and get dressed. "Yes, please!" HA! I took a three minute shower, and put on my "transition jeans", which I have a love/hate relationship with, and felt like new.

Today, I went to the store with Grace, and she spent the whole time in the cart singing "SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN" at the TOP of her lungs. I was trying not to laugh as I loaded Christmas supplies into the cart! She has come a long way since we arrived here. I had given up on potty training, given that we were in a new state, with a new home, and a new baby… but she has been ripping her diaper off, and running to the potty once a day at least.

My main issue has been that she has needed someone to sleep with her until she is well into dreamland in her room for naps and nighttime. Three days ago, I was by myself, with Taylor crying for me to feed him, Grace needing a nap, and my level of exhaustion at an all-time high.

I began feeding Taylor, and set up a table for Grace to make a "Sleep Chart" for Santa. (I figured if the potty chart was working… this might too). We made the masterpiece below:

That is the phone we use to call Santa and tell him what a good job she has done.

I told her that Santa sees her everyday, and knows that she is a big sister now and that she can sleep in her bed all by herself. I told her that Santa also knows that she has so much courage that God gave her, and that she can remember her courage if she gets afraid. Every time she sleeps like a big girl, I added, we could add a Christmas decoration to the chart. She nodded along, still suspicious, I could tell. So- I resorted to pure bribery.

"AND IF YOU SLEEP LIKE A BIG GIRL, WE WILL GO TO THE TOY STORE AND YOU CAN PICK ANY TOY YOU WANT."

"Okay," she said, finally convinced.

I am not going to lie. I was desperate. After some tears, and a lot of stalling…then more tears…she DID IT. Yes, I was "that parent". Yes I gave in to the commercial world. But it worked. After three long, hard days, she is excited to wake up in her own room, add to her chart… and loves her Princess Backpack with lip-gloss!!

Now if I could only bribe Taylor!

Elisabeth

Make sure to visit us the week of the 17th - it will be the last note from the Hasselbecks until the new year!