#sleuths who take daily naps

[leslea]

The Happy Isles

I'm really jonesing for my next puzzle, The Happy Isle by Magic Puzzles, but I promised myself I wouldn't start on it until I'm at least 50% through my second pass over my latest WIP. I'm at 45%, so palm trees and aggravating straight edge pieces are definitely on the horizon. 

Besides denying myself the joy of a jigsaw puzzle, another thing I do to try and get myself over the hump of procrastination is allow myself to play a round of PVP on Guild Wars 2 in between 10 minute sessions of editing. I'll probably draw out the sessions to 15 minutes. I feel like PVP is getting more screen time than Miss Fitz at this point, and that's really not fair.

It's not like I don't want to do the work. I actually really am enjoying the story, the characters, and the process. There is just something hard-wired in me that fights that actual process. Are all writers like this? I think at some point we all are. The fun part of having the idea is like the sex before the baby. Nine long months of labor and 18+ of raising the kid, and you're like, why did I do this? Oh, yeah.

I fear I have just outed myself as a horrible mother.

There are authors who barrel through the work like a blur. I am not one of them. I'm not going to try to be. I'm pretty happy with my work, but I totally appreciate my superfast friends. They are super cool and I look to their example when I ask myself if I am denying myself the pleasure of writing/editing, or what. Because sometimes I am, and that's just self-flagellation, isn't it? It's okay to not work on a lousy $9/hour project if I've got the energy to write, right? And then I do it. Because I can. Sometimes I have to remind myself that other authors are allowed to write, and so am I. We are all allowed to write. It’s not a crime. It’s not a sin.

This particular WIP was possibly my fastest first draft, taking about six or seven weeks from start to finish, and although I always feel like I put a lot of myself into my stories, this one feels like it's right out of my present life as a mom of four, unlike any other novel I've written. So, is that good? Sure. It's something I've struggled for years to try to understand how to do, and I have to thank Emma Jameson specifically for not only encouraging me to write about my life, but also to dabble with fictionalizing it. 

I don't want to jinx myself because I'm only working through a draft--it's not like it's out for sale and getting rave reviews just yet. But I do feel good about it.

So I suppose that is my long-winded way of saying, I have learned that even when I really love what I'm working on, I will still have days when I would rather clean the air filters and the dog's ears than sit down for 15 minutes and edit my own work.

And to be honest, I have always loved what I’m working on, even when it was really, REALLY awful (and I knew it was awful, and it was meant to be awful). I suppose I’m just accepting that this is me. I have to bribe and trick myself sometimes, but maybe I love that. Maybe I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

[spices-and-cherries]

Being domestic with Benoit Blanc would include...

There’s not nearly enough content for this wonderful man and so here I am, making it myself. I hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: Fluff

- You! Have! Matching! Mugs! You had seen a nice mug set for couples and had asked Benoit if he’d be okay with it. He said yes! A few months later, he had come home from a trip and surprised you with a new set. He bought them as a souvenir and thought you’d like them. Now, you have four sets. If it weren’t for the fact that you don’t really need an exorbitant amount of mugs, you’d probably have more.

- He’s messy. Not in a bad or gross way, he just tends to be disorganized. He’s one of those people who know exactly where everything is even though the place looks like a train wreck. It’s for that exact reason that you don’t go into his office very often (unless it’s to bring him a snack).

- His closet, on the other hand, is very neat. It’s most because he doesn’t have much there to begin with. He just sticks with what he likes and only gets new clothes when he really needs to. That being said, he has one drawer from your dresser just for his ties. He usually picks them out based on his mood and he takes his time to choose the right one. Pro Tip: Get him one for the holidays or for his birthday. He’ll wear it for a week straight.

- He doesn’t tend to take cases that are out of the region. He likes being in the comfort of his home and you - it helps him think better than some hotel room. He always asks if he can talk his thoughts out loud and you almost always say yes. It didn’t take long for him to start bouncing ideas off of you.

- He loves helping you out with your job just as much as you helping him. He’ll listen to you with all of his attention when you feel you need to go through your presentation just one more time. He likes to learn and likes to hear your voice. It makes him feel better about him always talking about cases - he doesn’t want you to feel like he’s taking and not giving. Of course, you’ve never thought that because you love to hear him talk and to see him get excited.

- You’ve split the chores and do as much of it as possible on Saturday. The both of you try to make it as fun as possible with music playing or having jeopardy in the background (the winner gets a forehead kiss). There is no laundry machine in your apartment, so you have to go downstairs. Folding and hanging it when it’s done, while a bit tedious, is the best part. You get to rest a little and talk about the week or anything new that’s caught your interest.

- At some point, you get a cat. He has short hair and is a sand color. His name is Sleuth. You and Benoit took almost a week to find the perfect name. You take turns feeding him and taking care of the litterbox. Sleuth is pretty affectionate and will most definitely sit on you as you cuddle on the couch. You may or may not have a folder of Sleuth and Benoit napping together saved on your phone. When you need to take five at work, it’s usually the first thing you go to. They make you feel fuzzy inside.

- You really want to have at least one plant, but Benoit doesn’t have the attention span and you’ve always had bad luck with them. You settle on a nice arrangement of cacti instead. They sit along the windowsill in the living room.

- He always let you use the bathroom first. You never really understood it so one day you dragged him in with you so you could brush your teeth together. Now, it’s a daily routine. Maybe you’ll shave at the same time or do your make-up next to him. This is also how you got him into skincare. He has very delicate skin, but he always stuck with moisturizer. You offer some of your foam cleanser and he accepts out of curiosity. He ends up liking it, so you buy another bottle. He was very touched.

- After getting sleuth, he brushes the hair off his favorite coat every morning. You end up getting him a lint roller because it was getting a little ridiculous.

- You now have an affinity for cigars. He usually smokes them outside out of concern for your shared space - not to mention Sleuth. You find that the smell of cigar smoke and his aftershave becomes very comforting. Maybe at some point you’ll give it a try. Maybe you’ll even enjoy it or decide to save it for special occasions. If you are ever curious about cigars, he would be more than happy to tell you anything you want to know.

- Benoit is sober. He finds that alcohol can mess with his brain and he doesn’t like the feeling of not being in complete control of himself or having no awareness of what’s around him. He totally respects it if you do enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or relaxing with a can of beer. For fancy occasions, like an anniversary or a holiday dinner, he may have a glass of wine and actually enjoy it. While he doesn’t have a lot of experience with wine, he does like white over red because it’s not as bitter. Either way, he’s the most content with his cigars.

- Sometimes, when the both of you can afford to stay up late, you put on a movie. While he enjoys mysteries, he has a strong affinity for older comedies and musicals. They remind him of his childhood. Some of his favorites are My Fair Lady (1964), Harvey (1950), and anything Charlie Chaplin. He also enjoys more modern comedies, not just because of the humor, but because you were the one to recommend them. He makes sure that there’s always enough popcorn and blankets and enough space for Sleuth to join you. These little dates are some of your favorites.

- You’re not the biggest fan of shoes in the apartment - you like to keep them by the door. Benoit makes an effort to remember to take his off when he comes home.

- He likes hearing you sing, whether it’s while you work or washing the dishes. He’ll try to keep as quite as possible so you won’t stop. On the rare occasion that you spot him and continue singing (you usually clam up immediately), he’ll sing or hum along.

- He’s really good at listening. If you are crying, he’ll just hold you close to him, rubbing your back or kissing the top of your head. He’ll wait until you want to talk and always knows what to say or when to not say anything at all. It’s not often that he himself will cry. If something happened at work, he won’t talk much. It doesn’t happen a lot, but you can see the tells and will let him have his space. You might have to baby him a little to get him to eat because he will forget. When the two of you go to bed, he becomes the little spoon and will melt into your arms. You’ll rub his back and run your hand comfortingly through his hair.

- He’s not super into PDA, but loves cuddles. He likes to be the little spoon when you’re on the couch taking a nap. He loves having your hands running through his hair. If you two are sitting, you’ll be resting your head on his shoulder and your arms around his. In bed, unless he’s sad, he is the big spoon. He like feeling like he’s protecting you. He will make you wear socks if your toes are cold, but finds it amusing if they end up anywhere but your feet by morning.

- He radiates heat. You end up eating less pasta during summer because for some reason it makes him almost unbearably warm. It makes him sad that you are less willing to cuddle with him as a result. But in winter, it’s a whole other story. It’s the best time to cuddle because he’s almost like a weighted blanket. Hot cocoa, blankets, a movie and Benoit Blanc equal a wonderful winter weekend. It’s also the only time of the year that you demand he holds your hand when you find yourselves outside. At first, bless his heart, he thought it was because you kept forgetting your gloves (which was partly true) and kept reminding you to not forget them - he grabbed them himself at one point. If you just tell him you want to hold his hand, he’ll understand a lot quicker.

- He’s not very good in the kitchen. You try and teach him, but at this point, it’s a lost cause. He makes up for it by cleaning up the mess after. However, if you decide to do something super easy, you like to make him wear your ‘kiss the chef’ apron because it absolutely looks better on him than you.

Please feel free to send me requests or ideas! I really liked making this one, so I might do a Part 2... 

- Simpy

[ryanjkohnson]

Leopard Spirit Animal | Full Guide With All Traits

Want to know all the traits and specifics about the Leopard Spirit Animal?

In this lenghty guide, I will try to give you all the facts and important know how’s about this spirit animal.

If you want to read more about spirit guides in general, you can check out this page.

High up in a tree in sub-Saharan Africa slinks a majestic creature.

This solitary feline enjoys its own company more than anything else.

You might catch a leopard or Panthera Pardus as it’s known in Latin.

Taking a mid-day nap before it’s nightly prowl, or perhaps you’ll catch a brief glimpse of the reddish glow of its eyes reflecting moonlight through the tall grass.

Crown Jewel of Nature

The leopard is undoubtedly a crown jewel of nature. The sublime leopard can make a noble guide for your soul. If the leopard is your spirit animal, it’s important to understand the symbolism that it embodies and how that correlates and entwines with your life. Let’s take a brief journey outside of the savanna grassland and into the realm of the symbolic to discover what it means for a leopard to be your spirit animal.

What is the symbolism of a leopard?

In order for us to get a solid understanding of what lessons, teachings, and symbolism that the leopard has for us, we must take a look at the various ways the leopard can be interpreted from multiple angles both figuratively and literally. First, we will take a peek at leopards in their natural environment and what qualities they possess.

Characteristics of Leopards in Nature

Leopards are perfectly satisfied with flying solo.

They rarely are seen with other leopards, except for when mating or raising their offspring.

They take great pride in being fiercely independent and are able to sustain themselves through their own cunning and might. These mighty beasts are nocturnal, spending most of their days high up in trees sleeping or grooming.

When night falls they tap into their intuition and intellect to guide them towards success.

Leopards are known as ambush predators.

They have mastered the art of stealth.

They are expert sleuths who keep quiet and hidden until the moment is right to strike.

Leopards are incredibly sagely creatures that seem to embrace a level of enlightenment rarely found in nature. They instinctively know the psychology of their targets when they have taken to the hunt. There is much reason why some ancient cultures held felines in high spiritual regard. They see and sense in ways that are not easily grasped by us humans. Agility is another one of the leopard’s great strengths. When in hot pursuit of their prey or running from danger, they’ve been known to run up to 24 mph (38 kph). Although they can be quite quick when the moment is right, they conserve their energy for when it’s needed the most.

Their Traits Make Them Excellent Guides

This highlights their keen restraint. From taking a look at leopards in the wild, we learn that they possess quite a few personality traits that make them excellent guides. We can learn much from these traits and they can also be the overlapping qualities that determine their role in our lives as spiritual escorts.

Leopard Personality Traits

Solitary and Independent

Intuitive and Deductive

Intelligent and Wise

Agile and Nimble

Prudent and Cautious

Leopards in Dreams – What They Can Mean

Our spirit animals often approach us in the dream world.

Dreams are rarely straight forward. They are often blanketed in symbolism and metaphor. If we can decode this ethereal language, we can better follow the instructions and wisdom of our animal guides. Encountering a leopard in your dreams may be a harrowing experience or one that brings us great peace and a sense of awe. Fear not, my fellow dreamers. An encounter with a leopard in the realm of your slumbers is nothing short of a life-affirming sign! Or at least most of the time.

Good Dreams

Leopards are often seen as a symbol of perseverance and reward. Your handwork has reached the stage of completion and will shortly pay off. Maybe you’ve been struggling with a task or a project for a long time. Your leopard spirit animal reassures you that your hard work and persistence have not gone unnoticed. You will be blessed for the investment you’ve made. Perhaps you’ve struggled with courage at times in life. Your leopard guide is visiting your dreams to tell you that you will overcome whatever obstacles stand in your way. The leopard shares with you a message of strength. Remember how fiercely independent leopards are? Well, that quality of self-determination makes them excellent archetypes of a strong powerful leader. Just like the leopard who steadfastly achieves all of its goals while providing for its own needs in full, you too possess those abilities.

Bad Dreams

Not every instance of encountering a leopard in your dreams is a message of triumphant victory.

Sometimes the context of your encounter with your spotted animal teacher can help you deduce the lesson. For example, if you dream of a leopard attacking you, this could be seen as a sign of great obstacles coming your way. Even though you will likely overcome these hurdles, it may be seen as a call to action to tap into your inner strength, cunning, and intellect to tackle the adversity on the horizon. Our leopard friends are excellent at hide-and-seek. Their coat is a beautiful example of camouflage. If your dream of just it’s coat their may a lesson about something hidden in your life.

It can be seen by some to a warning that someone in your life is being deceitful.

Be on the look-out for wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Not all that glitters is gold.

The Leopard and Your Strengths

Your spirit animal wants to express to you that you have a great deal of beauty within you.

Not only are you physically attractive, but your confidence is magnetic.

Just as the leopard is master of their domain, you too have control over your environment and the outcome of the situations you manifest in your life. The leopard gets what it wants. When you put an intention out into the universe, if you tap into that determination that the leopard embodies, you will surely come out ahead. You can achieve the apex standing within your social groups.

Don’t doubt yourself.

Grace and charm are tools in the leopard’s arsenal that propel them through their lives. When the leopard is your guide, you too hold the keys to finesse and elegance. The leopard is always sure-footed. You never see any of the big cats clumsily making mistakes. They never slip when they delicately walk across narrow tree limbs. They quietly stalk their prey without sounding any alarms. By taking note of your leopard guide, you can learn to fully embrace the poise that sits within us.

Your leopard spirit guide wants you to have faith in yourself. You are strong, powerful, capable, and equipped to succeed in your goals. You just need to believe in yourself and not fall victim to doubt or insecurity.

Why This Spirit Animal Can Give Luck

Not only are you extraordinarily lucky to have such an intriguing spirit guide, but the leopard is also a symbol of great luck coming your way.

Dance to the rhythm of your own drum. Be you and never look back. You don’t have to be someone you aren’t just to appease society and to find success. Will you give up when the going gets tough? Of course not! Your leopard spirit teacher is guiding you to assured success. You will easily leap over the barriers that life presents to you.

You can easily navigate through the darkness of night with sharp eyes and determined vision, because you know that failure isn’t an option for you.

The world is in your paws.

You Are the Center of Attention

It’s not always easy being at the top of the food chain.

When you excel in so many ways, it may make you feel like all of the attention is constantly being directed towards you.

This can be quite overwhelming especially when you’re having an off-day or going through some kind of hardship. You might even try to escape the limelight and evade the gaze of others. The leopard knows all too well what it’s like for its adversaries to be ever on the lookout for its flaws.

When you shine so brightly, you’re sure to make a few enemies.

Your spirit guide want’s you to brush that dirt off your shoulders. You know better. There will always be haters and those jealous of your successes. That’s just part of the circle of life. Hold on to your confidence. This is your opportunity to seize the day and prove your worth.

Final Words of Guidance From the Leopard

Navigating through this thing called life can throw you so many curveballs.

Obstacles will always be in our way. The important thing is to never give up when we reach these walls. You have the power, strength, courage, wisdom, and intuition to succeed even when it seems like a longshot. Remember the symbolism of the leopard when you’re going about your daily life. You will achieve your goals and reap the rewards of your success. Don’t be afraid to walk your own path. Take the road less traveled. You don’t need to follow others because you have the relentless spirit of independence that will guide you to exciting uncharted territory.

I really hope that you liked this guide about the Leopard Spirit Animal. Hopefully you have learned about their traits and how you can take advantage of those, if this is your spirit guide.

Also, PLEASE share this article with like-minded spirits.

Doing that really helps me to grow this blog.

Have a lovely day!

Bless you!

The post Leopard Spirit Animal | Full Guide With All Traits appeared first on Healing of Love.

Leopard Spirit Animal | Full Guide With All Traits posted first on https://healingoflove.com/

[heathergoffrier]

17 Insanely Powerful Tips For Getting Newborn To Sleep At Night

When you struggle getting newborn to sleep, you miss your own rest and time to get stuff done. Discover 17 hacks to help baby sleep and give you a break! Also, get my Top 6 Newborn Sleep Tips- free download! SEND ME THE SLEEP TIPS This is the fourth post in my "Newborn Sleep" Series. Be sure to check out the other posts in the series and stay tuned for new additions!

We hope you enjoy the products we recommend!  This post may contain affiliate links. That means we get a portion of the commission if you click through and make a purchase, but you don't pay a cent more. Thank you for supporting our small business as we strive to help you rock mom life! I remember one night I had the hardest time getting my newborn to sleep. I had tried everything I could think of to soothe her, and I was exhausted. She had eaten, she was tired, and she had a clean diaper. I was ready to give up trying, and I felt like a failure. Why won't this baby stop crying?!?! After going down the list of everything I could think of, I decided to look at her more closely to see if I could find anything wrong. As I searched, I finally found the reason for her distress: My baby had one of my long hairs wrapped between her fingers. I don't know why it bugged her so much, but once I removed it, she went happily to sleep. Babies are a mystery, and sometimes they cry for no reason. However, often they have a reason for their complaining, and it's up to us as moms to figure it out. And a new mom, you might not know that you have a ton of resources, hacks, and tools available to help you troubleshoot what's keeping your baby awake. Here's a list of tips to help you get your infant to sleep, so you can get some sleep as well!

17 Insanely Powerful Tips For Getting Newborn To Sleep At Night

1- Infant Fighting Sleep? Check For Something Bothering Baby Sometimes babies just cry. But often there is something legit bothering them, and it's up to us moms to sleuth it out. Start by checking: Is baby's crib under a vent and they don't like air blowing on them? Are they too cold and need another layer or sleep sack? Is baby too hot and needs you to take off a layer or adjust room temperature?Are they not feeling well or have a fever?Wet diaper?Piece of hair in their pjs, mouth or stuck between their toes or fingers?Is something stuck inside their footie pajamas that you didn't see in the laundry.Do they need to burp?Fingers or toes stuck in a weird position inside clothing? Did a sleep sack rotate around or get stuck underneath them so they can't kick their feet?Swaddling baby at night? Maybe the swaddle came loose or is too tight. 2- Create A Bedtime Routine I know that since newborns sleep all the time, it's hard to feel like they have a "bedtime." But it's good to start carving out the time in your mind that you'd like their bedtime to be, even if you get them up for a dream feed and they wake during the night. Carry out baby's nightly routine in the same order each time. For example: Bath time, diaper, lotion, pjs, sing a song, *nursing/bottle, snuggle until almost asleep, then gently set in bed. *If you’re using a Dream feed in the later evening and you just fed baby recently, put them to down to bed before another feed. Then get up for the dream feed (learn more in my Top 6 Newborn Sleep Tips below!)

SEND ME THE SLEEP TIPS 3- Getting Newborn To Sleep With A Bathtime Before Bed A regular bath time before bed can be a soothing part of the bedtime routine. We actually didn't do nightly baths, but I know many moms who loved including it as part of the routine. We gave baths 1-3 times per week, but if baby was especially fussy we would be sure to include bath time. Baths can have a calming affect on babies, and as their body temperature gradually cools after bath time, it can naturally help them drift off (as long as they're not getting TOO cold!). One reason we didn't bathe every night is that our kids are prone to dry skin and eczema, and bathing too often can dry a baby's skin out. However, every baby is different, so take some time and observation to discover what works best for your baby and your family. 4- Watch Baby For Sleep Cues Babies give clues to when they're ready to sleep, and they aren't always what you think. In fact, sometimes it will seem like your baby is wide awake and ready to party, but if you lay them down for a nap they'll go right to sleep. Learning sleep cues is a must for every mom because it will help you know exactly when to get baby down for a nap. You may have been looking for ways to help baby sleep when what you actually need to know is when to put them down. Here are some examples of sleep cues: YawningRubbing eyesWide-eyed stareGetting fussyAvoiding eye contactActing quieter and more calm For a complete list of sleep cues, check out this post. One thing I learned from the book "Secrets Of The Baby Whisperer" is to put baby down by the third yawn. Or you could say, once you've seen three sleep cues they should already be in bed. 5- Choose Soft Bedding That Doesn't Chafe When we had our first daughter, my sister in law gave me some great advice about crib bedding. She said that as cute as some patterns and nursery decor can be, some of those materials can be hard on baby's skin. Over time, those cute but low quality fabrics can be like an annoying tag on the back of your shirt-- itchy, irritating and maybe even causing a rash. Instead, she recommended chenille for all crib bedding, which can help prevent baby's face from getting red and raw from a low quality material. I took her advice, and I've been very happy that my babies' faces stayed soft and healthy, and they didn't have sleep issues because of any chafing on their skin.

For our oldest's nursery, we used cute designs on the changing pad instead of the crib sheets. 6- A Night Light When my kids were babies they didn't need a nightlight. But as they got older (around 18 months) they seemed to like having a light in their rooms. Deciding to give them a nightlight wasn't an exact science. On a night they were particularly fussy, we thought, "Hmmm maybe they'd like some light." When we plugged it in and they seemed to sleep better, we kept it ever since. Parenting is a lot of trial and error: you try things and figure out what works and what doesn't. It takes time and a bit of frustration sometimes, but you will learn a ton about your child in the process. But I will say that having a nightlight has helped my kiddos settle down in their rooms, so it's worth a shot if you don't already use one When your kids get older you might want a cute decorative or character nightlight. But in the early stages, one with an on/off switch is really handy. Then you can pop it on for the diaper change and to get situated for a feed. If you have a soft light bulb, it will light the room without overstimulating baby. 7- To Diaper Change, or Not? When feeding baby at night, one thing to test is whether or not you need to change baby's diaper. I would have loved to skip the diaper change, and many moms swear that avoiding it helps their babies go right back to sleep. But my babies were pee-machines, and they hated being wet. So I ended up changing them every time. In my experience, changing their diapers at night didn't prevent my kids from falling right back to sleep. I think the daily routine we used throughout the day and night gave them a predictable schedule and ability to head right back to lala land. You might be able to get away with not changing it, so it's something to try out. 8- Should you sing a lullaby or play music? Baby loves to hear your voice, so of course you can sing to baby. However, just be sure to sing at a soft, low level and sing a soothing melody. If you start rocking out at bedtime, baby will perk up and not be in the sleeping mood.

9- Minimize Talking To Baby In The Middle Of The Night Along those lines, talking or singing to your baby in the middle of the night will perk up your child, which is the exact opposite of what you want at 3 am. Your warm touch and snuggles will be enough to show your love, so don't make too much noise or stimulate their senses if you want them to go back to sleep quickly. 10- Use A White Noise Machine We didn't use a white noise machine until our third child, and looking back I wonder why? They are SO helpful for getting baby to sleep, and drowning out noises in the house that could keep your child awake. I highly recommend them! We use this one.

We used a Graco Pack N Play as our bassinet in the beginning. 11- Try Blackout Curtains Blackout curtains can help your baby fall asleep earlier and stay asleep longer, especially when you live where there's a lot of light in the summer. We live in the pacific northwest, and in the middle of summer it's still light at 10pm or later. And let me tell you, neither me nor my husband want our kids up at 10pm. That's our time! Hanging blackout curtains helps a baby's body learn their circadian rhythms and get used to day vs. night. I hang them behind a set of thinner curtains so I don't have to use them if I don't need them. For example, I don't pull the blackout curtains during daytime naps. This helps baby learn to sleep when there's a bit of light. It also helps their body start to register that it's not nighttime yet, so they learn to really zonk out at night (instead of having an all-night party that you have to attend). If your newborn baby sleeps all day, then you have problem! Make sure you wake them up to get regular feeds during the day so they sleep well at night. You can learn more about that strategy in my Top 6 Newborn Sleep Tips here: SEND ME THE SLEEP TIPS 12- Keep Lighting Dim Along with blocking light from outside, you'll want to keep the room lighting to a minimum at bedtime and during night feeds. If you can turn on a night light instead of an overhead light, you won't be overstimulating baby's senses. Low lights can signal to baby that it's sleepy time, which will help them fall asleep way easier! Score! 13- Place A Microwaveable Heating Pad In Crib To Warm It If your house runs cold or your baby tends to get cold, try heating up the crib with a microwaveable rice bag or heating pad. As long as you remove it and check the crib to make sure it's not too hot before putting baby down, a heating pad can help ease the transition from warm mom or dad to warm bed. 14- Create A Daily Routine For Better Baby Sleep I see a lot of women jumping into sleep training without having any type of daytime schedule or even a bedtime routine. But a good night sleep for baby starts with a consistent (but not rigid) daytime routine. If you have predictable habits for when baby eats, plays (even if it's just lying on a playmat), your baby will be primed and ready for nighttime sleep. So as counter-intuitive as it seems, before you jump into sleep training, be sure to have a solid daytime plan in place.

15- Upgrade Your Infant Sleep Training Plan As I mentioned above, if you don't have a daytime plan, or if you feel your current sleep training strategy is never going to work, it's time to upgrade to a better plan. RELATED: GET MY TOP 6 NEWBORN SLEEP TIPS- FREE DOWNLOAD 16- The Pick up / Put down Method The pick up/put down method can help baby get used to falling asleep on their own, while you're still available and present to help calm them down. How it works: If baby fusses when you put them down, you calmly pick them back up and snuggle them until they're quiet. Wait until they're drowsy and almost asleep (but not all the way out), then put them back down. Continue to pick up/ put down until they're asleep in bed. Yes, this method can take a while, but it's worthwhile to help baby learn to fall asleep on their own while still reassuring them you're there for them. 17- You’re NOT a Failure You’re not a failure. It takes time to get to know your baby and get into a routine. I know it's frustrating when it feels like there's nothing more you can do after the 1000 things you've tried. When you're exhausted and spent and it's the middle of the night, and why won't they just go to sleep??? I have been there. Every baby has their moments, no matter how good of a sleeper they may be. They may fight sleep, they will cry. Some of it is just babies being babies. And some of it is a learning process as you get to know your baby and grow in your parenting skills. Rest assured, you can do this and you will get through it. And of course, some babies do have deeper issues like colic, feeding struggles, and other health issues that need attention. Don't hesitate to contact your baby's provider when your mom-gut tells you something is wrong!

Resources For Getting Newborn To Sleep:

Book: Secrets of the Baby WhispererChenille beddingBlackout curtainsCharacter Nightlight or Nightlight with a switchWhite Noise MachineMicrowaveable heating padSleep Sack

My Top 6 Newborn Sleep Tips- Free Download

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Leopard Spirit Animal | Full Guide With All Traits

Want to know all the traits and specifics about the Leopard Spirit Animal?

In this lenghty guide, I will try to give you all the facts and important know how’s about this spirit animal.

If you want to read more about spirit guides in general, you can check out this page.

High up in a tree in sub-Saharan Africa slinks a majestic creature.

This solitary feline enjoys its own company more than anything else.

You might catch a leopard or Panthera Pardus as it’s known in Latin.

Taking a mid-day nap before it’s nightly prowl, or perhaps you’ll catch a brief glimpse of the reddish glow of its eyes reflecting moonlight through the tall grass.

Crown Jewel of Nature

The leopard is undoubtedly a crown jewel of nature. The sublime leopard can make a noble guide for your soul. If the leopard is your spirit animal, it’s important to understand the symbolism that it embodies and how that correlates and entwines with your life. Let’s take a brief journey outside of the savanna grassland and into the realm of the symbolic to discover what it means for a leopard to be your spirit animal.

What is the symbolism of a leopard?

In order for us to get a solid understanding of what lessons, teachings, and symbolism that the leopard has for us, we must take a look at the various ways the leopard can be interpreted from multiple angles both figuratively and literally. First, we will take a peek at leopards in their natural environment and what qualities they possess.

Characteristics of Leopards in Nature

Leopards are perfectly satisfied with flying solo.

They rarely are seen with other leopards, except for when mating or raising their offspring.

They take great pride in being fiercely independent and are able to sustain themselves through their own cunning and might. These mighty beasts are nocturnal, spending most of their days high up in trees sleeping or grooming.

When night falls they tap into their intuition and intellect to guide them towards success.

Leopards are known as ambush predators.

They have mastered the art of stealth.

They are expert sleuths who keep quiet and hidden until the moment is right to strike.

Leopards are incredibly sagely creatures that seem to embrace a level of enlightenment rarely found in nature. They instinctively know the psychology of their targets when they have taken to the hunt. There is much reason why some ancient cultures held felines in high spiritual regard. They see and sense in ways that are not easily grasped by us humans. Agility is another one of the leopard’s great strengths. When in hot pursuit of their prey or running from danger, they’ve been known to run up to 24 mph (38 kph). Although they can be quite quick when the moment is right, they conserve their energy for when it’s needed the most.

Their Traits Make Them Excellent Guides

This highlights their keen restraint. From taking a look at leopards in the wild, we learn that they possess quite a few personality traits that make them excellent guides. We can learn much from these traits and they can also be the overlapping qualities that determine their role in our lives as spiritual escorts.

Leopard Personality Traits

Solitary and Independent

Intuitive and Deductive

Intelligent and Wise

Agile and Nimble

Prudent and Cautious

Leopards in Dreams – What They Can Mean

Our spirit animals often approach us in the dream world.

Dreams are rarely straight forward. They are often blanketed in symbolism and metaphor. If we can decode this ethereal language, we can better follow the instructions and wisdom of our animal guides. Encountering a leopard in your dreams may be a harrowing experience or one that brings us great peace and a sense of awe. Fear not, my fellow dreamers. An encounter with a leopard in the realm of your slumbers is nothing short of a life-affirming sign! Or at least most of the time.

Good Dreams

Leopards are often seen as a symbol of perseverance and reward. Your handwork has reached the stage of completion and will shortly pay off. Maybe you’ve been struggling with a task or a project for a long time. Your leopard spirit animal reassures you that your hard work and persistence have not gone unnoticed. You will be blessed for the investment you’ve made. Perhaps you’ve struggled with courage at times in life. Your leopard guide is visiting your dreams to tell you that you will overcome whatever obstacles stand in your way. The leopard shares with you a message of strength. Remember how fiercely independent leopards are? Well, that quality of self-determination makes them excellent archetypes of a strong powerful leader. Just like the leopard who steadfastly achieves all of its goals while providing for its own needs in full, you too possess those abilities.

Bad Dreams

Not every instance of encountering a leopard in your dreams is a message of triumphant victory.

Sometimes the context of your encounter with your spotted animal teacher can help you deduce the lesson. For example, if you dream of a leopard attacking you, this could be seen as a sign of great obstacles coming your way. Even though you will likely overcome these hurdles, it may be seen as a call to action to tap into your inner strength, cunning, and intellect to tackle the adversity on the horizon. Our leopard friends are excellent at hide-and-seek. Their coat is a beautiful example of camouflage. If your dream of just it’s coat their may a lesson about something hidden in your life.

It can be seen by some to a warning that someone in your life is being deceitful.

Be on the look-out for wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Not all that glitters is gold.

The Leopard and Your Strengths

Your spirit animal wants to express to you that you have a great deal of beauty within you.

Not only are you physically attractive, but your confidence is magnetic.

Just as the leopard is master of their domain, you too have control over your environment and the outcome of the situations you manifest in your life. The leopard gets what it wants. When you put an intention out into the universe, if you tap into that determination that the leopard embodies, you will surely come out ahead. You can achieve the apex standing within your social groups.

Don’t doubt yourself.

Grace and charm are tools in the leopard’s arsenal that propel them through their lives. When the leopard is your guide, you too hold the keys to finesse and elegance. The leopard is always sure-footed. You never see any of the big cats clumsily making mistakes. They never slip when they delicately walk across narrow tree limbs. They quietly stalk their prey without sounding any alarms. By taking note of your leopard guide, you can learn to fully embrace the poise that sits within us.

Your leopard spirit guide wants you to have faith in yourself. You are strong, powerful, capable, and equipped to succeed in your goals. You just need to believe in yourself and not fall victim to doubt or insecurity.

Why This Spirit Animal Can Give Luck

Not only are you extraordinarily lucky to have such an intriguing spirit guide, but the leopard is also a symbol of great luck coming your way.

Dance to the rhythm of your own drum. Be you and never look back. You don’t have to be someone you aren’t just to appease society and to find success. Will you give up when the going gets tough? Of course not! Your leopard spirit teacher is guiding you to assured success. You will easily leap over the barriers that life presents to you.

You can easily navigate through the darkness of night with sharp eyes and determined vision, because you know that failure isn’t an option for you.

The world is in your paws.

You Are the Center of Attention

It’s not always easy being at the top of the food chain.

When you excel in so many ways, it may make you feel like all of the attention is constantly being directed towards you.

This can be quite overwhelming especially when you’re having an off-day or going through some kind of hardship. You might even try to escape the limelight and evade the gaze of others. The leopard knows all too well what it’s like for its adversaries to be ever on the lookout for its flaws.

When you shine so brightly, you’re sure to make a few enemies.

Your spirit guide want’s you to brush that dirt off your shoulders. You know better. There will always be haters and those jealous of your successes. That’s just part of the circle of life. Hold on to your confidence. This is your opportunity to seize the day and prove your worth.

Final Words of Guidance From the Leopard

Navigating through this thing called life can throw you so many curveballs.

Obstacles will always be in our way. The important thing is to never give up when we reach these walls. You have the power, strength, courage, wisdom, and intuition to succeed even when it seems like a longshot. Remember the symbolism of the leopard when you’re going about your daily life. You will achieve your goals and reap the rewards of your success. Don’t be afraid to walk your own path. Take the road less traveled. You don’t need to follow others because you have the relentless spirit of independence that will guide you to exciting uncharted territory.

I really hope that you liked this guide about the Leopard Spirit Animal. Hopefully you have learned about their traits and how you can take advantage of those, if this is your spirit guide.

Also, PLEASE share this article with like-minded spirits.

Doing that really helps me to grow this blog.

Have a lovely day!

Bless you!

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