The Harrer Happenings: 100 Stickers!

When we moved cross-country and into the temporary apartment, we moved with few toys and to a totally new environment for Ellie. New school, new bed, new town, without her toys, new friends, and no Aunt Susu. For the most part she dealt with it better than we could have expected or hoped. She didn't fall out of the twin sized bed, she adapted well and quickly to her new school, played well with the few toys we did bring, and got used to her new neighborhood and restaurants. When we moved to the house 6 months later, again her world was shaken. Another new room, another new bed, etc...

She stopped sleeping the night we moved to California. And things only got worse when we moved to the new house. Bedtimes were nightmares for us often lasting late into the night. Hardly a night went by when she stayed in her own bed; she would crawl into bed with me around 4am most nights.

So we started a sticker chart. If bedtimes were smooth and she stayed in her bed she earned a sticker. After 10 stickers she would get a little trinket or ice cream.

Then she got hooked on Playmobil figurines and she got ahold of the Playmobil catalog. We told her after she finished a chart, 10 stickers, she could pick out a new little figurine. She wanted the fairy castle she saw in the catalog and asked how many stickers that was. I told her 100 stickers, she would have to complete 10 sticker charts. After completing her first sticker chart, I asked her if she wanted to go get something little or save up for the castle. She wanted to save up.

Several months later and several more Playmobil catalogs she finally reached 100 stickers. She decided that she didn't want the castle, but the little playmobil pool with the water slide.

She actually finished her last chart while up in Santa Barbara at Camp Grandparents.

But when she got home there was a wrapped present on her bed waiting for her. She knew immediately what it was and opened it with gusto!

Nick and I put it together for her (while she looked over our shoulders very intently). Immediately she started playing with it. We put some water in it (it has a functioning shower) and she played for the rest of the after noon. This pool is her new favorite toy and she plays with it daily (without water in her playroom).