Archive for April, 2009

« Older Entries

Sleep Training

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

So … it wasn’t as hard as I thought.

First night – I nursed him, layed him in his crib and he cried for about 25 minutes before crashing (sitting on his butt bent over – soooo flexible!). He woke up twice. Neither time did I nurse him. The first time he cried for about 40 minutes then back to sleep. Second time I changed his diaper (again no nursing) and then he cried for about 45 minutes … then out. Woke at 7:45 am and hung out in his crib for about half hour.

Second night … I was totally prepared for disaster (I’d heard the 2nd night was harder than the first). Well … I nursed him, layed him in his crib awake and our little super star went right to sleep! He woke up once and I changed his diaper then layed him back down … and to sleep he went.

Tonite same thing … right to sleep. He actually layed down in his crib – grabbed his blanket – and lay there for awhile with his eyes open just chillin’ … then he went to sleep. Amazing … all my fears alleviated! And it took hardly any time!

Naps have been great too! Yesterday he fussed for a few minutes then crashed. Today … he just layed his head down and took a 2 hour nap. Natalie and I were joking that he has rediscovered how much he likes to sleep! Hee hee … he IS like his parents!

The only thing I can add is that I gave him a blanket … which I had slept with the night before. Seems to help comfort him.

I think the hardest part was for me to accept that he didn’t need me to go to sleep. There’s part of me who truly enjoyed being needed in that way (even though I was completely wiped out). Yes … hard to admit … my child doesn’t need me to go to sleep … his first step to independence … I’m a blubbering fool! I thought the crying it out was going to be the part that hurt my heart … boy was a I wrong!

Posted in baby | 1 Comment »

9 months!!

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Today we had our 9 month checkup and as expected little MJ is growing up healthy and happy. He weighed in at 20 lbs 11 oz, is 27.95 inches and his big ole noggin is 18.27 inches. Our wonderful Doc said we should be giving himmore solid foods  such as peas and carrots, chicken … eventually getting eating what we’re eating. My what pressure for a balanced diet! Presently we’ve been giving him  cheese (loves it) – toast (loves it) – Gerber Graduates in Sweet Potato and Peach (loves ‘em). We should also be “weaning” him off a sippy cup and encouraging him to drink from a glass as much as possible. Shouldn’t be too hard since he really wants to do what we do most of the time anyway!

We also talked about his sleep – or lack thereof. A while back we did the CIO thing with him and it only took him one night to be able to go down on his own. THEN he started standing up in his crib … and because I didn’t want him to crash and hurt himself I tried to “help” him lay down – which he did NOT like! Then we traveled to Texas and with his nutty schedule and the time change I just wimped out and started nursing him to sleep at night again. Since we got back I’ve kinda made excuse after excuse to keep nursing him down over and over again at night – teething, developmental milestones, fear of screwing him up forever. I read Dr. Sears’ book and that fear became even deeper. Well … after going to a Attachment Parenting group meeting last week and talking to the parents there (who are still nursing their children to sleep at night at 2+ years, I needed some other advice. I’m literally walking dead right now. I’m so exhausted – up at least 3 times a night with him … just … beat.

So when I asked Dr. Schwab – she said she actually disagreed with what Dr. Sears says about sleeping and that CIO doesn’t hurt kids … and that he was plenty old enough to learn how to put himself to sleep. SO .. tonite we begin. I talked to the nurse for a little while for moral support. She told me she has a 7 year old – who she never sleep trained – and that she wishes she had. That was enough for me! So … think happy thoughts … tonite we “cry it out.”

I have faith it will be less painless than I think … our boy is amazing and such a smart dude.

The last big news for the day is that his top right tooth finally broke through today! YAY!!!

Posted in Firsts | No Comments »

Ready … Marshall … Swim!!

Friday, April 24th, 2009

Finally .. pics of us at swim class. We do “Ready Marshall Swim” – then dive under – then up to the wall. These were taken on Saturday April 18, 2009.

He’s such a little fish! Thank you Dolfun Swim Academy!!

Posted in baby | 3 Comments »

On the move!!

Monday, April 20th, 2009

MJ is on the move … all the time! He’s crawling – FAST. He’s swimming and swimming and swimming. He’s cruising along furniture – finding ways to get from one item of furniture or a toy to another. His top two teeth are coming in any day now … the list goes on!!

With all this movement, as  you can imagine life around our house has been a little nutty … turn away for a second and he’s all the way across the room – standing on something new – looking out the front door gazing admiringly at the beautiful outdoors or trying to get onto the couch to get the kitty. Lay him down to sleep and he sits up half asleep and then is standing and cruising around his crib – and screaming – louder than ever! I’m back to nursing him down at night … because it’s the only way to get him to settle. The CIO theory worked … until he was standing up in his crib … now I’m too worried to let him cry it out for fear that he’ll be so tired he’ll crash and bang his head. Eventually I may re-evaluate … but for now I’d rather help his sleep be a more enjoyable experience. Between acquiring new skills and teething lets just say that our entire schedule is upside down.

All I can say is parenting this amazing little dude is an adventure … just when you think you’ve figured it out – everything changes!!

As he turns 9 months old tomorrow – we wonder what will be next!

Tags: ,
Posted in Growing, Learning, Wow Moments | No Comments »

« Older Entries