Thursday, June 30, 2011
A-MA-ZING
This is just a little update that coincides with my last posting about Reece's "cry it out" sleep training. Monday night he cried for only 20 minutes and every night since he has not cried at all. He just goes to sleep. Not a peep. As a matter of fact, he has been sleeping so well, it almost seems like he can't wait to go to bed at night (and neither can we!) :) I hope I am not jinxing myself by talking about it, but I'm just so amazed. Oh, and since Sunday, he has only been waking up once at night to eat a little, but then goes right back to sleep. He used to wake us up in the morning and now Carlos has to wake him up to get him off to day care. Again, amazed. He sleeps from 7pm to about 1:30am then back to sleep at about 1:45am-6:30am. So, for all haters of the cry it out method, I'm here to tell you that it works...and in some cases it works quickly! I also feel better knowing Reece won't remember ever having gone through it :) My body is getting so much uninterrupted sleep, it doesn't know how to react! All I know is we are going to enjoy it while we have it because we know that horrible sleep disruption, otherwise known as teething, will be here before we know it!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Rainy Days
Tis the season...the Guam rainy season that is. Funny though, I'm actually enjoying it. I like having a break from the standard Guam weather of sunshine, hot, and humid. Don't get me wrong, we still have the humidity (oh do we ever), but the rain helps keep some of the overwhelming heat away. I'm enjoying this dreary day as I feel justified for being lazy and just doing household things. By 1pm I had showered, Skyped, talked on the phone, put Reece down for a morning nap (the only nap he enjoys), made dinner (pot roast in the crock pot still cooking away), baked 2 loaves of zucchini bread, and did one load of laundry. I guess my mention of "lazy" up above is all relative :)
As I type, I am wearing Reece so that he can get a good nap in. Nothing puts him to sleep faster/better/longer than dozing off in his Baby Bjorn carrier. He's getting to be that age where I shouldn't have to wear him to get him to take a good nap, but alas, my son does not seem to believe in an afternoon slumber so I trick him into one. Mean mommy :)
Carlos and I have started the crib transition at night and I'm happy to report it is going very well. For those who don't know, Reece has been sleeping in his Pack and Play in our bedroom since he was born. Well, because he now sleeps for longer stretches at a time, can roll over on his own, and knows how to self soothe, it was time to cut those night-time apron strings and put him in his own room. Now I'm sure we all have different beliefs in the methods used to get babies to sleep on their own. So if you don't agree with letting them "cry it out," then you may want to stop reading this post, because with Reece's personality, we knew this was going to be the way we had to go.
This is basically the play by play of our past two nights:
Carlos gives Reece his bedtime bottle in the nursery, gently rocking him to get him ready for sleepy time. Meanwhile, I am downstairs with the tv on and finding things to do in the kitchen so that I am not able to hear the cries once he gets laid down. Carlos puts him in the crib and for a couple of minutes, all is calm. At this point I think Reece is thinking "ok, this is cool, but now what? Oh yeah, I'm supposed to cry now for an unspecified amount of time." Cue crying.
Crying lasts anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 hour. Again, I'm doing everything and anything to NOT hear him. Thank goodness for concrete walls in Guam :) Crying eventually turns into Reece babbling to himself to which I interpret as "that was a good cry. I'm sure I made my mommy and daddy feel bad with that one, but I'm tired now, so off to sleep I go!" After 5 minutes of silence, I tip-toe into his room to make sure he hasn't put himself into some awkward position in his crib (nothing surprises me with this little mover and shaker), and to also turn on the baby monitor because now that he is asleep, I do want to hear him if he wakes up during the night!
This is the good part though...Reece sleeps...and sleeps...and sleeps. He wakes up at least once in the middle of the night to nurse, two times max. These are the time I debate if I should go to him or let him put himself back to sleep, but usually there is a distinct difference in the "I'm pissed off I'm in here" cry and the "get your butt in here and feed me because I'm hungry Mommy" cry. He goes right back to sleep after eating though and sleeps, sleeps, sleeps! That was the good part...the best part? My child has never slept past 6:15am. He has gone back to sleep after waking up at that time, but usually it takes some effort. Today, I'm happy to report he slept (without waking) until 7:15am! That is all a mother dreams for herself...the chance to just sleep until 7:00 :) He also woke up babbling, not crying and when he saw me peeking over the crib, I got the biggest Reece smile he can give.
We are so proud of our little guy and there is something to be said about teaching your baby how to sleep. We expect that every night will be a little less crying before falling to sleep and in no time, will just go down without a fight. It's hard to hear him cry, but I just keep telling myself that in the long run, this is best for Reece. Good sleep habits=happy baby.
Next project...getting him to take an afternoon nap without having to "wear" my baby :)
As I type, I am wearing Reece so that he can get a good nap in. Nothing puts him to sleep faster/better/longer than dozing off in his Baby Bjorn carrier. He's getting to be that age where I shouldn't have to wear him to get him to take a good nap, but alas, my son does not seem to believe in an afternoon slumber so I trick him into one. Mean mommy :)
Carlos and I have started the crib transition at night and I'm happy to report it is going very well. For those who don't know, Reece has been sleeping in his Pack and Play in our bedroom since he was born. Well, because he now sleeps for longer stretches at a time, can roll over on his own, and knows how to self soothe, it was time to cut those night-time apron strings and put him in his own room. Now I'm sure we all have different beliefs in the methods used to get babies to sleep on their own. So if you don't agree with letting them "cry it out," then you may want to stop reading this post, because with Reece's personality, we knew this was going to be the way we had to go.
This is basically the play by play of our past two nights:
Carlos gives Reece his bedtime bottle in the nursery, gently rocking him to get him ready for sleepy time. Meanwhile, I am downstairs with the tv on and finding things to do in the kitchen so that I am not able to hear the cries once he gets laid down. Carlos puts him in the crib and for a couple of minutes, all is calm. At this point I think Reece is thinking "ok, this is cool, but now what? Oh yeah, I'm supposed to cry now for an unspecified amount of time." Cue crying.
Crying lasts anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 hour. Again, I'm doing everything and anything to NOT hear him. Thank goodness for concrete walls in Guam :) Crying eventually turns into Reece babbling to himself to which I interpret as "that was a good cry. I'm sure I made my mommy and daddy feel bad with that one, but I'm tired now, so off to sleep I go!" After 5 minutes of silence, I tip-toe into his room to make sure he hasn't put himself into some awkward position in his crib (nothing surprises me with this little mover and shaker), and to also turn on the baby monitor because now that he is asleep, I do want to hear him if he wakes up during the night!
This is the good part though...Reece sleeps...and sleeps...and sleeps. He wakes up at least once in the middle of the night to nurse, two times max. These are the time I debate if I should go to him or let him put himself back to sleep, but usually there is a distinct difference in the "I'm pissed off I'm in here" cry and the "get your butt in here and feed me because I'm hungry Mommy" cry. He goes right back to sleep after eating though and sleeps, sleeps, sleeps! That was the good part...the best part? My child has never slept past 6:15am. He has gone back to sleep after waking up at that time, but usually it takes some effort. Today, I'm happy to report he slept (without waking) until 7:15am! That is all a mother dreams for herself...the chance to just sleep until 7:00 :) He also woke up babbling, not crying and when he saw me peeking over the crib, I got the biggest Reece smile he can give.
We are so proud of our little guy and there is something to be said about teaching your baby how to sleep. We expect that every night will be a little less crying before falling to sleep and in no time, will just go down without a fight. It's hard to hear him cry, but I just keep telling myself that in the long run, this is best for Reece. Good sleep habits=happy baby.
Next project...getting him to take an afternoon nap without having to "wear" my baby :)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
3 months and climbing!
The pictures of Reece below are one week over-due, but that seems to be my life these days. I have to chuckle when I think of how Type A/get-er done kind of person I used to be and now, well, although I am still type A, I allow myself more flexibility. Quite frankly, I just can't do all in one day that I used to, including staying up to date with my blog or following up on emails. Sigh. I do believe I have mastered the art of prioritizing and also being ok with letting things go/slide when I have to. The old type A me would never be satisfied if I didn't complete my list of things to do, but now it is just not that important. Funny how things/people change when life happens!
So here are some updates on the three of us...
Carlos:
*is in love with his boat
*is the only ortho surgeon at the hospital now and will be on call the entire summer (ugh...)
*is one heck of a daddy
*had more fun than Reece at the Sesame Street Live show last Friday
Missy:
*has yet to go on the boat (waiting until Carlos has given the green light for me and the baby)
*hates call days, but only when I get called in :)
*LOVES being a mommy to little Reece
*is exhausted at the end of each day
*could cuddle and kiss her baby all day. Thankfully for Reece, I do go to work
Reece:
*"talks" more and more every day
*loves to be smothered in kisses
*gives the biggest smiles
*loves to stick his hands in his mouth and suck on them
*still pulls/holds onto his hair
*is becoming even more aware of things around him - he was mesmerized by the Sesame Street characters dancing/singing and has also discovered his lion friend who is in his monthly pictures (see below)
*still hates his crib
*ROLLED OVER TODAY!
So here are some updates on the three of us...
Carlos:
*is in love with his boat
*is the only ortho surgeon at the hospital now and will be on call the entire summer (ugh...)
*is one heck of a daddy
*had more fun than Reece at the Sesame Street Live show last Friday
Missy:
*has yet to go on the boat (waiting until Carlos has given the green light for me and the baby)
*hates call days, but only when I get called in :)
*LOVES being a mommy to little Reece
*is exhausted at the end of each day
*could cuddle and kiss her baby all day. Thankfully for Reece, I do go to work
Reece:
*"talks" more and more every day
*loves to be smothered in kisses
*gives the biggest smiles
*loves to stick his hands in his mouth and suck on them
*still pulls/holds onto his hair
*is becoming even more aware of things around him - he was mesmerized by the Sesame Street characters dancing/singing and has also discovered his lion friend who is in his monthly pictures (see below)
*still hates his crib
*ROLLED OVER TODAY!
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| Hello, I'm Reece. And you are...? |
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| Now that we are friends, let me tell you a secret! |
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| Time for my 3 month picture! |
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A few May photos
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| oooohhhh...mommy made a cheesecake |
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| what do you mean I don't get any? |
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| I'm 12 weeks old now and I can hold my own toys |
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| His feet have found each other and now they are inseparable :) |
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| I'm trying to play Mommy! |
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| not the best photo, but this is Reece at the passport office getting his first US passport |
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