Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Happy Birthday Daddy!!!
Today is a special day in the Barber house!!
It's Daddy's birthday today and Baby Michael is celebrating with a good handful of naps (!) and then we are continuing the celebration with a nice dinner at home.
I don't want to gush too much about my wonderful husband, but he is such an amazing man. He works hard yet still makes time for the family....he is always pushing himself to the max, but at the same time remains full of love and joy and is always willing to drop anything to help me out for any reason whatsoever.
Michael, we love you SOOO much! Happy birthday!!!
Love,
Kim and Baby Michael
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Bath Time Adventures
Michael really does like a bath!
He always has a very serious look on his face when he takes a bath, like he is concentrating really hard, and by his fascination with his feet, I think it's because he is observing his feet and watching himself move them.
It was so cute to watch him kick and splash, and he even went after the rubber ducky with his feet! (Used here for censorship :) )
Ah...he's so cute! And having him all clean, and then bundling him up in a towel...it's just the best!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
It is Working
I am so happy to report that Michael's sleep training is going exceedingly well!!
For the past two days, Michael has been much more cheerful and well-rested.
Tuesday, Michael took a 2 hour nap in the car seat...two hours!! The rest of the day, he was playful smiley and back to his normal self.
In the afternoon, he took a brief nap as I was driving around, but didn't continue it once we got home. He didn't take an evening nap, so once it was 6:30, we bundled him up for bed. We said our prayers, laid him in his crib awake, and sadly, listened to him cry. But this time, the crying was for just a few minutes and he was asleep for hours and hours (until I went into his room to turn off his fan. That woke him up, so I fed him and put him back down for the night!
Michael woke up cheerful this morning, bright and early at 6 am. After feeding him, I put him back down, but I don't think he actually slept...he just dozed (as did Mommy!) and we both got up to play at 7am.
After about 45 minutes, Michael was looking pretty tired again (it's normal for babies to need a nap about an hour after they wake up), so I put him to bed...he fussed a little, but then was asleep within 5 minutes!! On his own!!
He slept for about 30 minutes, then was up, so after waiting to see if he would get himself back to sleep (he didn't...but at least he wasn't crying!) we got up to eat and play.
After some play time, changing time, and eating time, Michael was looking drowsy again. I wasn't sure what to do, because it really hadn't been that long since his last nap...then again, his last nap was only 30 minutes....I was torn. I didn't want him to spend all day in bed. However, my instincts told me that he looked tired, he was slowing down in his play and getting a quiet, serious-type disposition. I figured I would put him down and see what direction it took.
He relaxed in his crib for about 15 minutes...not crying, not fussing, just looking around. At that point, I noticed he kept looking to the side and staying still for a few minutes. He was falling asleep, but then at about 1-minute intervals, he would startle and wake up, only to turn his head to the side and fall asleep again. This went on about 6 times...until now, when he stayed asleep, no crying whatsoever.
I know he may have a few episodes where he cries, or where I am not quick enough in responding to his sleep cues and he'll become overtired and fussy, but I am so proud of him for learning this skill so quickly!!
Thanks for everyone's support and prayers!
For the past two days, Michael has been much more cheerful and well-rested.
Tuesday, Michael took a 2 hour nap in the car seat...two hours!! The rest of the day, he was playful smiley and back to his normal self.
In the afternoon, he took a brief nap as I was driving around, but didn't continue it once we got home. He didn't take an evening nap, so once it was 6:30, we bundled him up for bed. We said our prayers, laid him in his crib awake, and sadly, listened to him cry. But this time, the crying was for just a few minutes and he was asleep for hours and hours (until I went into his room to turn off his fan. That woke him up, so I fed him and put him back down for the night!
Michael woke up cheerful this morning, bright and early at 6 am. After feeding him, I put him back down, but I don't think he actually slept...he just dozed (as did Mommy!) and we both got up to play at 7am.
After about 45 minutes, Michael was looking pretty tired again (it's normal for babies to need a nap about an hour after they wake up), so I put him to bed...he fussed a little, but then was asleep within 5 minutes!! On his own!!
He slept for about 30 minutes, then was up, so after waiting to see if he would get himself back to sleep (he didn't...but at least he wasn't crying!) we got up to eat and play.
After some play time, changing time, and eating time, Michael was looking drowsy again. I wasn't sure what to do, because it really hadn't been that long since his last nap...then again, his last nap was only 30 minutes....I was torn. I didn't want him to spend all day in bed. However, my instincts told me that he looked tired, he was slowing down in his play and getting a quiet, serious-type disposition. I figured I would put him down and see what direction it took.
He relaxed in his crib for about 15 minutes...not crying, not fussing, just looking around. At that point, I noticed he kept looking to the side and staying still for a few minutes. He was falling asleep, but then at about 1-minute intervals, he would startle and wake up, only to turn his head to the side and fall asleep again. This went on about 6 times...until now, when he stayed asleep, no crying whatsoever.
I know he may have a few episodes where he cries, or where I am not quick enough in responding to his sleep cues and he'll become overtired and fussy, but I am so proud of him for learning this skill so quickly!!
Thanks for everyone's support and prayers!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Learning to Sleep
Baby Michael is one tired boy during the day....
It's his little sleep issue he's got...he just can't seem to stay asleep for longer than 20 minutes almost all the time, with just a few exceptions here and there. It's a snowball effect.
In the morning, after his long night sleep, he's cheerful and playful. Then, the morning nap time hits, and he only gets about 20-30 minutes. He wakes up groggy, but not tired enough to easily fall back to sleep.
We try for a little while, but in the end, without a long a stressful fight for both of us, naptime passes and we wait for the next opportunity, resuming playtime and active time until around 11:30 or noon.
By that time, it's time to eat...but he's too tired to eat...so he gets swaddled for a nap, which he may or may not take. If he does take it, it's only for 20 minutes. When he wakes up, he's rested enough to eat (and by now he's very hungry) but not rested enough to be rejuvenated. He'll usually fall asleep while eating, get transferred to his bed, and either awaken instantly, or sleep only for a few minutes more.
After attempting to get him to sleep again and failing, we've now wait until the afternoon for his afternoon nap, usually about 2:30 or 3. By this time, Michael is exhausted. His eyelids are kind of a pinkish color, and he's got major bags around his eyes. Every time I pick him up, he tries to fall asleep on my shoulder, and now anytime I try to feed him, he is fussy.
But...you guessed it! Repeat cycle. His nap, if he takes one is short.
Normally, this time when he wakes up, he is in slightly better spirits and good for some afternoon play. We go for a walk, get some fresh air and see what the world has to offer. By this time, I'll run some errands, or go to work if I have to for a little bit until it's time for his next nap around 5ish. Sometimes I can get him to sleep while I cook dinner...most of the time not.
Next, he gets up, plays with Daddy for a little bit, eats his dinner and then goes off to bed, tired and exhausted at around 7pm, sometmes a little before.
Agh! This is tough! Usually in the afternoons, I will try to ensure he gets a good nap by holding him, but I'm noticing that he never really seems that much regenerated when he gets held for his nap. It's almost like he is in this transitional period where he's no longer so accustomed to sleeping in our arms, but he is still not capable of sleeping in his bed for long periods during the day. It's really really hard to watch.
I've looked online to see what some people (who may or may not be experts) have to say about short sleep cycles, and consistently, people say that it is all about whether or not the child knows how to get himself to sleep.
Over the past few weeks, I've been attempting a "no-cry" shot at this...and it has worked pretty well, with the help of a pacifier, but I have used it primarily when I get him to sleep in my arms, and he wakes up after I transfer him to the crib. Now, I'm taking it a step further and putting him in the crib drowsy yet awake, and trying to soothe him in his bed. That way we don't deal with the hassle of the transfer, and he wakes up in the same place he fell asleep (one reason, the "experts" say is what wakes him after the 20 minute sleep cycle, preventing him from moving smoothly into another sleep cycle).
The past few days, I am taking it just a step further and having the baby just cry it out for limited periods of time. And do you know what? It is working. It's not easy, but it's working.
A few nights ago, in the middle of the night when Michael was unusually alert and playful after a late night feeding, I didn't have the energy or the patience to rock and rock and rock him to sleep. So I just put him in his crib, counting on the fact that it was 3 am, and totally dark in his room to put him to sleep on his own. It did.
Last night, I let Michael cry for 15 minutes, went in and put the pacifier in his mouth, rubbed his tummy and his forehead, said our prayers and left the room. After 3 cycles of this, he finally got himself to sleep.
Today, for a nap, he cried it out for 15 minutes and then fell asleep. He woke up after 25 minutes, and was unsuccessful at getting back to sleep despite my assistance, and despite crying for a little while. I guess you can't win 'em all. He still woke up exhausted, but we gave him a bath and waited for the next sleep period which was bed time.
I did our bedtime routine, except I laid him in his bed awake...unswaddled one arm so he could suck on it. After a little while of on-and-off crying/whimpering, he finally fell asleep and stayed asleep. Actually, he even woke up on several occasions to move around, but got himself back to sleep.
So, is it working? I will only know for sure once he takes longer naps and is able to restfully go to bed, even though I put him down awake...but, by golly, we are working on it.
I know he may be mad, but I think it's best for him to be well-rested, and to have more alert playtime in the day so he can learn new things and be more active.
I'm pleased with our little successes today (and it really wasn't all that much time of him fussing), but am very anxious to get through this period in his learning where he learns to put himself to sleep.
Once again, much solace and company is found online! And thanks to family and friends who listen to me as I drone on and on (since his birth!) about his little sleep issues! May we soon be past them.
It's his little sleep issue he's got...he just can't seem to stay asleep for longer than 20 minutes almost all the time, with just a few exceptions here and there. It's a snowball effect.
In the morning, after his long night sleep, he's cheerful and playful. Then, the morning nap time hits, and he only gets about 20-30 minutes. He wakes up groggy, but not tired enough to easily fall back to sleep.
We try for a little while, but in the end, without a long a stressful fight for both of us, naptime passes and we wait for the next opportunity, resuming playtime and active time until around 11:30 or noon.
By that time, it's time to eat...but he's too tired to eat...so he gets swaddled for a nap, which he may or may not take. If he does take it, it's only for 20 minutes. When he wakes up, he's rested enough to eat (and by now he's very hungry) but not rested enough to be rejuvenated. He'll usually fall asleep while eating, get transferred to his bed, and either awaken instantly, or sleep only for a few minutes more.
After attempting to get him to sleep again and failing, we've now wait until the afternoon for his afternoon nap, usually about 2:30 or 3. By this time, Michael is exhausted. His eyelids are kind of a pinkish color, and he's got major bags around his eyes. Every time I pick him up, he tries to fall asleep on my shoulder, and now anytime I try to feed him, he is fussy.
But...you guessed it! Repeat cycle. His nap, if he takes one is short.
Normally, this time when he wakes up, he is in slightly better spirits and good for some afternoon play. We go for a walk, get some fresh air and see what the world has to offer. By this time, I'll run some errands, or go to work if I have to for a little bit until it's time for his next nap around 5ish. Sometimes I can get him to sleep while I cook dinner...most of the time not.
Next, he gets up, plays with Daddy for a little bit, eats his dinner and then goes off to bed, tired and exhausted at around 7pm, sometmes a little before.
Agh! This is tough! Usually in the afternoons, I will try to ensure he gets a good nap by holding him, but I'm noticing that he never really seems that much regenerated when he gets held for his nap. It's almost like he is in this transitional period where he's no longer so accustomed to sleeping in our arms, but he is still not capable of sleeping in his bed for long periods during the day. It's really really hard to watch.
I've looked online to see what some people (who may or may not be experts) have to say about short sleep cycles, and consistently, people say that it is all about whether or not the child knows how to get himself to sleep.
Over the past few weeks, I've been attempting a "no-cry" shot at this...and it has worked pretty well, with the help of a pacifier, but I have used it primarily when I get him to sleep in my arms, and he wakes up after I transfer him to the crib. Now, I'm taking it a step further and putting him in the crib drowsy yet awake, and trying to soothe him in his bed. That way we don't deal with the hassle of the transfer, and he wakes up in the same place he fell asleep (one reason, the "experts" say is what wakes him after the 20 minute sleep cycle, preventing him from moving smoothly into another sleep cycle).
The past few days, I am taking it just a step further and having the baby just cry it out for limited periods of time. And do you know what? It is working. It's not easy, but it's working.
A few nights ago, in the middle of the night when Michael was unusually alert and playful after a late night feeding, I didn't have the energy or the patience to rock and rock and rock him to sleep. So I just put him in his crib, counting on the fact that it was 3 am, and totally dark in his room to put him to sleep on his own. It did.
Last night, I let Michael cry for 15 minutes, went in and put the pacifier in his mouth, rubbed his tummy and his forehead, said our prayers and left the room. After 3 cycles of this, he finally got himself to sleep.
Today, for a nap, he cried it out for 15 minutes and then fell asleep. He woke up after 25 minutes, and was unsuccessful at getting back to sleep despite my assistance, and despite crying for a little while. I guess you can't win 'em all. He still woke up exhausted, but we gave him a bath and waited for the next sleep period which was bed time.
I did our bedtime routine, except I laid him in his bed awake...unswaddled one arm so he could suck on it. After a little while of on-and-off crying/whimpering, he finally fell asleep and stayed asleep. Actually, he even woke up on several occasions to move around, but got himself back to sleep.
So, is it working? I will only know for sure once he takes longer naps and is able to restfully go to bed, even though I put him down awake...but, by golly, we are working on it.
I know he may be mad, but I think it's best for him to be well-rested, and to have more alert playtime in the day so he can learn new things and be more active.
I'm pleased with our little successes today (and it really wasn't all that much time of him fussing), but am very anxious to get through this period in his learning where he learns to put himself to sleep.
Once again, much solace and company is found online! And thanks to family and friends who listen to me as I drone on and on (since his birth!) about his little sleep issues! May we soon be past them.
I love the Internet
I don't know how parents did it without the Internet. I love this thing so much, and it is has caused so much relief of stress as a parent.
First, I love that I can shop online. I love that I don't have to drive around town to get everything I may want or need. Driving around town with a baby is not nearly as fun as driving around alone.
Secondly, it has a plethora of advice. Granted, some of it has to be taken with a grain of salt, if that, but I love not necessarily calling a doctor or whatever for every piece of advice I think I need.
Third, I love that I don't feel like I'm the only mom who experiences this or that. Like, I can type in "baby has 20 minute sleep cycle" and I can read about why Michael wakes up every 20 minutes on the dot from a nap, and how I can help him fall back asleep and extend that time so he is getting more than just catnaps throughout the day, leading to a drowsy baby most of the time.
I love that I can type in "my baby doesn't like car rides" and find a whole host of other moms whose kids are going through the same thing I am when we get in the car and hear some suggestions on what they did to help soothe their baby in a car ride.
I just can't believe what a source of comfort it is to type in pretty much whatever I feel like, and I can find so much information on the subject, and then weed through what seem like credible sources and try different things.
I don't know what people did without the Internet! My hat goes off to you because I know without it, I would feel so much more lost than I already do!
First, I love that I can shop online. I love that I don't have to drive around town to get everything I may want or need. Driving around town with a baby is not nearly as fun as driving around alone.
Secondly, it has a plethora of advice. Granted, some of it has to be taken with a grain of salt, if that, but I love not necessarily calling a doctor or whatever for every piece of advice I think I need.
Third, I love that I don't feel like I'm the only mom who experiences this or that. Like, I can type in "baby has 20 minute sleep cycle" and I can read about why Michael wakes up every 20 minutes on the dot from a nap, and how I can help him fall back asleep and extend that time so he is getting more than just catnaps throughout the day, leading to a drowsy baby most of the time.
I love that I can type in "my baby doesn't like car rides" and find a whole host of other moms whose kids are going through the same thing I am when we get in the car and hear some suggestions on what they did to help soothe their baby in a car ride.
I just can't believe what a source of comfort it is to type in pretty much whatever I feel like, and I can find so much information on the subject, and then weed through what seem like credible sources and try different things.
I don't know what people did without the Internet! My hat goes off to you because I know without it, I would feel so much more lost than I already do!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
*Mute*
Pacifiers seem to be the sort of thing that people develop a philosophy about. It almost seems to be elevated in some circumstances to the level of the moral. Many people establish themselves in camps of Pacifiers where "Orthodontically designed" is their battle cry...or Thumbsucking where "God-given" is their battle cry.
I am not in a camp.
I just know that our doctor said that research has shown pacifiers seem to contribute in lowering the risk factors for SIDS. Enough said. I'll give it a try.
For weeks, Michael didn't want a pacifier. We would offer it to him...he'd smile, but then quickly spit it out with a definitive Pttang! Ok, Michael, you don't want it? You don't have to have it.
But on one specific occasion when I was putting Michael down for a nap, he was sleeping in my arms, I leaned over to put him in his bed...and *bing!* his eyes opened up. Arg! I thought. I worked so hard and now I have to start over. For some reason, though, I didn't pick him up. I just put the pacifier in his mouth and began to rub his head. I rubbed his forehead, his eyebrows, his nose, his head....trying to lull him into sleep.
And do you know what?
It worked.
Of course, it only worked for about 5 minutes. But you know, Michael, for the first time since I can remember, dozed off to sleep without being bounced, rocked or jiggled (the usual magic combination). His eyes just got heavier and heavier and heavier, until finally, he went to sleep. What a victory!
Since that day, whenever Michael wakes up and is still in a slightly dozed state, a pacifier will help to get him back to sleep. The sucking sensation is apparently soothing, and helps him get himself back to a dreamy state.
And the best part is when I am trying to get him to sleep and I rock him to sleep in my arms, put him down and he wakes up again angry and mad and crying...do you know what quiets him down without having to pick him back up again and start from the top? You guessed it...that silly pacifier! On several occasions now, he has gone from upset to sleeping by one little *pop* of that thing. I'm sold.
Now, I know the dangers of pacifier use: namely addiction. Since we are at the early stages, I may one day be looking back and cursing myself for ever introducing the darn thing. But for now, if it seems to help him sleep (a definite plus!) and since there is even a slight chance it helps reduce SIDS, it brings about a little more peace of mind.
But the thing that really does it for me....
He is just so darn cute with it!
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