Good Check-Up!

Today, Michael had his 2 month check up and he is very healthy!

He also got his immunizations today, which was hard to do. It's been so hard deciding to pump our little child full of foreign substances, especially when there is a risk that he might have some side effects from it.

But to not do it and risk his getting exposed to something that would get him very sick...it's so hard!

But we did it, and we are just wanting him to have a nice, easy next couple of days so his little immune system can wrestle with this stuff that will make him stronger.

We know that countless parents immunize their children with no problem...but it's still scary!

Anyways...Michael has grown a little over 2 inches since his last appointment and he is now 14lbs, 6 oz and everyone kept commenting on how cute he is and how healthy he looks. Our little boy!

How Our Son Sleeps

Little Michael is quite the migratory sleeper.

We put him to bed in the center of his crib, however, when we go in to check on him about 20 minutes later, he has already managed to scooch himself to the top corner of his crib so his head is against the bars.

How can that be comfortable?

But he does it, not only every night, but every time he is put back in his bed throughout the night! The above photo was taken at 7 am, but at 5 am, I put him back to bed after his early morning snack. It's not like it took him all night to get there...usually just a few minutes.

One of these nights, I'm going to set up camp in his room and watch the transformation take place....because he obviously must exert a lot of effort to move this far, yet he does so without waking up (or if he wakes up, he goes right back to sleep!)

Maybe this is why he doesn't take naps so well in his crib: at night he wakes up as he moves to the corner, but it's dark so he goes back to sleep. In the day, it's light so he gets distracted and keeps himself up.

Who knows?

Anyway, Michael is awake now...gotta go!

Meet "Little Mans"

This is "Little Mans"

(Yes..that is the word "Man" pronounced with an "s" at the end. It just seems more suitable that way.)

Little Mans is Michael's special friend (after Daddy, of course).

Little Mans goes with Michael...hmm...pretty much everywhere. And usually arrives with a little wet patch on his face after being mauled in the car ride.

Little Mans plays with Michael at Diaper Time...

...and Exercise Time....

He even plays with Michael at Tummy Time...

Look how Michael moved toward Little Mans during Tummy Time....how he loves his friend.

Little Mans brings Michael so much joy.....

And anything that makes this show up on his face....

Is a friend of mine too!

Taking a Wise Mom's Advice

After spending an awesome day with Kathy and her little kiddos yesterday, I walked away with a very profound piece of wisdom, which, in a schedule that is pretty busy, and an underlying fear that I'm going to instill bad sleeping habits in my little boy, I have forgotten and needed to be reminded of: enjoy this time.

Coming from a mother of three, who keeps an immaculately clean house, gardens, cooks, bakes, teaches her kids, and always does awesome things with them...I see the wisdom in this. I will probably never have a period in life again where I can just sit down and cuddle with a baby. The next child (God willing!) we have will have a big brother that I'll also have to run after and chase...sitting down for just a good long cuddle will certainly not be as frequent of an option.

I should enjoy this baby time, because it's fleeting! And as soon as Michael gets moving, being a cuddly little baby may not be as appealing to him as going after a toy, getting into Daddy's music/DVD collection, or reminding Mommy that she needs to vacuum more frequently.

So, in honor of my sister's wisdom...here's our day today:

Who does he resemble?

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Our Couch Potato

In two days, (not-so) little Michael will reach his official 2 month birthday!

He's such a sweetheart!

All has been going well in the Barber home! Daddy Michael is busy, busy, busy working on his dissertation. Please pray for him!

But despite his busy schedule, he always makes it home to have special time with little Michael. Their special Daddy-son playtime is so much fun to watch! No one can get him to kick his feet and play better than his Daddy. In fact, no one can get him to sleep peacefully better than his daddy....I'm really starting to just feel like a food dispenser around here! :)

No...I have my fun times with Michael too. We have our special "I'm gonna get you" game, which usually gets Michael to smile at me really big. I love it!

Some new developments: Michael is getting his hand to his mouth pretty regularly...he seems to like it! I can't wait for him to be mesmerized by his hands.

He is also getting really good at Tummy Time, though he hates it pretty much with as much intensity as he ever did. Although yesterday, he lifted his head really high for about 10 seconds and smiled really big! I was shocked! Of course, that was short-lived after he put his head down and began fussing to a state of rage.

One funny thing about his state of rage is that he kicks his feet and scoots himself (screaming the whole time) across his blanket. He can actually move from one end to the other! I've tried recording it, but he is usually so angry, I would be so embarrassed to post a video of him screaming and me just sitting by passively with a video recorder. I would feel like the President of the Mean Mommy club!

So you'll have to trust me on this one, ok?

Michael is getting better and worse at sleeping. Better because he fusses, yet can still get himself to sleep on his own (though the pained look on his face, even while sleeping, is heartbreaking after he fussed himself to sleep!). But after only 15 minutes of fussing to get himself to sleep...this is good progress!

What's also exciting is that last night he slept from 10pm-5 am. Ca-ching!! That is seven hours straight! He went back down for another 2 hour nap...however, I'm starting to regret going back to sleep myself. I was SO much more tired at 7:20 than I was at 5:20....will I start to become one of THOSE mommy's who rise with the dawn, getting all her chores done before the sun comes out...yet going to bed at 9 pm? Part of me hopes not..but a secret part of me has always admired those types of people. I have a great opportunity to become one of those early-risers by having an alarm clock with no snooze button! Maybe I'll try it.....maybe....

Back to the fussing himself to sleep business...Michael and I have had to employ this technique more frequently than we would probably like because little Michael is becoming more resistent to staying asleep after we put him in his crib. We will rock him to sleep and then as we stoop down to put him in his little bed, his eyes flutter open and he realizes what we are up to and starts to cry.

Mean Mommy Kim has frequently shrugged her shoulders with a "You're fed, you're changed, you're burped and swaddled, and you're yawning your head off. It's naptime!" I'm starting to employ just plain old "Quiet Time" for him, if he's not lucky enough for a nap. First, so he can learn to just spend time in his crib, and secondly, and a bit more selfishly, so I can have SOME time to grab a bite to eat, or shower, or just breathe away the minor frustration I have with a son who is clearly exhausted but doesn't want to sleep!

But you know, thinking back to how things were at the very beginning, when Michael wouldn't sleep alone...Oh...the nights in the hospital where Michael Sr was desperately trying to sleep, but after putting the baby down only for him to wake up again time and time and time again for hours at a time....wow, we've come a long way. A very, very long way.

In fact, I don't even want my blogs to be considered complaints about his sleeping, rather than just reporting. He is SUCH a good boy, and so tolerant of my schedule in which I seem to be zipping him here and there and everywhere these days. But I don't think he minds because if I am in a meeting, or teaching a class, or putting together a Bible study, where do you suppose baby Michael is? In someone's arms! Either mine, or one of several people at Church (including Fr. Michael) anxious to get hold of a chubby, sleepy little baby who really only cries if he's hungry or you are not bouncing to the beat of his little personal drummer.

When we are at home, how much time do you think I spend holding him while he naps rather than trying to help him sleep in his crib...haha...let's just say, I think he's glad Mommy's running around at work. At work, my goal is to keep him content and quiet so as not to disturb others...at home I inflict mean and terrible things upon him, like crib time and tummy time and don't have to worry about glaring looks from co-workers when he cries.

The long and short of it is....we are doing great and trying our best. I just love little Michael and hope and pray everyday I'm doing things right by him! He's such a precious little boy!

"Help Me! I'm Starved!"