Friday, June 29, 2012
Feeling like a change...
Hello, wonderful blog readers. For the past little while I have been feeling a gentle nudging to try making this blog private and for a smaller audience. Nothing negative has happened (no creepy comments or weird people showing up at the family reunion) but it's just a thought that has weighed on my heart. I want to be able to write more freely and knowing exactly who my audience is will allow me that. Please email me at getupandplayblog at gmail dot com if you'd like an invitation. I hope you won't feel shy about asking!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Sleep training
It used to drive me so crazy when I was a new mom and I'd ask other moms or the grandmas for advice and what worked in their experiences and hear back, "I can't remember." Are you kidding me? I am dying for some insight here, people! But it's happening to me, too! I have been grateful for the blog posts I wrote when Charlie was a baby because I've been referencing them a lot now that George is the same age. I honestly can't remember all the little details. So here's another post that I'll be thankful for in the future!
Georgie, this month we have been sleep training you. It's been pretty rough. After two weeks of working on it, you slept through the night a few times. Most importantly, you no longer need continual help to go back to sleep in the evening. We had been putting you to bed at 7 pm but then would have to go back in and either rock you to sleep or nurse you to sleep every 30-45 minutes. It was brutal. I really miss the co-sleeping, but I just couldn't handle that evening grind anymore. Plus, you are so close to crawling, it isn't safe to have you on our bed anymore unless we're right next to you (and sometimes, even then! You have rolled off the bed. Luckily, our bed is really close to the floor, so you weren't hurt).
Now we do our normal bedtime routine and then I put you in your crib (it was in the toy room, but now we've moved our bed in that front bedroom and you're back in the back bedroom where we all used to sleep) and you cry for a little while and then you fall asleep. So far the best night has been 3 minutes of crying and the worst night has been 90 minutes. Adding in the naps was hard, too. Scratch that, the naps have been impossible. I finally figured out that you weren't going to be able to fuss/cry/scream to sleep for naps. The only way you'll nap is if I nurse or rock you to sleep, swaddled (we returned to swaddling!), and then put you in your crib asleep. The transfer is so hard. Finally, after five weeks, you are getting much better at staying asleep through the arms to crib transfer. Some days you don't get all of your naps and then you go to sleep for the night at 6 pm. The early bedtime is the only thing that's saving both of us!
The dirty little secret of babies and sleep is that you are never really *done*. There's always a new stage around the corner that can screw up everyone's mojo and the "training" or diligence with sleep is constant. But it is worth it.
Georgie, this month we have been sleep training you. It's been pretty rough. After two weeks of working on it, you slept through the night a few times. Most importantly, you no longer need continual help to go back to sleep in the evening. We had been putting you to bed at 7 pm but then would have to go back in and either rock you to sleep or nurse you to sleep every 30-45 minutes. It was brutal. I really miss the co-sleeping, but I just couldn't handle that evening grind anymore. Plus, you are so close to crawling, it isn't safe to have you on our bed anymore unless we're right next to you (and sometimes, even then! You have rolled off the bed. Luckily, our bed is really close to the floor, so you weren't hurt).
Now we do our normal bedtime routine and then I put you in your crib (it was in the toy room, but now we've moved our bed in that front bedroom and you're back in the back bedroom where we all used to sleep) and you cry for a little while and then you fall asleep. So far the best night has been 3 minutes of crying and the worst night has been 90 minutes. Adding in the naps was hard, too. Scratch that, the naps have been impossible. I finally figured out that you weren't going to be able to fuss/cry/scream to sleep for naps. The only way you'll nap is if I nurse or rock you to sleep, swaddled (we returned to swaddling!), and then put you in your crib asleep. The transfer is so hard. Finally, after five weeks, you are getting much better at staying asleep through the arms to crib transfer. Some days you don't get all of your naps and then you go to sleep for the night at 6 pm. The early bedtime is the only thing that's saving both of us!
The dirty little secret of babies and sleep is that you are never really *done*. There's always a new stage around the corner that can screw up everyone's mojo and the "training" or diligence with sleep is constant. But it is worth it.
George- 8 months
This update is almost a month late because we spent ALL month working on sleep training you. It was rough. It's been a hard month- you've been more tenderhearted and worried than your usual happy, chill self, and I know it's from the sleep training. I didn't even get a monthly photo of you with your little stuffed animal. It's been five weeks and I finally feel like we are in a groove.
You have two little teeth poking through on the bottom. They haven't seemed to cause you much grief. You've experimented with biting me while nursing a few times but my surprised yelp of pain has been enough so far to discourage you. The four bulges on your top gums worry me a lot... those top teeth are what caused Charlie to wean himself at 10 months.
Dad had the great idea to pull out the Pack-and-Play and set it up as a little area for you to play in. A lot of our house is hardwood so it's nice for you to have a soft, safe place to play. I had an essential oils class in the backyard and you played in your little "pen" out on the lawn for about an hour while I was helping with the class. You are such a great kid.
I love seeing your straight little back holding you up and your solid, chunky thighs grounding you while you sit up. You are so good at sitting and it surprises us both when you topple over occasionally.
We have loved being outside together. You are so content to sit on the grass (with or without a blanket under you) and watch Charlie play or eat the grass. The other day, I spent the morning in the front garden with you and Charlie. Charlie helped me weed and plant flowers and you just played so contentedly. Our across-the-street neighbor, Pat, came over and gave us some rhubarb and you loved chewing on it for about 20 minutes.
You are getting some long curls around your ears and they are so precious and sweet. You are a little rosy-cheeked cherub.
You LOVE food so so much. You lunge and grab for it. I'm trying to teach you the sign language for "food", "more", and "all done". So far, you don't mimic the actions but when I say "more" you laugh and grin because YES, MAMA, I WANT ALL THE FOOD.
You are getting great at scooting around on the floor. You have begun to get into the hands and knees crawling position but then the weight of your belly pulls you down and you scoot around instead.
I finally hung up the swing that I bought last summer and you are delighted by it. I tried to get Charlie to enjoy it, but he kept telling me it was "George's swing".
You have two little teeth poking through on the bottom. They haven't seemed to cause you much grief. You've experimented with biting me while nursing a few times but my surprised yelp of pain has been enough so far to discourage you. The four bulges on your top gums worry me a lot... those top teeth are what caused Charlie to wean himself at 10 months.
Dad had the great idea to pull out the Pack-and-Play and set it up as a little area for you to play in. A lot of our house is hardwood so it's nice for you to have a soft, safe place to play. I had an essential oils class in the backyard and you played in your little "pen" out on the lawn for about an hour while I was helping with the class. You are such a great kid.
I love seeing your straight little back holding you up and your solid, chunky thighs grounding you while you sit up. You are so good at sitting and it surprises us both when you topple over occasionally.
We have loved being outside together. You are so content to sit on the grass (with or without a blanket under you) and watch Charlie play or eat the grass. The other day, I spent the morning in the front garden with you and Charlie. Charlie helped me weed and plant flowers and you just played so contentedly. Our across-the-street neighbor, Pat, came over and gave us some rhubarb and you loved chewing on it for about 20 minutes.
You are getting some long curls around your ears and they are so precious and sweet. You are a little rosy-cheeked cherub.
You LOVE food so so much. You lunge and grab for it. I'm trying to teach you the sign language for "food", "more", and "all done". So far, you don't mimic the actions but when I say "more" you laugh and grin because YES, MAMA, I WANT ALL THE FOOD.
You are getting great at scooting around on the floor. You have begun to get into the hands and knees crawling position but then the weight of your belly pulls you down and you scoot around instead.
I finally hung up the swing that I bought last summer and you are delighted by it. I tried to get Charlie to enjoy it, but he kept telling me it was "George's swing".
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