It's all about sleep

So, sleep is THE topic in our house. You bloggers out there...how do your babies go to bed? When do they go to bed? And how many times a night do they get up?

So far, we start getting ready for bed between 6:30 and 7. Usually the goal is to be asleep by 7:45. Usually it happens.
Our routine: bath, nursing, books, sing a song, swaddle, more rocking and nursing, gently place in crib asleep, run out the door.

He typically gets up at least 4x a night, sometimes more like 6x. He falls back asleep if I let him nurse again, only sometimes if dad rocks him.

The things we're doing wrong: swaddling, sneaking him into bed asleep, letting him nurse to sleep, and I'm sure there are some others, but I can't think of them now.

On the positive side: He seems to go back to sleep fairly easily when he wakes up at night...less than 20 minutes of awake time. He's getting better with napping during the day. He's pretty cheerful during the day.

Any suggestions from you veterans? I'm trying to do the NCSS...I'll let you know if in 10 days I notice any improvements.

The end of June is near!

We're still catching up here...haven't had much time to post this week. Amedeo hasn't had long naps for me to do much of anything. Usually when he's napping, I'm trying to nap too since he's getting up at least 4x a night, sometimes more often. But, I think things are going better. We bought the book, The No Cry Sleep Solution (NCSS) by Elizabeth Pantley. I've read (and heard) good things about the cry it out (CIO) sleep solutions, but just reading the books makes me tear up. I'm a softie, so no can do. Gradual progress is OK with me...just show me some progress. DH and I split last night's shift. I got up from 9-2am and he got up from 2-morning. Both of us got a little more rest. Notice I said rest, and not sleep. We're both still waking up when A. cries, but at least one of us can stay in bed and pretend.

I'll let you know how the NCSS goes for us. The one thing E. Pantley doesn't touch on is swaddling addicts like A.

Yesterday we tried cereal for the first time. I pumped and mixed the rice cereal. I got Earth's Best Organic rice cereal. (Hee...on the box it says, "Your baby is born 100% pure...blah blah blah." And I was thinking, "sure...with all the crap I ate while pregnant, at least some of his molecules are made out of 100% artificial cheese doodle.") He opened his mouth to let the spoon in...a positive sign. I don't think he really swallowed much, but that will come.

Today he wasn't into the cereal. I think he was a little tired. But, he napped for an hour and a half this AM! Wooooo Hooooo! *angels singing, clouds parting, sunbeams floating*

So I think I'll go take the babe from DH. He wanted to pluck the poison ivy that's growing in our sidewalk cracks. (Yeah, our gardening has suffered a little bit since before baby.)

On a rollercoaster...

So the little squirt was just teasing me with his good mood yesterday evening. Today he was fussy. I blame teething and not sleeping well. Should I start Googling adoption agencies? No, I can't do that. Tranquilize him? No. Tranquilize me? No again. Go to bed early? I suppose yes. Shopping therapy? Maybe.

On the more cheerful side, we got our Bebe Pod today! (Isn't that nice, they named it after me?) I'd love to show a pic, but the damn thing won't upload it and I don't have time to sit here farting around with it. Stupid program. Bah!


Ok...there must have been technical difficulties when I was trying to post pics, 'cause I can do it now.

and here's another...

I made it into cyberspace!

Tee hee hee...my first post. I'm all nervous! So, today I realized that Amedeo has returned to his regular jovial self. For the past month, I've been subconsciously wondering whose terrible baby I had accidentally taken, and now he's back! The 4 month shots, the cold/ear fluid/sore throat is finally over and cleared out. I just have to look at him and he smiles at me. Before, I'd stand on my head and turn myself inside out and he'd look at me like I was chopped liver. Hoooooray for happy babies!