I knew it!! The below letter confirms what I suspected....the babies of the world are uniting against us mommies!! I saw this posted online yesterday and literally laughed out loud at many parts. Maybe I've read too many sleep training books, but hopefully you'll find it funny too :)
Dear Fellow Babies,
OK, here's my situation. My Mommy has had me for almost 5 months. The first few months were great – I cried, she picked me up and fed me, anytime, around the clock. Then something happened. Over the last few weeks, she has been trying to STTN (sleep thru the night). At first, I thought it was just a phase, but it is only getting worse.
I've talked to other babies, and it seems like its pretty common after Mommies have had us for around 5-6 months. Here's the thing: these Mommies don't really need to sleep. It's just a habit. Many of them have had some 30 years to sleep – they just don't need it anymore. So I am implementing a plan. I call it the Crybaby Shuffle.
It goes like this:
Night 1 – cry every 3 hours until you get fed. I know, it's hard. It's hard to see your Mommy upset over your crying. Just keep reminding yourself, it's for her own good.
Night 2 – cry every 2 hours until you get fed.
Night 3 – every hour.
Most Mommies will start to respond more quickly after about 3 nights. Some Mommies are more alert, and may resist the change longer. These Mommies may stand in your doorway for hours, shhhh-ing. Don't give in. I cannot stress this enough: CONSISTENCY IS KEY!! If you let her STTN (sleep through the night), just once, she will expect it every night. I know it's hard! But she really does not need the sleep; she is just resisting the change. If you have an especially alert Mommy, you can stop crying for about 10 minutes, just long enough for her to go back to bed and start to fall asleep. Then cry again. It WILL eventually work. My Mommy once stayed awake for 10 hours straight, so I know she can do it.
The other night, I cried every hour. You just have to decide to stick to it and just go for it. BE CONSISTENT! I cried for any reason I could come up with:
-My sleep sack tickled my foot.
-I felt a wrinkle under the sheet.
-My mobile made a shadow on the wall.
-I burped, and it tasted like rice cereal. I hadn't eaten rice cereal since breakfast, what's up with that?
-The dog said "ruff". I should know. My Mommy reminds me of this about 20 times a day. LOL.
-Once I cried just because I liked how it sounded when it echoed on the monitor in the other room.
-Too hot, too cold, just right – doesn't matter! Keep crying!!
-I had drooled so much my sheets were damp and I didn't like it touching me.
-I decided I was sick of all the pink in my room so I cried.
It took awhile, but it worked. She fed me at 4am. Tomorrow night, my goal is 3:30am. You need to slowly shorten the interval between feedings in order to reset your Mommies' internal clocks.
Sometimes my Mommy will call for reinforcements by sending in Daddy. Don't worry Daddies are not set up for not needing sleep the way Mommies are. They can only handle a few pats and shhing before they declare defeat and send in the Mommy.
Also, be wary of the sleep sheep with rain noises. I like to give Mommy false hope that listening to the rain puts me to sleep sometimes I pretend to close my eyes and be asleep and then wait until I know
Mommy is settling back to sleep to spring a surprise cry attack. If she doesn't get to me fast enough I follow up with my fake cough and gag noise that always has her running to the crib. At some point I am positive she will start to realize that she really doesn't really need sleep.
P.S. Don't let those rubber things fool you, no matter how long you suck on them, no milk will come out.
Trust me.
Sincerely,
Baby J
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
So that's what this thing is for!
Last night, Nolan figured out what he's supposed to do in the jumperoo :)
Friday, October 7, 2011
4 Month Stats
Its hard to believe that our Nolan is 4 months old already...that's 1/3 of a year!! He continues to amaze us every day as his personality develops and he becomes more of a little person. Yesterday we had his 4 month pediatrician visit. Here's his stats:
Looks like my boy is getting long and lean! His weight percent dropped a little from his 2 month appointment so he's slimmed a bit but he remains a tall boy. That's probably why he still fits in some 3 month clothes width wide but he's too long for them.
Weight: 16lb 4oz (73%)
Height: 26.5 in (91%)
Head: 47cm (88%)
Keep up the good work buddy!!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Our "must-haves"
Now that Nolan is 4 months old, I wanted to review some of our favorite and not-so-favorite baby items. I've seen many other bloggers do this and always thought it was extremely helpful. Of course every baby and parent are different so just because we liked or didn't like something doesn't mean it will hold true for every family. But I know I love hearing real mom advice so here you go....
Aden and Anais swaddle blankets: These are by far the best and most versatile blanket out there. We used them a bit for swaddling but more so as an all-purpose blanket. Its light enough for the summer, but big enough to fold several times when more warmth is needed. I seriously do not leave the house without one of these blankets either in my bag or over Nolan! And I suggest you spend the extra money and get the real ones (not the cheaper ones from Target or Babies R Us) because they are a bit bigger and nicer quality fabric.
Boppy Pillow: This was essential at the beginning for breastfeeding!! Now, we use it a lot to prop Nolan up in a seated position or for some tummy time. He likes to sit on it on my bed and help me fold laundry :)
Fisher Price Jungle Play Mat: We set this up for Nolan when he was 2 weeks old and he has probably spent some time in it every single day since then. Its great for tummy time since there are so many things to look at, as well as for back time. He loves the lights and now that he's reaching for toys more, he's really playing with it rather than just staring at everything.
Summer Infant SwaddleMe: These are the ultimate baby burrito swaddlers! Nolan was a little Hudini with the standard swaddle blankets but for a while these were inescapable for him. Because of that darn Moro reflex where babies startle themselves in their sleep, these things were like magic for a while.
Ergo Carrier: I seriously can not say enough about our Ergo carrier! It is the most comfortable carrier, Nolan loves it, and my back doesn't hurt at all from wearing it. Both Bryan and I have worn Nolan for several hours at a time while hiking, shopping, or just around the house and we both love it. We got the Sport version since it was supposed to be cooler. I was a little hesitant at first since the baby has to face you, unlike in the Baby Bjorn where they can face in or out, but that turned out not to be an issue at all. Nolan almost always falls asleep in the Ergo and its a general rule for carriers not to let the baby sleep while facing out. The last thing you want to do is have to risk waking your child up because they fell asleep front facing! And I've heard from other mommas that the Bjorn KILLS your back and shoulders when the baby gets above 14ish pounds. Save your money and get the Ergo!!!
Motorola Video Monitor: This is one of the I-told-you-so items in our household. I wanted a video monitor and Bryan thought it would be overkill. Guess who was right?? He fully admitted early on that the video monitor was the way to go. Now when we hear little cries, we can look at the monitor to see if Nolan really needs us or if he's just moving around to get comfortable rather than trying to silently peek into his room and risk waking him up even more. These seem to range a lot in price but we've been really happy with this one and actually really like the temperature sensor to make sure his room isn't too hot or cold. No problems with interference or static and we can sit outside without losing signal.
Sophie the Giraffe: I wasn't sure about Sophie. I've heard her refered to as an overpriced dog chew toy but other mom's love her. We got her as a gift and in the past month, Nolan really loves her! Before then, he didn't show any interest in her or other toys. Something about the shape of her legs, ears, and face are perfect for his little hands and mouth. And let's face it, she pretty darn cute!
BOB Revolution Stroller: I love this thing!!! This is currently the only stroller we have and I've never felt like we needed anything else (we'll get a small umbrella stroller when Nolan's bigger). Yes, its a bit big, but its super easy to fold and unfold. It manuvers like a dream when running (we have the infant car seat adaptor and yes I run with it...totally safe in my opinion even though the makers tell you not to) and its great when walking around town or through the mall. If you are a serious runner, definitely get this stroller!
Moby Wrap: I wasn't sold on the Moby Wrap at the beginning, mostly because it was summer time and that thing is darn hot! But now that its cooler, I'm liking it more. Also, I think I like it more now that Nolan is getting bigger (which is the opposite of what I originally would have thought). I like using it for different holds, like facing out, and our newest favorite is the hip carry. Overall, I would suggest getting some sort of wrap as they are fairly cheap compared to other carriers and there's nothing like having your baby snuggled up next to you!
A good camera: This is one of the most important things I think you can invest in. I got Bryan a Cannon DSLR for his 30th birthday and we both agree its one of the best gifts ever. We just have a base model but he has many different lenses for it that really improve the quality of the pictures. I've posted many pictures on here and on facebook that just wouldn't be as good with just a point and shoot camera. (I should give Bryan credit here for being a good photographer too!)
Other thoughts: I would suggest both a swing and a bouncy seat as they are helpful but Nolan neither loves or hates his. He spends 20 minutes in the morning in his bouncy seat while I make coffee and my breakfast and he's been napping in his swing lately (interestingly, not while its swinging!). The one thing I will suggest is to spend the extra money on a swing that plugs in so you don't have to worry about batteries. We have this one. And for the bouncy seat, get one that vibrates and does not have an automatic shut off. We have been known to run across the room when we hear Nolan stirring from a nap when the vibration shuts off!
As for things we aren't as thrilled with, we really don't have anything like that. We didn't go too crazy with unnecessary baby things. For example, we skipped the Diaper Genie in leu of a regular trash can with a lid. The Diaper Genie refills are expensive and its not that hard to put a new garbage bag in our can every day. We didn't bother with a Bumbo as I think they are a waste of money and I've read they aren't the best for developmental reasons (they don't allow the baby to exercise the muscles used to sit up on their own). I just use the Boppy pillow if I want to prop Nolan up in a seated position. The one thing we did buy that I haven't used yet are The Ultimate Crib Sheet. The book Baby Bargins recommends them but I haven't used them and it seemed harder to put this on and off the mattress than just switching the actual crib sheet. We did buy a foam mattress so its lighter to pick up when changing the sheets compared to coils.
So there you have it! I'll probably think of other "must-haves" and I'll update here if I do. Other new mom's (or experience moms for that matter), please feel free to post some of your favorites or no-so-favorite baby items too!
Isn't it amazing how much stuff one tiny human needs??
Things we love and can't live without for birth to 4 months!
Aden and Anais swaddle blankets: These are by far the best and most versatile blanket out there. We used them a bit for swaddling but more so as an all-purpose blanket. Its light enough for the summer, but big enough to fold several times when more warmth is needed. I seriously do not leave the house without one of these blankets either in my bag or over Nolan! And I suggest you spend the extra money and get the real ones (not the cheaper ones from Target or Babies R Us) because they are a bit bigger and nicer quality fabric.
Boppy Pillow: This was essential at the beginning for breastfeeding!! Now, we use it a lot to prop Nolan up in a seated position or for some tummy time. He likes to sit on it on my bed and help me fold laundry :)
Fisher Price Jungle Play Mat: We set this up for Nolan when he was 2 weeks old and he has probably spent some time in it every single day since then. Its great for tummy time since there are so many things to look at, as well as for back time. He loves the lights and now that he's reaching for toys more, he's really playing with it rather than just staring at everything.
Summer Infant SwaddleMe: These are the ultimate baby burrito swaddlers! Nolan was a little Hudini with the standard swaddle blankets but for a while these were inescapable for him. Because of that darn Moro reflex where babies startle themselves in their sleep, these things were like magic for a while.
Good Burp Cloths: Don't even bother with those small little strips of fabric they call burp cloths. Go with the Gerber Cloth Diapers. And get a ton of them! Between the laundry, diaper bag, and every room in the house, you will use a lot of them.
Ergo Carrier: I seriously can not say enough about our Ergo carrier! It is the most comfortable carrier, Nolan loves it, and my back doesn't hurt at all from wearing it. Both Bryan and I have worn Nolan for several hours at a time while hiking, shopping, or just around the house and we both love it. We got the Sport version since it was supposed to be cooler. I was a little hesitant at first since the baby has to face you, unlike in the Baby Bjorn where they can face in or out, but that turned out not to be an issue at all. Nolan almost always falls asleep in the Ergo and its a general rule for carriers not to let the baby sleep while facing out. The last thing you want to do is have to risk waking your child up because they fell asleep front facing! And I've heard from other mommas that the Bjorn KILLS your back and shoulders when the baby gets above 14ish pounds. Save your money and get the Ergo!!!
Motorola Video Monitor: This is one of the I-told-you-so items in our household. I wanted a video monitor and Bryan thought it would be overkill. Guess who was right?? He fully admitted early on that the video monitor was the way to go. Now when we hear little cries, we can look at the monitor to see if Nolan really needs us or if he's just moving around to get comfortable rather than trying to silently peek into his room and risk waking him up even more. These seem to range a lot in price but we've been really happy with this one and actually really like the temperature sensor to make sure his room isn't too hot or cold. No problems with interference or static and we can sit outside without losing signal.
Sophie the Giraffe: I wasn't sure about Sophie. I've heard her refered to as an overpriced dog chew toy but other mom's love her. We got her as a gift and in the past month, Nolan really loves her! Before then, he didn't show any interest in her or other toys. Something about the shape of her legs, ears, and face are perfect for his little hands and mouth. And let's face it, she pretty darn cute!
BOB Revolution Stroller: I love this thing!!! This is currently the only stroller we have and I've never felt like we needed anything else (we'll get a small umbrella stroller when Nolan's bigger). Yes, its a bit big, but its super easy to fold and unfold. It manuvers like a dream when running (we have the infant car seat adaptor and yes I run with it...totally safe in my opinion even though the makers tell you not to) and its great when walking around town or through the mall. If you are a serious runner, definitely get this stroller!
Moby Wrap: I wasn't sold on the Moby Wrap at the beginning, mostly because it was summer time and that thing is darn hot! But now that its cooler, I'm liking it more. Also, I think I like it more now that Nolan is getting bigger (which is the opposite of what I originally would have thought). I like using it for different holds, like facing out, and our newest favorite is the hip carry. Overall, I would suggest getting some sort of wrap as they are fairly cheap compared to other carriers and there's nothing like having your baby snuggled up next to you!
A good camera: This is one of the most important things I think you can invest in. I got Bryan a Cannon DSLR for his 30th birthday and we both agree its one of the best gifts ever. We just have a base model but he has many different lenses for it that really improve the quality of the pictures. I've posted many pictures on here and on facebook that just wouldn't be as good with just a point and shoot camera. (I should give Bryan credit here for being a good photographer too!)
Other thoughts: I would suggest both a swing and a bouncy seat as they are helpful but Nolan neither loves or hates his. He spends 20 minutes in the morning in his bouncy seat while I make coffee and my breakfast and he's been napping in his swing lately (interestingly, not while its swinging!). The one thing I will suggest is to spend the extra money on a swing that plugs in so you don't have to worry about batteries. We have this one. And for the bouncy seat, get one that vibrates and does not have an automatic shut off. We have been known to run across the room when we hear Nolan stirring from a nap when the vibration shuts off!
As for things we aren't as thrilled with, we really don't have anything like that. We didn't go too crazy with unnecessary baby things. For example, we skipped the Diaper Genie in leu of a regular trash can with a lid. The Diaper Genie refills are expensive and its not that hard to put a new garbage bag in our can every day. We didn't bother with a Bumbo as I think they are a waste of money and I've read they aren't the best for developmental reasons (they don't allow the baby to exercise the muscles used to sit up on their own). I just use the Boppy pillow if I want to prop Nolan up in a seated position. The one thing we did buy that I haven't used yet are The Ultimate Crib Sheet. The book Baby Bargins recommends them but I haven't used them and it seemed harder to put this on and off the mattress than just switching the actual crib sheet. We did buy a foam mattress so its lighter to pick up when changing the sheets compared to coils.
So there you have it! I'll probably think of other "must-haves" and I'll update here if I do. Other new mom's (or experience moms for that matter), please feel free to post some of your favorites or no-so-favorite baby items too!
Isn't it amazing how much stuff one tiny human needs??
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Nolan's Noises
From the minute he was born, Nolan was a noisy baby. He was always making these sweet sounds like he was talking to us. Over the past 4 months, those noises have evolved into babbles, "aaah....gooos", and finally laugher. I seriously think that baby giggles are one of the most amazing sounds in the world...they melt my heart!
So in honor of Nolan's 4th month birthday, here are two videos of my little man "talking"
An hour old and he already had a lot to say
4 months old. I just love those giggles and that smile!
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