Thursday, March 31, 2011
Baby Life #7
Yesterday I realized that I still enjoy and am amazed by the sound of The Prince breathing (especially while sleeping!). I'm thinking that feeling will never diminish. What a gift.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Prince, Just Shy of Fifteen Months
Our little man certainly is a babe of many talents. His most recent accomplishments include learning how to open doors (watch out for those lever handles), learning how to open toilets, and getting over RSV.
His spoken vocabulary is still pretty small. He knows (or has said in the past) "teddy bear," "mama," "dada," "meemaw and mimi (grandma)," but he can recognize many words that we say to him. When I talk about the laundry, he goes over to the washer and dryer. He can help feed the dog when we ask him to get her food bowl. He does spend much of the day chattering and singing in baby jargon.
He has become quite good at signing. He can do the signs for dog, cat, milk, please, water, food, and is very good at pointing and grunting. He understands the signs for more, no touch, no bite.
He responds to warnings when he's doing things he shouldn't, like standing up on the chairs or getting into the dog kennel when the dog is eating. It usually goes something like this: "Prince, sit on your bottom. 1...2..." At this point he either sits down, or refuses to and is removed from the situation. Often he will watch Mom or Dad as they count, pushing as far as he can.
He is very good at climbing. He can climb onto chairs, stools, and beds, up stairs, and pretty much whatever you put in front of him.
His appetite seems to have increased. He eats several servings of fruits, veggies, and grains at each meal, with a couple snacks each day and lots of protein. His current favorites are blueberries, bananas, clementines, and graham crackers.
He gets very frustrated when things aren't going his way, like when he's trying to pull the toy doggy and it flips over, or when he can't quite pull the lid off of the blocks tub.
He had gone to just one nap each day, but this week he's been taking two naps. He is fairly consistently sleeping until 6 or 6:30 each morning. Praise the Lord for that!
He is very social. He loves going to his daycare and sitter's house, and playing with his friends at MOPS. Sometimes Mommy has a hard time keeping him busy when it's just the two of us.
He loves to clap, dance, and lift his arms up to say "yahoo!"
He loves water, whether at bathtime, in the dog bowl, or in someone's cup.
His spoken vocabulary is still pretty small. He knows (or has said in the past) "teddy bear," "mama," "dada," "meemaw and mimi (grandma)," but he can recognize many words that we say to him. When I talk about the laundry, he goes over to the washer and dryer. He can help feed the dog when we ask him to get her food bowl. He does spend much of the day chattering and singing in baby jargon.
He has become quite good at signing. He can do the signs for dog, cat, milk, please, water, food, and is very good at pointing and grunting. He understands the signs for more, no touch, no bite.
He responds to warnings when he's doing things he shouldn't, like standing up on the chairs or getting into the dog kennel when the dog is eating. It usually goes something like this: "Prince, sit on your bottom. 1...2..." At this point he either sits down, or refuses to and is removed from the situation. Often he will watch Mom or Dad as they count, pushing as far as he can.
He is very good at climbing. He can climb onto chairs, stools, and beds, up stairs, and pretty much whatever you put in front of him.
His appetite seems to have increased. He eats several servings of fruits, veggies, and grains at each meal, with a couple snacks each day and lots of protein. His current favorites are blueberries, bananas, clementines, and graham crackers.
He gets very frustrated when things aren't going his way, like when he's trying to pull the toy doggy and it flips over, or when he can't quite pull the lid off of the blocks tub.
He had gone to just one nap each day, but this week he's been taking two naps. He is fairly consistently sleeping until 6 or 6:30 each morning. Praise the Lord for that!
He is very social. He loves going to his daycare and sitter's house, and playing with his friends at MOPS. Sometimes Mommy has a hard time keeping him busy when it's just the two of us.
He loves to clap, dance, and lift his arms up to say "yahoo!"
He loves water, whether at bathtime, in the dog bowl, or in someone's cup.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Sleep Saga Continues
You're probably tired of me posting about The Prince's sleeping habits. Well, I'm tired of writing about them. But, it is a struggle we continue to face, and so I'll continue to share.
The problem with sleep training, other than its difficulty, is that it is ongoing. I assume some day The Prince will sleep through the night consistently, but I am beginning to have doubts.
All was going pretty peachy keen, then he got sick. And he got used to being tended to in the middle of the night. He received attention, of course, because he actually couldn't breathe. Now that he can breathe, however, he still expects the nighttime visits.
I have read that this is how things will be. After an illness, a vacation, anything that upsets his schedule, we will have to go through this sleep training all over again. It's almost enough to avoid vacations.
Hopefully, as he gets older the relapsing after these occasions will be less severe. We'll just keep at it tomorrow night.
The problem with sleep training, other than its difficulty, is that it is ongoing. I assume some day The Prince will sleep through the night consistently, but I am beginning to have doubts.
All was going pretty peachy keen, then he got sick. And he got used to being tended to in the middle of the night. He received attention, of course, because he actually couldn't breathe. Now that he can breathe, however, he still expects the nighttime visits.
I have read that this is how things will be. After an illness, a vacation, anything that upsets his schedule, we will have to go through this sleep training all over again. It's almost enough to avoid vacations.
Hopefully, as he gets older the relapsing after these occasions will be less severe. We'll just keep at it tomorrow night.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Arg
Tonight I am frustrated with myself.
It is the end of a very long week. The Prince has been very sick. He's had a cough for several weeks, but (after two doctor's visits in two days) we were told he also has RSV. This is a very scary virus, most especially for very young babies, so we are fortunate that The Prince is a bit older. Regardless, it's been sleepless nights for everyone, and much mucous.
I started this evening feeling defeated from the week. It seems as though my son has spent the last several days crying, much at night, and there is not much I can do. I can't soothe him, he can't take many meds to help, and I have gotten to the "I can't handle this" point several times.
Thus my frustration. I feel like these feelings are normal, but in perspective, we are OK. With the tragic deaths over the holidays, and now one of my friends from college is in the hospital with an extremely sick newborn, I don't think I should be feeling quite so sorry for myself. To be sure, I am in a serious situation as well. But I am also in a fortunate one.
After I laid him down for the night, The Prince began crying again. This is unusual, to start crying so close to this side of bedtime, so I went in to check on him. We rocked a bit, he held his sea horsey, and he talked to me. Just chatted, as if he needed a few more minutes to tell me things. No crying, just a few smiles and sweet baby words. I laid him down, and he went to sleep.
What a precious gift my son gave me. I'm still exhausted and bewildered by the week, but I was priveleged enough to share a special moment with him.
I suppose we'll get through this. The laundry and dishes will probably have to wait, and I'll once again need to evaluate my expectations of myself.
It is the end of a very long week. The Prince has been very sick. He's had a cough for several weeks, but (after two doctor's visits in two days) we were told he also has RSV. This is a very scary virus, most especially for very young babies, so we are fortunate that The Prince is a bit older. Regardless, it's been sleepless nights for everyone, and much mucous.
I started this evening feeling defeated from the week. It seems as though my son has spent the last several days crying, much at night, and there is not much I can do. I can't soothe him, he can't take many meds to help, and I have gotten to the "I can't handle this" point several times.
Thus my frustration. I feel like these feelings are normal, but in perspective, we are OK. With the tragic deaths over the holidays, and now one of my friends from college is in the hospital with an extremely sick newborn, I don't think I should be feeling quite so sorry for myself. To be sure, I am in a serious situation as well. But I am also in a fortunate one.
After I laid him down for the night, The Prince began crying again. This is unusual, to start crying so close to this side of bedtime, so I went in to check on him. We rocked a bit, he held his sea horsey, and he talked to me. Just chatted, as if he needed a few more minutes to tell me things. No crying, just a few smiles and sweet baby words. I laid him down, and he went to sleep.
What a precious gift my son gave me. I'm still exhausted and bewildered by the week, but I was priveleged enough to share a special moment with him.
I suppose we'll get through this. The laundry and dishes will probably have to wait, and I'll once again need to evaluate my expectations of myself.
Monday, March 7, 2011
What's the Point?
I had a coupon.
That's why I tried one of those new bagel thin things from E=MC2's shop. It sounded like a good idea.
It was an OK idea. It was kind of like eating cream cheese on a bagel cracker. Don't get me wrong; I don't mind those bagel chips, I just was looking forward to a nice bagel. And this bagel cracker was hard to eat. There was nothing to hold on to but the cream cheese. It was messy.
I like bagels. I know they're not really good for you, because they're so carb-y, but that's what makes them delicious. I never understood those people that eat the scooped-out bagels. Sorry if I offend you.
There does seem to be some sort of need for balance on the healthy eating front. Most days I would rather have a smaller portion of the full-fat so-tasty stuff than a whole box of the fake stuff. I mean, what's the point? And some of the fake stuff isn't really good for you at all, while the real stuff does have redeeming qualities. Real mayo? Good omega 3's. Yummy fresh-baked pastries? Real butter and whole ingredients, which I've heard are good for depression (seriously!). And something about how with the fake sugar, your body doesn't really register it as sugar, so you'll still have the craving anyway.
I like food. I like the whole experience - sight, smell (especially if you make it at home and the house smells fabulous for it), texture, and the taste. And if it's fajitas, the sound. For me, that's the point.
That's why I tried one of those new bagel thin things from E=MC2's shop. It sounded like a good idea.
It was an OK idea. It was kind of like eating cream cheese on a bagel cracker. Don't get me wrong; I don't mind those bagel chips, I just was looking forward to a nice bagel. And this bagel cracker was hard to eat. There was nothing to hold on to but the cream cheese. It was messy.
I like bagels. I know they're not really good for you, because they're so carb-y, but that's what makes them delicious. I never understood those people that eat the scooped-out bagels. Sorry if I offend you.
There does seem to be some sort of need for balance on the healthy eating front. Most days I would rather have a smaller portion of the full-fat so-tasty stuff than a whole box of the fake stuff. I mean, what's the point? And some of the fake stuff isn't really good for you at all, while the real stuff does have redeeming qualities. Real mayo? Good omega 3's. Yummy fresh-baked pastries? Real butter and whole ingredients, which I've heard are good for depression (seriously!). And something about how with the fake sugar, your body doesn't really register it as sugar, so you'll still have the craving anyway.
I like food. I like the whole experience - sight, smell (especially if you make it at home and the house smells fabulous for it), texture, and the taste. And if it's fajitas, the sound. For me, that's the point.
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