Finding a better rhythm

Since Joshua has not been a good sleeper in the day I have been racking my brain to remember what we did differently with David. Aside from the fact that he is a different child, and thus going to have different habits, the big difference I found was rhythm.

So starting today at those times of the day where Joshua seemed the most fussy (ie: already ate but still wanting to be held or he would cry) I just sat & rocked with him. I noticed rather quickly that he does want to drop off.... he just has his own time table for how he will do it. He took a 30 minute am nap and two back-to-back pm naps of 30 minutes each. Tomorrow we will try again.

Lesson learned: Mama don't know everything....... but she is willing to learn as long as her kids keep trying to be patient with her.

The amazing nap-less munchkin

See those tears!

Hear him cry!

See his red & blotchy face!

Hear him scream!

Joshua, the amazing baby who never naps longer than 15 minutes! Able to reduce a mom to tears in a single afternoon. Able to keep an older brother from having a quiet morning. Louder than a Sesame Street mix CD. Tougher than a parent's will-power.

Hurry! Tickets to this unbelievable spectacle are going fast! Space is limited! Reserve your seats now!
Call 1-800-CRY-BABY and speak with one of our exhausted customer service representatives today!

Waving the white flag.......

...........on solids for awhile. Joshua acts as if we are torturing him just by sitting him in the highchair. I am getting so frustrated and I know that our attitude can directly affect how our babies approach eating. So after talking with the pedi we are throwing up the white flag for two weeks. Joshua will sit in the high chair only if he doesn't fuss but we won't try to feed him. We got some mesh feeders that we can fill with goodies & put on his tray but we will let him decide if he wants to try them. No pushing from us & no frustration if he chooses to ignore them.

Sleep has improved dramatically. He goes 5-6 hours before getting up for a feeding now. Next step is to get him to get himself back to sleep after a feeding without waking up his brother. One battle at a time, right?

Bit by bit....

Joshua slept from 8 to 12 last night. I tried to get him up for a feeding at 10 but he wouldn't stay latched on. He ate at 12 and then after a bit of fussing out in the pack-n-play he slept until........7 am!!! I am floored. Now if we can just get him to fall back to sleep in his own crib without too much fussing I will call this a total success.

Solids are still a battle ground. He acts as if we are torturing him. So we start with solids, aiming for 1/4 to 1/2 of a teaspoon, and then we let him nurse. While I wish he would eat more of the solids I don't feel I should force the issue. I don't want him to hate mealtime. We keep trying to mix it up. Both of us try to take turns feeding and we offer a little variety in the foods. One of these days he will latch on to something other than the boob! lol!!!

"He Got Napz"

That's right, folks! Joshua took two loooooooooooong naps today. Still fightin' the solids, though. Little victories. Little victories.

David & I made chocolate chip cookies today and I put on a "real meal" for dinner. Meatloaf, real mashed 'taters, and blanched green beans. My lil' man ate a good serving of everything. Tony liked it, too.

The house is quiet now and clean. All the boys are asleep. Mama should be off to bed, too. Monday morning will be here bright & early.

A showdown........

Well upon hitting rock-bottom after several nights of getting up every 1.5-2 hours to feed Joshua I called the pediatrician. They recommended we go "cold turkey" on night feedings and follow a whole new plan:

1. Give him a full feeding before his bedtime (about 7-8).
2. Feed him again as we go to bed (about 9-10).
3. If he gets up at any time for the next 6 hours try to let him get himself back down but go in & pat his tummy or talk quietly to him if he gets too upset.
4. Go ahead and feed anytime after 6 hours have passed.
5. Space out daytime nursings to no closer than every 2.5-3 hours.

Because the boys room share we can't let Joshua just cry in the room and bringing him into our room just wakes him up more. Tony had a wonderful idea that saved us last night. We have set up the pack-n-play in the living room (the only "extra" room we have) and when he gets too fussy he goes in there.

The pediatrician is hoping this will lead to better daytime naps & Joshua being more willing to take solid food. All I know is that I need something to work. Mama needs better sleep so that she can be a better mama to both boys. Little sleep makes for one grumpy mama!

Night one: he fussed once after 2 hours but playing his crib music knocked him out for an extra 4 hours.
Last night: He fussed after 2 hours and had to be moved to the living room. Once he calmed down he slept an extra 6 hours!!!
Still not loving the solids but will update as we go.....

Why I love Michael's

I am addicted to craft stuff. Just ask Tony. I have boxes & bags full of yarn, fabric, paints, stickers, stencils, and other assorted goodies. I raided the $1 bins at Michael's today and David now has his own plastic kitchen goodies (no need to always steal mine now) and a kazzoo. I also got tons of stickers for potty training and helping charts which will start soon.

My happiest finds????? A "craft pack" full of pipecleaners, google eyes, and pom-poms and a box of big craft sticks. We are going to have TONS of rainy day fun ahead. I swear I never thought my training as a camp director would come in handy but it sure has saved my tushy more than once! I am off to plan a craft for the next time Joshua actually naps.

Things that "should" be.......

I am sitting here having successfully put the boys to bed by myself and a few things have occurred to me:

1. Baskin Robbins should deliver
2. Some anonymous stranger needs to deposit $300,000 in my checking account and ask that I never repay them.
3. Chocolate chip cookies should make my hips smaller.
4. All moms deserve a medal just for being "the mom".
5. Did I mention Baskin Robbins should deliver????

I am weeding out the drains in my life. I have been great about decluttering "stuff" that is around me but these past few weeks have taught me that clutter does not just come in the form of "things". I have clutter in old friendships & relationships. I have clutter in my mind & heart. I have clutter in my marriage and in my relationships with my children. So I am going to begin to clear it all out. I am remembering that "baby steps" will get me there and that this is all about finding a place of love & peace in this world. I deserve that. My family deserves that.

Now......why doesn't Baskin Robbins deliver?????????????

Daily Battle

We are starting solids......(whoo-hoo!).......but it is a daily battle. Joshua seems to think that solid food is my little way of torturing him. I know the little guy is hungry. He nurses almost every hour during the day & every 2-3 at night. The lack of sleep is killing me. We have tried cereal mixed with water, breast milk, and baby food. We have given veggies & fruit a turn. He still would rather spit out most of what he gets and then nurse again. I have tried having Tony feed him. I have attempted meals on empty, full and partially full tummies. I try to get at least 3 attempts a day with a possible fourth when I can.

I don't remember David being this difficult to get started. I remember going slow.....but he was a great eater pretty quickly. At least that is how I remember it! Tony says David was just as difficult. I guess the big difference is that when David was a baby I had 45 minutes to sit & patiently feed him. Now if I try to sit for 45 minutes with Joshua (seperate from a nursing) David goes nuclear. I try to match up their meals so that at least we are all at the table....but that isn't fool-proof.

*sigh* Someday I know Joshua will be fully on solids and our little nursing sessions will be a distant memory. Until then I will keep plugging away at it.

Still here.......

Well, a week long "stay-cation" ended with ony having to go back into the hospital for the 5th time with pancreatitis. We were at the zoo on Monday with the boys when he admitted he needed to go to the hospital. I dropped him off and then got back home with both boys by myself. I went to Joshua's 6 month pedi check (all ok) with both boys because no one could watch David for me. My mom came over on Wednesday so I could go grocery shopping without the two kids. Tony came home on Thursday but is still out of work.

I am grateful for this time in the hospital because it seems like we may have turned a corner. He got info for several programs to help him fully quit drinking. He was asking loads of questions about his health and seems honestly prepared to make an effort at staying sober now. My fingers are crossed and my heart is in prayer.

Boys are fine.....getting bigger every day. I am coming off my stress from being a "single parent" for 4 days. Sorry to have been MIA for so long.... sleep was WAY more important! Hoping to get back into my normal swing soon.