Sleeping Through the Storm

No, not the storm that is our life right now.... (he won't remember the last few months, but they have been a little crazy stressful, crazy boring and just crazy) Maybe, I'm just describing myself.  Yes, I'm best described as a crazy person.  It's hard to decide where to move, if you should move, sell your house, rent or buy a new house, some other stuff, all while trying to live a normal life while *dad* is 2600 miles away some of the time.  Making decisions cross country is also crazy... anyway, back to the storm at hand.  Literally a storm haha.

Nathaniel has always been a great sleeper.  Not always a great napper - he was a bit of a cat napper in his baby months.. but always a great sleeper at night.  And to be fair a pretty good napper once he was out of the baby baby stage.  Naps have always been a little touch and go because he wakes up pretty easy if a random loud noise happens or he hears some rustling.  I think he is afraid to miss any action... Also, he is used to a pretty quiet household.  Most of the time it is just me and the dogs and we are really quiet during nap time.  Luckily, he doesn't ever usually wake up crying and he while it takes forever to get him to bed... it's not a lot of whining or anything just chit chat and games and stalling :)

I am thankful for his sleep habits during big loud storms.  The other night was one of the brightest loudest storms I had witnessed in awhile from about 12:30am to 3am.  I couldn't even sleep through it and I can sleep through anything. Seriously, I can sleep anywhere.  Maybe it was because Kona was scared and laying on me shaking from fear.  She wasn't quite that bad, but she wasn't having any fun that's for sure.  

The continuous white flashes were too hard to sleep through.  Every once in awhile the crack from the lightening was so loud it sounded like it was right outside the house.  I kept looking at the monitor thinking he is going to wake up - he has got to - there is no way he can sleep through this - then nothing - maybe a slight roll here and there - but overall no waking up.  I couldn't believe it.  I'm hoping his non fear of storms will last (knock on wood) I know things can change in a blink with kids. 

I Love You

Naptime and Bedtime is quite the routine ... actually it can be described more like a poorly tuned orchestra.  That is one thing I never knew about being a parent before being a parent.  I guess I always thought you just put the kids to bed and that's that - PJ's on, brush teeth, tuck in... that's it... 5 minutes tops.  Oh was I wrong, so wrong.  Of course, I know every kid is different and I freely admit I have NO IDEA what other people's kids naptime/bedtime routines consist of.  Maybe I'm experiencing something unique, but I doubt it.  

The routine definitely gets longer and more complicated as he gets older.  When he was a baby you just put PJ"s on, changed his diaper, rocked him a little and off he went to sleep.  Then, we added a story or two or three or four to that routine.  Then added a bath here and there. Then added brushing teeth.  Then added potty time.  Then added 'reflect on your day' time (which is just going over what we did that day), Then added crazy lunatic laughing hysterically running around time.  Wait wait wait, maybe it's that last one that sucks up the most time. :)  I'm pretty sure its a good hour of nighttime routine, possibly more, I can't keep track any more.  

On occasion (mostly when I'm by myself) I can be exhausted by the end of the day and I just want to go downstairs and veg out and watch some brainless TV show so I try to rush this routine.  But, I'm never successful.  When I think about it, It is one of the best times of the day for the most part.  We have a pretty good time.  It is some good quality time too.  I know it is super cliche to say 'I won't always have this so I better cherish it now', but I do feel that way.  He asks me, 'stay a few more minutes' and who can say no to that sweet request.  So I lay by his crib a few more minutes and soak up a few more laughs as he cracks himself up.  The latest thing that cracks him up is him babbling something and then saying 'That's not Engalish' (I realize I added an 'a' in English, but that is more how he says it so I wanted you to feel the true experience)

And my absolute best thing is singing a song that we have sang for over a year now.  It is a song that is always in our music class we go to, but it is a sweet song.  It's called the I Love You song.  

I Love you, I love you

From your head all the way down to your toes

I love you, I love you

From your head all the way down to your toes

So when you reach up high

And when you reach down low

Just remember, I love you, I love you

Warm breeze, tight squeeze and 

I LOVE YOU (tickle tickle tickle)

He sings it along with me and I just can't get enough of hearing him.  

Sometimes we slow dance before I put him in his crib too (he makes me go in fast circles in the end), but I just think this time is precious.  The nap time/bedtime routine is for sure waaaaaay tooooo loooong, but what else do I have to do, right? (Well, sometimes eat, but let's forget about that little detail)

Addiction

Apparently, I'm not just addicted to buying flash cards... I have another addiction...  Hi, my name is Stacy and I can't stop taking pictures of Nathaniel when he is asleep.  I remember when he'd fall asleep on me feeding when he was a baby and I'd get pictures of him.  Now, he doesn't ever fall asleep on me, but when he falls asleep in other places (carseat, couch, etc) I can't help myself.  His little pudgy cheeks look so cute when he is asleep.  When he is real tired his little tongue sticks out.  He looks so peaceful.  The irony is that I'd kill someone if they took my picture sleeping haha.  

Here is a sampling of sleepy pictures.  When I say sampling I mean these are just a few I picked off of my iPhone... a few... I have a ton more on the real camera and in my iPhone pics.  Yep, I'm addicted I tell you.  

Lie Down

What is Nathaniel's favorite thing?  It's not going to bed at night that is for sure.  His new thing is not wanting to go to sleep.  Each night is a bit of a struggle now.  We are hoping it is a phase.  That kind of made me laugh out loud.  I feel like anytime something comes up we just hope it is a phase.  I'm not sure that is the right way to approach raising a toddler... haha.  Shrug your shoulders ... 'eeehh it will pass' is apparently our mantra.  

The regular bedtime routine ensues.... milk, go to his room, rub lotion on his cheeks, brush his teeth and read a book.  This is where it goes downhill.  Once you put him in his crib he cries now.  He used to just lay down and go to bed.  Actually that isn't correct - he doesn't actually cry until you leave the room.  If you stay in the room there isn't any crying.  This is where he is funny, well at least to us.  It is especially funny to hear through the monitor.

You put him in his crib and then he points (pretty sternly) at the floor and says 'LIE DOWN' 'lie down'.  We comply.  It used to be just a few minutes and you'd get up and leave.  Now if you get up to try and leave you get more 'LIE DOWN's' That little almost 2 year old is quite bossy.  We didn't mind complying because we figured he just wanted a little more mommy/daddy time.  I know I know, he is taking advantage of us.  But I'm sure it is just a phase so no worries :) Right??  Don't disagree or you might find yourself being told to 'Lie Down!' too

No's and Naps

I'm starting to think Nathaniel has two definitions for the word NO (or na in his voice). One is the real definition. He displays this more and more. I'll give him a choice between two things to eat and he will shake his head NO to one of them. Or I'll ask if he wants to go upstairs and he will shake his head NO. The second definition is a little less clear, but I think he shakes his head when he doesn't really have any other reaction or when I am telling him NO. If I say NO he runs off saying 'na na na'. It is the only time he really says it, which is interesting. It is almost like he is mocking me. I'll say something like 'Are you drinking water?' and he will shake his head NO even though he is (and I know he knows it is his water). Or 'Is that Mickey Mouse on tv' and he will shake his head NO (and I know he knows Mickey Mouse).... not sure why these get a NO answer. Maybe NO also means YES in these circumstances.

 

Which brings me to this... he does not know YES. His version of yes is *no reaction* usually. If I ask something and he just looks at me it is his version of YES. We have now been trying to exaggerate our YES's. Hopefully this will help him catch on. He hasn't been too frustrated with the communication thing so that is good. Although every once in awhile he will throw out a YES in a right context. I haven't caught on to the pattern yet, but he sort of gets it in certain scenarios and can say the word.

 

Having a toddler is kind of like solving puzzles constantly. But a puzzle that cries or throws a tantrum if you don't solve it in a timely manner ;) Actually, he doesn't cry or throw tantrums too often (unless it is having him come inside or not allowing him to go outside). On occasion though he is a bit of a drama king for no reason. It cracks me up sometimes how absurd the situation is, but so REAL for him. You can suggest something as simple as a different book and WOWZA you regret that suggestion immediately. It is as if you don't understand that 'Billy Goats Gruff' for the 10th time in a row is completely reasonable and The Hungry Caterpillar is the worst book ever (even though tomorrow it will be the best book). Or don't suggest he stay off of the ottoman and crawl on the couch instead... bad idea. And if you are even thinking of putting the grated cheese away without offering him any... watch out. What? you were going to close the refrigerator door before allowing him to peek inside... good luck!!

 

I'll chalk up his drama king ways to his need to explore to learn. He couldn't possibly be turning into a miniature brat could he?!? In his words 'NA NA NA' ;)

 

Now onto his napping. A few weeks ago I declared him a one nap dude. He graduated to the next level. One nap a day. Well, he thinks he is a one nap a day kind of guy, but not so fast. What that really means is that he takes one nap a day in his crib. He is consistently sneaking in a morning nap, just not in his crib. He takes that nap in the car on the way to anywhere. I'll look in the back of the car and almost everyday, there he is .... sleeping soundly. He is so superdee duperdee cute I can't possibly wake him so I let him sleep. I know I'm a sucker mom with nothing pressing to get to, plus it almost guarantees me a pleasant afternoon because he is all rested and happy. There are days I wake him up and he truly does have one nap that day.

 

I can't hardly blame him since he gets this habit from my DNA. I have always had a tendency to sleep in the car from a very young age so it's hereditary. My dad always teased that I'd barely get out of the driveway and I'd be asleep. We traveled from Phoenix to Kingman a lot when I was a kid to visit family and it felt like the distance was 5 miles. I never remember the ride there. This was when the road was a lot worse too and it took longer. Sleeping in the car is awesome when you are a kid. Now I have to stay awake because I don't trust Kevin's driving HA! j/k I can still fall asleep, but I try not to for safety reasons.

 

Just remember if you see a momish looking person sitting around in a random part of a parking lot looking at her iphone she probably has a sleeping child in the back. A child who will use the word NO less because he is rested!

Maybe Halloween Ghosts?

Tis the season for everything creepy crawly. Spiders, ghosts, goblins, zombies (mostly I just like having the excuse to eat candy all night as I pass it out). I do think Nathaniel might be getting a case of the *creepies* He doesn't seem scared by the life size witches at Home Depot... so I didn't think he would get the *creepies*, but over the past couple of weeks he has woke up a few times crying in the middle of the night. He is a GREAT night sleeper so this is very unusual. We can't find anything different - no new sounds, no new lights... so we aren't sure why its happening. Maybe he is teething a bit more? Maybe he is having a little gas from drinking cow's milk? Maybe he is starting to have some dreams? OR maybe it is civil war ghosts from the Battle of Franklin.... BOO!

 

I'm not sure. We are putting on our best detective hats and trying to figure it out. When he does wake up - you can snuggle with him - he falls asleep - then you lay him back down. (I just love when he falls asleep on my shoulder. Those little hands are usually holding your arm or your hand and you can feel his little breaths... its the best. Those people that co sleep might have the right idea because it is pretty darn cool!) Anyway, last night he cried 3 separate times. We decided to bring him down and let him sleep in the pack n play by us. I know I know some of you probably think that was a bad idea. I actually wasn't sure either, but I figured if it was something temporary one night of extra love won't hurt... now night after night and we'll have to change our approach. He proceeded to stand in the pack n play and talk to us for about 1/2 hr in the middle of the night. He didn't cry or whine, he just talked. While I was falling in and out of sleep as he carried on the conversation he eventually laid down and fell asleep. He woke us up with some 'heys' in the morning. It was like old times before we moved him up to the crib.

 

He hasn't woke up tonight so let's hope he sleeps as "snug as a bug in a rug". A saying by the way that originated in the 1700s. While it means warm and cozy now.. it used to mean being secure. Ben Franklin used it in a letter and was thought to have created the saying and gets the credit a lot, but there is rumor he was not the first.

 

Maybe there really are some civil war ghosts... hhmmm

 

Nate Note(s): He loves the orange lights Kevin put up for Halloween. He crawls over to the front door every night and basically insists you take him out to look. We just keep telling him ... wait until you see the Christmas tree! I did say 'crawls' ... that kid just doesn't want to walk yet. He is walking one handed with his walker now though. He expertly cruises all the furniture too. We don't really push him to practice walking and figure he'll get it on his own time. Plus, having a wobbly one year old just sounds dangerous on the wood floor so I'd like to put it off as long as possible (maybe I'm the problem) ;)

Thumb sucking

Is it better for a baby to suck a pacifier, thumb or nothing at all (does that ever happen?). It is an age old question isn't it? I guess not older than when pacifiers were introduced. Corn cobs were actually used like a pacifier a long time ago and then a sugar-rag and then in the early 1900s something resembling our current day pacifier was introduced. Ok, back to the subject at hand. I feel like when you mention thumb sucking people always cringe. You've heard that if you have a thumb sucking kid he/she is doomed to be ridiculed in school. This is because thumb sucking won't ever stop and no one wants a 4th grader who sucks their thumb. Or his/her teeth will be horribly disfigured. I myself don't especially like the idea of a dirty hand (or thumb in this case) being put in to the mouth. That being said EVERYTHING right now seems to be aimed for the mouth... my fingers, my phone, any toy, burp clothes, shirt collars during diaper changes... seriously nothing is off limits. I'm pretty sure his thumb is going to be one of only many things that will introduce germs.

As you can guess by now Nate has found his thumb. At first it was only a thumb suck here or there. Sometimes, even still, he sucks on his whole fist and not just the thumb. The thumb sucking definitely is his soothing mechanism. He falls asleep sucking his thumb about 50% of the time during naptime. Naptime is still a new thing so the kinks are being worked out. He is a pretty good self soother, in part because of this thumb sucking. He wakes up on occasion during the night, but quickly puts himself back to sleep. Lately, he has been sleeping from whenever we put him to bed (7-9pm) until about (5-6am) so something is working!

Nathaniel likes pacifiers too, but only the green kind that were from the hospital (soothies). These don't have anywhere to tie a clip so they just fall on the floor when he spits them out. Due to this I haven't really used them that much because I have to hold them the whole time. The thumb is easier. I figure there are many many phases so I have time to change the thumb sucking to pacifiers if I need to or want to change things up. Once he can grab the pacifier himself when he drops it we can reconsider. That is even if we want to reconsider, but maybe, what do I know? This is a subject I'm reading about on occasion and just like everything else baby related there are a million different viewpoints. I do think the self soothing is a win right now so I'm letting nature take its course.

Naptime

Wasn't trying to take this video (you'll hear me in the background)

but I thought his smile was pretty cute so I kept it anyway.

Not a Vampire

As I thought back over the last 3 3/4 months I realized something; this something should have me yelling *Thank you* from the rooftops to Nate. Even though he was all baby and had middle of the night feedings he pretty much has always been a night sleeper. Even when he wakes to feed in the middle of the night he goes back to sleep. There is definitely some wiggling, but overall a pretty quick trip to dreamland. Nowadays (knock on wood) he is sleeping from about 8/9pm until about 5/6am, which is great. Granted I'm not a morning person so 5/6 am feels REALLY foreign to me, but wow 9 hours of solid sleep is so great! And to top that off he usually will sleep for about another 2 hours after that early morning feeding YAY. I don't get quite as much sleep as Nate because I still go to bed around 11ish (not smart I know) I should be grabbing any sleep I can get. I learn my lesson on some days when I look and feel like a slug.

I should be thanking him though because I have heard horror stories of people up all night in those first few months. I did and will continue not to take Nate's non-vampirish ways for granted. I say non-vampirish because although he sleeps all night he doesn't sleep during the day. Kind of circle of logic isn't it. He probably sleeps so well at night because he doesn't sleep at all during the day. I don't get much done during the day because he doesn't like to nap, but I'd rather have him up during the day than at night. I am trying to track some sleepy periods during the day with the hope that I can start to force a nap a day. I'll keep you updated on my success. Even my friend Kelly was like - wow he really doesn't sleep. You'd think he'd be all grumpy because he'd be tired during the day, but he isn't really (I'm thankful for that too). Now I'd be remiss if I didn't mention his *cat naps*. He does take a cat nap or two or three after eating. He will lay on my lap and sleep for about 20-30 min. I just let him since this is the only other sleep he really gets.

Side Note: Why are they called cat naps and not dog naps. You should see how many naps my dogs take! I'm going to google that and report back :)

Anyway, back to sleeping. Since he rolls now he does toss and turn a bit and is sleeping more on his stomach and side, which partly terrifies me. I'm constantly checking to make sure he can breathe. This new development may change his sleeping patterns (and mine since I wake up to check on him - sub conscious I guess), but I have my fingers crossed that it doesn't and I'd be thankful if you cross your fingers for me too.

So THANKS Nate for letting your mom and dad grab some much needed shut eye!

Huh? Duh? What?

When I was still pregnant I blogged about 'pregnancy brain' or what I like to call 'Momnesia'. This was where pregnant ladies put their keys in the freezer or leave the house and forget where they are going, etc. etc. I never really experienced any momnesia. I had some difficult nights sleeping and I was exhausted here or there, but overall I can't say I did any seemingly scatter brained things.

Well, that has all changed! Wait, what was I talking about.... hhhhmmm???? Oh yeah how newborn + nursing brain is like a double dose of scatter brain. I find myself searching for words all the time. I forget the silliest easiest things. For example, I was talking to a friend the other night and I could not remember what our house was selling as when we bought it.... not a foreclosure, not a normal sale, but a SHORT SALE... duh... it took me like 30 seconds to remember short sale. That isn't even a hard concept. I guess almost 6 weeks of sleeping no more than 1-3 hour chunks takes its toll on the mind. Plus, I'm pretty sure Nathaniel sucks up all my nutrients so my brain isn't being fed ;)

What is equally tragic is that Kevin is going on a lot less sleep and energy too so when we are out together it is like the dumb leading the dumb. The both of us together lately equal one working brain. This isn't to say Kevin isn't still excelling at the office, I just figure he uses all the good brain cells he has at work and all of the tired brain cells at home. Granted it doesn't take a genius to walk Baby Nathaniel in circles around the house until he falls asleep, it only takes Super DaD energy cells. I guess it is only fair to say that when Kevin gets home I've used up all my Super MoM energy cells during the day and Kevin is left with the sluggish MoM cells when he has to deal with me at night.

I might go recite the elementary school multiplication tables now just to revive the grey matter that is becoming jello. It is a good thing I only have to say the simplest of words (sometimes just sounds even) to Nathaniel to help him thrive. Maybe he won't notice his mom is truly living up to the nickname *Spacey Stacy*

I just got distracted by a bright light.... just kidding, but not to far off from my current IQ status.

I tried to get a snapshot of the smile

Nathaniel in his crib - he loves looking at the mobile.  He doesn't sleep there yet though.

Kona basking in the sun

Mocha also basking in the sun, but the sun moved