- It's super easy the first 2-3 weeks. Landry slept through everything. Even her loud brothers.
- 12 weeks seemed to mark a transition into tougher sleep.
- The 4 month sleep regression is very real. Landry had no schedule and didn't take longer than 30-40 minute naps for a good 6 weeks. Night wakings were more frequent. I felt nervous to sleep train at 4 months, but we began in earnest at 5 months. There really wasn't much schedule to our day. She'd eat every 3 hours pretty regularly, but the exact times were all over.
- During this sleep regression, when she wasn't napping as much during the day, was when we needed to start doing the really early bed time. Like 6:00. We were a little late to the game this time and started closer to 5 months probably, but maybe could have done it earlier. I feel like after the hit 4 months we were kind of in survival mode until she was old enough to cry it out and get on a little bit more of a schedule. Remember: A lot of these things take care of themselves with a little more age! Don't stress! Schedules and great sleeping happen closer to 6 months. It will be ok. Repeat: It will be ok!
- Graduated crying it out just doesn't work for us. Extinction or bust I guess.
- It always takes longer than I think to lose the baby weight. I feel like 3-4 months out is sort of a low, frustrating point. I'm far enough out that I think I should be nearly back to normal, but I'm definitely not. I think this round I was probably still a good 10-15 pounds higher than PP weight and none of my pants fit. I was starting to feel a little nervous that this was the new normal. But now we're a little over 6 weeks and I'm pretty much at my PP weight. I'm not exactly where I'd like to be, but overall feel much more like myself and much thinner and trim.
- My babies just evidently don't sleep through the night on their own. We were at 2 feeds a night for quite sometime. Landry had a really hard time kicking the feed between 11-1. I gave in for a long time, but we finally started letting her cry when she began waking between 10 and 11. I knew it was too early to feed and once we started letting her cry (which took a good week or 2, stubborn little thing) then she naturally started stretching to 2 and then 3 before she'd wake to feed. That's where we are now. I'm giving it another month or so and then think about trying to drop that one. Sigh.
- A good solid schedule started a little before 6 months. She goes to bed around 6 every night. It seems like she is tired and ready at that time, no matter how her naps were that day. She eats one time around 2:30 or 3 and then sleeps until between 6:30 and 7:30. Her initial wake time seems to vary day to day. Her first nap is between 8:30 and 9 and she normally sleeps at least an hour to maybe 2. Her next nap is anywhere between 12 and 1:30. This nap is varies quite a bit in length. She usually needs a third one, but it never lasts more than 20-30 minutes if she will.
- She is a little over 6 months now and starting to fight nap put downs, like her brothers did. I'm wondering if nap training is going to be needed soon.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Pierce Update April 2015
- Pierce continues to be our linear thinker and definitely has a strength for math and numbers. He recently counted to 200 by himself at dinner. He figures out patterns of numbers so quickly and often surprises me with his deduction abilities. He is so quick to catch on to most things academic and has an amazing memory.
- He still loves Thomas (probably more than Blaine), but has expanded his interests quite a bit. Both boys love legos and hot wheels cars played with in the backyard. He still loves to watch Thomas (again, definitely more than Blaine) and still rotates through different train names for himself quite frequently. I believe today he is Douglas. But now he tacks on "the leopard engine" because I recently called him a leopard after he had speckled mud all over his face. This delighted him to no end and now he's a leopard engine. Naturally.
- He has become a really great eater! He has a pretty large variety and is much more willing to try and taste new foods, especially with the promise of a "special treat", which he asks for daily...at every meal. But it is a huge motivator! He asks how many bites he has to have to earn his treat and by golly he does it! Even if it's 20 bites. He sits there and counts bite after bite (which he loves as well) and does it. Whatever works!
- He has continued to be the more daring, tougher one of the two. He is less cautious and a little more of a jump-first-think-later-type.
- Pierce still adores Landry and is constantly in her face talking to her. When he is around her or talking to her, he'll also start substituting the word "baby" in for other words. It's pretty funny. Like "Are you going to baby her now?" instead of "burp" or "Let's go babystairs." for "downstairs". You just never know!
- He has a pretty good stubborn streak through him. He doesn't take scolding super well and usually starts to fight or argue back when we correct him. These are also the instances in which he can go non-verbal on us. He'll only use monkey-like sounds and point to get his point across when he's really upset. I'm sure there's some kind of deep psychology as to why, but I've really been working on getting him to use his words when he's upset. He also has a tendency to use a super high pitched voice once he does start talking again. It can be a little grating.
- Both boys have aced their balance bikes and love riding them. I am amazed at how long the can truly balance and coast on two wheels. They absolutely love it. And it's been great to be able to go on longer walks around our neighborhood again. Pierce would play outside as long as I would let him. He has such a long focus and attention span for most activities.
- He continues to love music and still whistles with his train whistle in the car. I'm amazed at how quickly he can pick up and then remember lyrics. He's like me- a lyric listener. Our current CD on repeat is SteveSongs we got from the library. I have to admit, they're pretty good songs!
Favorite song: Don't Wake a Sleeping Lion and Fast Monkey by SteveSongs
Favorite show: Thomas and Friends
Favorite food: Peanut butter and honey sandwiches
Favorite activity: Legos
- He still loves Thomas (probably more than Blaine), but has expanded his interests quite a bit. Both boys love legos and hot wheels cars played with in the backyard. He still loves to watch Thomas (again, definitely more than Blaine) and still rotates through different train names for himself quite frequently. I believe today he is Douglas. But now he tacks on "the leopard engine" because I recently called him a leopard after he had speckled mud all over his face. This delighted him to no end and now he's a leopard engine. Naturally.
- He has become a really great eater! He has a pretty large variety and is much more willing to try and taste new foods, especially with the promise of a "special treat", which he asks for daily...at every meal. But it is a huge motivator! He asks how many bites he has to have to earn his treat and by golly he does it! Even if it's 20 bites. He sits there and counts bite after bite (which he loves as well) and does it. Whatever works!
- He has continued to be the more daring, tougher one of the two. He is less cautious and a little more of a jump-first-think-later-type.
- Pierce still adores Landry and is constantly in her face talking to her. When he is around her or talking to her, he'll also start substituting the word "baby" in for other words. It's pretty funny. Like "Are you going to baby her now?" instead of "burp" or "Let's go babystairs." for "downstairs". You just never know!
- He has a pretty good stubborn streak through him. He doesn't take scolding super well and usually starts to fight or argue back when we correct him. These are also the instances in which he can go non-verbal on us. He'll only use monkey-like sounds and point to get his point across when he's really upset. I'm sure there's some kind of deep psychology as to why, but I've really been working on getting him to use his words when he's upset. He also has a tendency to use a super high pitched voice once he does start talking again. It can be a little grating.
- Both boys have aced their balance bikes and love riding them. I am amazed at how long the can truly balance and coast on two wheels. They absolutely love it. And it's been great to be able to go on longer walks around our neighborhood again. Pierce would play outside as long as I would let him. He has such a long focus and attention span for most activities.
- He continues to love music and still whistles with his train whistle in the car. I'm amazed at how quickly he can pick up and then remember lyrics. He's like me- a lyric listener. Our current CD on repeat is SteveSongs we got from the library. I have to admit, they're pretty good songs!
Favorite song: Don't Wake a Sleeping Lion and Fast Monkey by SteveSongs
Favorite show: Thomas and Friends
Favorite food: Peanut butter and honey sandwiches
Favorite activity: Legos
Blaine Update April 2015
- Blaine continues to be our sensitive, empathetic, kind-hearted boy. He is in tune with other feelings and does not like to see others hurting. Recently Pierce had a pretty deep splinter that I was working on. I was having to use a needle to try to get it out and it was starting to hurt Pierce. Pierce was being super brave, but started wincing and pulling his hand back as I continued to work. Blaine looked up with big eyes while standing next to Pierce and said, "Stop, Mommy! Stop! You're hurting him!". I tried to explain that I was just trying to get to the splinter and it was all Blaine could do to not stop me himself I think. I told him he could hold Pierce's hand and he did while Pierce squeezed. Then he had the idea to pray for Pierce, so he stopped right there and prayed that Pierce would be ok. I about melted right there.
- I am continually blown away by his faith at such a young age. The other night he refused neosporin for a pretty red sore on his hand because he told me very simply and matter of factly that God would heal him. It was hard to argue with that, but I quickly tried to explain the balance of meds and God's power, but felt very humbled at this faith. I need more of it!
- Blaine is probably still the friendlier of the two. They both love meeting new kids and are curious about kids their age we see in a store, but Blaine is always the first to give a friendly "Hiyah!" to anyone and everyone we see. (That's been his new greeting and I love it!)
- He is still very active and has a shorter attention span. He often just has to be moving or running around.
- He's become the more stubborn eater and if he doesn't feel like eating something, no special treat or promise can change his mind. He doesn't make a big deal out of it though. He has added more fruit to his rotation which is good.
- He and Landry have bonded more and he loves helping feed her or giver her a drink in her high chair. He'll often say, "Ohhhh ,isn't she cute?". And she has started giggling equally at him. :)
- Blaine overall is so fun loving and very happy-go-lucky. For the most part he's in a good mood, but when he does get in a funk it's pretty serious. He has the best scowl I know and gets himself so deep he has trouble snapping out of it. He's told us before that he'll start talking nicer, but still has to "keep his mean eyebrows".
According to Blaine...
Favorite show: The SteveSongs Concert DVD
Favorite song: Don't Wake a Sleeping Lion by SteveSongs
Favorite food: Carrots (initial response, also a lie). I'd say more like PB and honey sandwiches
Favorite activity: Play legos
- I am continually blown away by his faith at such a young age. The other night he refused neosporin for a pretty red sore on his hand because he told me very simply and matter of factly that God would heal him. It was hard to argue with that, but I quickly tried to explain the balance of meds and God's power, but felt very humbled at this faith. I need more of it!
- Blaine is probably still the friendlier of the two. They both love meeting new kids and are curious about kids their age we see in a store, but Blaine is always the first to give a friendly "Hiyah!" to anyone and everyone we see. (That's been his new greeting and I love it!)
- He is still very active and has a shorter attention span. He often just has to be moving or running around.
- He's become the more stubborn eater and if he doesn't feel like eating something, no special treat or promise can change his mind. He doesn't make a big deal out of it though. He has added more fruit to his rotation which is good.
- He and Landry have bonded more and he loves helping feed her or giver her a drink in her high chair. He'll often say, "Ohhhh ,isn't she cute?". And she has started giggling equally at him. :)
- Blaine overall is so fun loving and very happy-go-lucky. For the most part he's in a good mood, but when he does get in a funk it's pretty serious. He has the best scowl I know and gets himself so deep he has trouble snapping out of it. He's told us before that he'll start talking nicer, but still has to "keep his mean eyebrows".
According to Blaine...
Favorite show: The SteveSongs Concert DVD
Favorite song: Don't Wake a Sleeping Lion by SteveSongs
Favorite food: Carrots (initial response, also a lie). I'd say more like PB and honey sandwiches
Favorite activity: Play legos
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)