This Ish Isn't For Me

That was the line I was awakened with at 3am. And it was comical! B, you and dad have been having sleepovers together for the past two nights so mom can get a good night's rest in the guest room. You are still at the point where you are waking up every three hours to eat, and sometimes that's every two hours depending on your moods. So um, yeah, you have been hanging out with dad at night. The first night, you guys did great and after a mom rescue feeding around midnight and suctioning to your nose, I slept until 7am. Well, last night, between your waking up every two hours to eat and J sleepwalking and waking dad up three times before 3am, dad decided he had enough. So in you came at 3am smiling with all your gums out as dad handed you over to me with his proclimation that "this *$(% isn't for me." Why what do you mean big J? This is what happens EVERY night and you can't make it TWO nights? Come on man (quoting Sunday Night Countdown)...Welp, since I had been sleeping peacefully for four hours at that point, I gladly took you for a feeding and some snuggle time before we both went to sleep until 7am. But yeah, dad, this is what happens at night when you usually sleep through it.

Baby B--1; Dad--ZERO!!!!

The Baby Boycott

Okay, so no, before you get carried away, we are not boycotting baby B. Rather, he is holding a boycott of his own...against sleep of all things! I mean, isn't the saying something like happy sleep, happy baby? For us, it's more like little sleep, happy baby. So while he's still in an awesome mood and is still his charming self, B has decided that sleep is overrated. For the past few nights, B has been up singing and entertaining himself during the wee hours of the morning...like say 3am to 5:30am. To his credit, last night he did sleep from 11:30pm to 4:30am, ate and went back to sleep at 5am, but by 6am, he was up and doing the baby dance, ready for the day to start. Um, yeah, I have on two different socks today, we were late bringing J to school and baby, mamma is tired!

*I forgot to mention that this is our second week with the transition to B's crib. The bassinet wasn't working for the "beefy" boy anymore and since he exceed the 15 pound weight limit on the bassinet about a month ago, we decided that we couldn't push it anymore. Especially since when he pushed up on his arms, he was halfway over the top of the thing anyway.*

So alas, it's off to the crib and he likes it. He can stretch out and sleeps peacefully in it, when he sleeps. Even through this little phase (yes, I am saying it will be a little--ie short phase), it's still hard to get frustrated. Something about walking to the crib to try to get him to settle down and seeing those gums sticking out and happy that just makes you appreciate the moment. So we soldier on, with no sleep...with diet coke!

Thankfully J is a great sleeper, once he's asleep. He doesn't wake up while B is exercising his vocal chords! I need to go back and look at my journals from J and see what he was doing and how he was sleeping at 3.5 months. That may give me hope.

In the meantime, I am thinking I need to pull out Baby Wise again. We were doing so well on it and he was down to waking only one time a night. I don't know what happened. Dr. Ezzo, please come back to my rescue!!!

16 Weeks Does Not Equal Four Months

We go from counting days to weeks to months and it can get confusing. I mean, B, right now, you are 16 weeks old, which in my book is four months, but you're still 3.5 months old. Crazy, right. I remember counting your life in hours and in what seems like only a few short days, you are growing into your own. You have the most awesome personality and are seriously the happiest baby I have ever seen. I mean, J was happy, but he had to study the world and take it all in, but B, as soon as anyone makes eye contact with you or talks to you, you turn on the charm and smile with your whole face. It's the cutest thing and you have actually started making faces now that make me laugh and don't make it so bad when you have a horrible night of sleep like last night. The crazy faces make the midnight, 4am and 6am wake ups a little more bearable...but let's not make that a habit, okay? Thanks!

All is well on the homefront and J is doing well in school. I was told by his teacher that he only missed two questions on his kindergarten readiness assessment test...TWO! And get this, those questions were meant for 2nd grade comprehension. Smart boy--we are so proud!!!! J doesn't know it yet, but this weekend will be his debut into team sports. Well, he's been taking swim lessons since before he could walk and is a little fish now and he's on the bowling team at school, but that's not the same. So J is the newest memeber of the Countryside Little League Rockies. I am so excited as I know he will love it. We will go to pick up his gear after school today! Pictures and videos to come soon, I am sure it'll be comedy.

That's all for now. I am glad this week is winding down, still lots to be done, but taking it all in stride :)

Big Number 3! .... UPDATED

Hey baby boy! You are three months old today!!!! We celebrated in grand style, by putting on your onesie with the "three month" sticker and having a photo shoot. Hopefully one day, you'll look back on all these pictures and marvel at your growth the same way we do each day when we look at you! So what have you been up to these days:

-You don't have an official doctor's appointment this month, so I don't have the official stats, but I think you are around 16 pounds right now. I am going to get you weighed and check you length in the next few day. Regardless of the specifics, you are a big, healthy baby.

-You are getting so very strong. You can hold your head up with the best of em and when you are laying down on your stomach, you can push up fully and look around. You scared me last night when I felt someone looking at me and realized you were peering over the side of your bassinet :)...Speaking of the bassinet, you are almost at the weight limit for it so you may be moving to the big crib soon!

-You are extremely social and I love it. You hold conversations with us and try so hard to get words out. Your little sounds are the best in the world and you respond just like you know exactly what you are trying to say.

-You light up when Joshua comes into the room. You love to see your big brother in action. Now that you are more aware and "talking" to him, Joshua loves all over you. He entertains you in the car and loves to be a helper for you, doing anything from putting your pacifier in your mouth to helping close diapers.

-Bath time still is one of your most favorite times of the day. You laugh and talk and laugh more. Just recently, you realized that if you move your feet, the water splashes up, so you are just a kicking and splashing until you get out the tub.

-You have also discovered your hands. You try your hardest to get your thumb in your mouth all the time. When you can't quite make it in there, you'll settle for putting your entire hand in your mouth and just sucking away. You love playing with your fingers.

-You are eating six ounces of formula every three hours. We tried a few times with rice cereal, but your little tummy doesn't yet like it, so we are sticking to milk. You drink your whole bottle (we just switched from the "baby" bottles to Tommee Tippie bottles and you like them okay) and burp like a champ!

-And wow baby boy, you waited until the eve of your three month birthday to SLEEP. Last night, you went down around 10:30pm and woke up at 4am, ate and went right back to sleep until 8:30am. Yay Brayden :). So mom only had to wake up once and it felt good. Of course, I kept checking on you all night to make sure you were okay, but you slept very well. Let's make sure this is a new pattern, okay? Thanks!

-All the newborn clothes are gone, over and done with. You are now in 3-6 month clothes. You have the cutest little shoes that I can't wait to get you in. Right now, you aren't really a fan of shoes, but you'll get there :)

I think that's about it. We'll transition to mom going back to work here shortly. I know you'll adjust just fine as you are the most easy-going, calm baby (except when you're hungry or sleepy). You love people and they love you! Of course, mom will miss you every second, but I am thankful to have all this time at home to snuggle with you all day and all night. We all love you to pieces.

Happy 3 months B!

***UPDATED*** My unofficial weigh-in for B suggests that he is 18 pounds now!!!! Holy batman boy! I am gonna say that maybe it's a little off, but um, yeah, he is "Beefy" as his Uncle Trey calls him :)

The Countdown is On

Only a little over a week before I head back to work. I have been very lucky to be able to have over three months at home with B. It's been awesome. J was born in the smack of an event, so he learned early on what life with mom would be like. I was at an event and at work when he was two weeks old (thanks to Mimi's help). So there was not really and leave per se with him. B's arrival came in between events...after my first football game and before my basketball event and bowl game. Because of the timing and extra support, I decided to maximize my leave. So with medical leave, saved vacation time and a few unpaid days, B will be almost 15 weeks before I go back to work. I don't have to tell you how that just doesn't happen for most folks who have to get back to work immediately. So I don't take it for granted. We have great arrangements for B when I return to work that hopefully will work smoothly. I am spending this week getting prepped for the transition. Granted I will only be in the office a few days a week, but those of you who know me IRL know that I want all the details ironed out so that we are ready to roll without incident. I am also trying to figure out what B's schedule is. I think I have a good idea about it, but I have pretty much been letting him dictate his own schedule, so I am not sure how I would write it down for someone else to follow. And alas...

***B is becoming a better sleeper***

Yes, that deserved its own line, LOL. Pretty much he's down by 9:30, wakes between 12:30am and 1am to eat and is right back to sleep. For the past few days, he's stretched out that sleep period until (can you believe it?) between 6am and 7am!!! Wooo hooo :)...then he'll go back to sleep until I am ready to wake him to get J off to school. He's done that two out of the last three nights, so now, I am calling it a new pattern (let's not jinx it). So that's technically only up once a night for mom and I am loving it. Let's hope it continues (and the church said AMEN). Of course, it will be nice when he eliminates that midnight feeding, but yes, I am celebrating this as a victory!

In other news, J is doing well at school and has gotten several wonderful reports. He's amazing to say the least! We are still debating organized sports for him and will probably take the leap sometimes soon. He LOVES his bowling team and is quite the bumper bowler, LOL. We shall see what's next...

And project "fit my clothes" is officially back on! I have a new pilates instructor and a bike, so yes, I am riding a mile to class and taking that butt whipping and riding a mile back home. So far, so good...

Love yall...Have a good Monday :)