Happiest Baby?

A couple weeks ago a friend of mine told me about this 7-10-2 method for getting babies to sleep through the night.  The biggest take-away that I got from the article was that babies need lots of sleep and therefore need an early bedtime.  This was problematic for us because at the time he was sleeping in bed with me and I would not allow him to sleep in our bed alone.  So we decided to go on the battle to get Payton to sleep in his pack n play once again.

We somewhat failed the first two nights because I fell asleep while nursing and he ended up sleeping in bed with me again some time during the middle of the night.  It was at that point that I realized I cannot nurse him through the night anymore.  One reason being that I would fall asleep before getting him into his own bed and the other reason being that he wasn't getting enough milk to sleep "through" the night.  So I prepare bottles before bed and gave that a shot.  After a couple more exhausting but somewhat successful nights of doing that, I came to realize that Payton may not be sleeping well in the pack n play because it moves whenever he does, causing him to startle and wake.  So we decided to give his crib in his own room a try.

So now Payton is sleeping in his crib and we don't nurse at night.  I have to say, I do miss the closeness of nursing my baby, during the day and now at night.  Even with the full bottles it was discouraging to see that Payton was not sleeping through the night; he was still waking every two to three hours. It was as if we were experiencing what most parents experience when their baby is a newborn but we were doing it at three months old.  Seems like forever ago our pediatrician had recommended us dropping a feeding at night.  But I was too embarrassed to admit that wouldn't be possible at the time because we were co-sleeping.  Now with Payton sleeping in his crib I can't fathom how I can deprive my crying baby of food when he is hungry in the middle of the night.  Still I wanted to get more than three hours of sleep in a row.

Finally yesterday we decided to try something new (to us).  I finally got to the library to get a library card and check out the parenting section.  I borrowed the DVD for The Happiest Baby on the Block.  A friend had mentioned it to me when Payton was just days old but I honestly thought it was a parenting book.  Yesterday I found out it was come miracle solution to make your baby stop crying and sleep more.  Although we were a little late to jump on this train, we were both eager to check it out.  Well.... I totally bought into it!  Some of it was information that we already knew or had discovered on our own but this doctor kind of put it together for us.  He explains that these "tricks" to calming a baby are simply reflexes, such as the reflex we are born with to suck, swallow, and grasp objects.  Not only that, but it re-inspired us to try to swaddle Payton once again.  So the next time Payton woke up, precisely three hours after we put him down, I had Carlos wrap him in the swaddle me.  We also turned up the volume on the sound machine.  To our amazement, Payton slept a full FIVE hours after that!  I cannot express to you how happy that made me!  That was the best and deepest five hours of sleep I've gotten in a little over three months.

We are swaddling Payton again tonight in hopes that we will get more great sleep.  Besides, my time is up.  I'm no longer a stay-at-home-mom, I'm now a working mom, because I have to go back to work tomorrow.  I have to leave my baby's side... and follow the smell of money (images of Pepe Le Pew following a scent trail dance through my sad little head) to get those much needed pay checks again.  Except Pepe Le Pew is happy because he is tracking down his love, I'm sad because I'm leaving my love.

Is Payton the happiest baby on the block?  I'm not sure.  But I sure think he's a pretty happy boy.  And if he can keep sleeping like he did last night.  I'll be the happiest mommy on the block!

Around the Corner

Halloween is just around the corner!

I wanted to get a head start this year, since I tend to be a little bit of a scrooge when it comes to holidays and I don't want to drop the ball for Payton's sake.  So I bought his halloween costume online and it arrived today.  We also already have our candy and a big black bowl with skull and cross bones on it for the trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.  I also intend to get some decorations for the front of the house.

Of course Carlos couldn't wait to put the costume on him already! LOL  I must say my little man does look very cute as a "little monkey" as Carlos loves to call him.

On anther note, I asked Carlos to start using Payton's name a little more often... otherwise he's going to think his name is Monkey, Chubby Cheeks, Pappito, or Cacheton.

How can anyone justify that?!

In general, I'm somewhat of a fan of the Kardashian's.  I watch "Keeping Up with the Kardashian's" and "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" regularly, I find their antics to be amusing, and I feel almost a connection with Kourtney because we are both moms under similar circumstances...  but today I almost felt an outrage toward Kim.  I heard on the radio and then read here that Kim Kardashian spent $100,000 in handbags yesterday.  In particular, she spent $30,000 on one bag!  This pisses me off to the nth degree.  The amount of money she spent on one handbag is the amount I purchased my car for, and I think I have a pretty nice car.  There are families all across the country living off of 30K or less!  30K could pay for one year at a nice college or an entire degree at a decent college!

I know Kim works very hard and she earns her money.  But maybe she's just a little overpaid.  Or perhaps I'm just questioning her priorities.  She could be putting all that money to a much better use considering all the people in the world that are starving or dying to preventable diseases.  But most of all, I just wonder if she ever thought to herself for one second, "I know I can afford this handbag, but out of principle I shouldn't buy it because it's too much to spend on a handbag."  I'd like to think I would.  But then again, I only make a little more than what she spent on that handbag in one year.

Mommyhood

I know, I know.  I've been very negligent of the blogging world, not that anyone is reading this.  Is anyone reading this??

Life has been crazy.  I've been in and out of the hospital for a kidney stone and another embarrassing problem.  I've been tossing around the idea of blogging about my embarrassing problem but so far I've decided not to.  Solely for the fact of whose hands that information could get into and who torment would result from that.  For these reasons, I still have not made it to work.  But when I receive the clearance to go, I am ready.  I prepared myself physically and emotionally (for the most part) last week Tuesday but I couldn't go because I was in too much pain.

I've also been busy with other projects, as well.  We had professional photographs taken of Payton.  I was still with kidney stone but after my emergency room visit.  But they came out beautifully.

I also recently joined Groupon so I can take advantage of all the wonderful things that families should be doing.  I joined shutterfly and made a book of photographs of Payton from his first three months.  Did I mention he is three months old?!  Just turned 12 weeks yesterday.  I can't wait to see the book but most of all, I made it so Payton will always know what he looked like when he was a baby.  All the precious moments and silly faces that he made as a newborn... you just can't replace that.

I also joined the Museum of Science and Industry through Groupon.  It's something I really hope to take advantage of as a family.  This first year is going to be important in Payton's development and I want to expose him to the world!

My next project.... a new tattoo??  I want to get one for Payton.  I think I've decided on the content but not the location.

My tattoo won't be quite this big!

Back to work

If you are friends with me on facebook, you may already know... I'm going back to work next week.  You may also know that I'm just not thrilled at the prospect.  In fact, I'm completely upset by it.

As far as taking care of Payton goes, here is the plan so far.  Carlos will be off on Mondays and Tuesdays so he will take care of Payton those two days.  Then Wednesday through Friday he will be at an in-home daycare.  Saturday he will be in my care and Sunday is going to be family day because Carlos will be off.

I'm happy that Payton will at least be with one of us for two out of the five days of the week.  Carlos has never been alone with Payton like this so it's going to be a lot of stress on him at first.  I know that Carlos gets frustrated sometimes and doesn't always know what it is that Payton needs.  Whenever he is taking care of Payton, I am always there.  Since I've spent every day, minus one while in the hospital, with him I have a little insight into his routine and what he needs and I'm able to help Carlos.  I will do my best to make sure he knows everything he needs to know before Tuesday.

I feel very confident with the daycare we have set up but that's not the issue.  I find it hard to believe I would ever be able to trust someone with Payton, but I almost do.  Fortunately, it's also a licensed daycare so that gives me more comfort.  But the change ahead is what frightens me.  Up until I start work on Tuesday, Payton has not been out of my sight for more than five minutes (except for a couple of hospital stays).  I hate that when Payton cries someone else is going to hold him and kiss him, not me or Carlos.  It will be strange to have the independence to be able to go anywhere and do whatever I want without worrying about Payton... but I don't want that independence.  I'm going to miss Payton like crazy.  I want to spend every minute with him and I don't want to miss a single smile or giggle.  If I thought I was eager for the end of the work day when I was working before, that is nothing compared to the way I will be running home to see my baby now.

I live for making my baby laugh and smile.

My stomach is in a giant knot.  I hate that we only have a couple days left together like this.  Then he will spend more of his waking hours with a babysitter than he will spend with me.  If it were financially feasible, I would stay home to be with him all the time.  I hope Carlos and I can make this weekend extra special.

We are smack dab in the middle of sleep training as I write. Poor little Payton is having such a hard time... and I blame myself. I hope he will give in soon.

How has my life changed?

Well, no, you haven't asked... but I'm going to tell you.  It's pretty cliche, but so true.  Since we've had Payton my life has changed in so many ways.  But the biggest of those changes is that I have something (someone) to live for.

Before it was all about me but now it's all about Payton.  Truly, everything I do is for him.  I hope he will understand that some day.