tough love week 1

I think my dark circles are starting to fade after some tough love was administered. It all started Friday night, Marcus was at the station and since he is the one with the weak heart for a crying child I deemed that night Cry It Out Night. Ian went to bed between 8:30-9, I went to bed around 11. Fast forward to 1 something and the crying starts, 45min later it either stopped or I fell back asleep, fast forward to 4 something when the crying started again and lasted for 10min. Fast forward to 6:30 when my alarm went off (yes, I set my alarm on Saturday's, gotta get a workout in). I managed to get a workout in and a shower before my lil guy woke up. He ate an entire bowl of oatmeal and we went on with our day with 2 naps and some other good meals.

Saturday Night: Ian went to bed around 9, fast forward to 4a when the crying started. After 30min, Marcus gets up and gets him a drink of water and he goes back to sleep. Now, you are thinking what I'm thinking "Marcus let him cry it out for 30min" oh but wait fast forward to the morning time. Ian slept till 8 something, Marcus then was telling his mom about our night and he didn't even hear him till like 25min into the crying out. Gotta say it typical guy for ya.

Sunday Night: Bed around 8:30, and if you asked me Monday morning how the night went I said he slept through. But according to Marcus he heard Ian moving around so he stuck his head in and then Ian saw him and wanted out so his weak heart for babies kicked in. And basically undo all my tough love.

Monday Night: Same bedtime as the previous nights, however he was not himself. Before bed he had no real appetite and a lot of gas and liquidy messy diapers. I heard him a couple different times throughout the night and went to check on him and he had another liquidy messy diaper. But we did not end up on the couch.

Tuesday Night (Blizzard night): Slept till about 4 then woke up crying, fell back asleep till 6 something when he heard Marcus not so quietly getting ready to snow blow the driveway.

Wednesday Night: bedtime as previous nights, woke up around 1 something I laid with him on the couch and noticed the house was a bit chilly as I ordered both dogs on the couch to have one lay on my legs and the other on my feet. Laid Ian back in his crib and he woke up again at 4 at which point I looked at our thermostat and noticed it was reading about 62 (it's set so the house is at 72) at which point I woke Marcus up and told him I was bringing Ian into our bed.  **Off topic Marcus then got up to looked at it did some flipping and got the heat to kick on but not for long so he got dressed and headed to the closest 24hr store and bought a new thermostat, installed it and we were getting warm again. All this at 4a what a good husband taking care of his family.

Thursday Night: bedtime as previous nights, woke up around 4 again and then went back to bed till I woke him to head to the sitters.

There is week 1 I can't say major progress has been made but I feel we are getting somewhere.  Both Marcus and I (me more) are becoming immuned to the crying.

Blizzard 2011

We survived Blizzard 2011, it was really windy the snowfall amount was not bad but the wind was AWFUL!  I'm lucky enough to make the decision as to if work is opened or closed.  I decided to close around 9p which resulted in sending out emails to over 100 people, update facebook status, making the note on our website and changing the voicemail recordings x2.  Luckily when we closed early Tuesday night I had already drafted emails for Wednesday. Wednesday our county was under a state of emergency and only emergency personal were to be on the roads.  And for once my hubby's work showed that they do have a heart and didn't open any of their branches.  Although Marcus' friend who works at the downtown offices of the bank and is the property manager had to go in and see to it that all the parking lots were taken care of and no damage to any the branches occured.

So we both had snow days, I however did work from home.  Now, I know most people who work from home look forward to being able to do so in their yoga pants and a sweatshirt but seeing as to that is what I wear to work. I look forward to working in our chair and half, my yoga pants, comfy sweatshirt. and in my socks.  Aside from working, I took a nap which I never do and of course worked out and while I was working on my 100 squats Ian wanted me to hold him so I squatted holding Ian for about 90 of the squats. My legs are pretty sore today. Marcus snow blowed and also napped and we both hung out with Ian and practiced his walking skills.  We had a good snow day and what is a snow day without homemade choco chip cookies?

taken Tuesday night 2/1 when it started snowing around 5p

what we woke up Wednesday 2/2, this is after Marcus snow blowed

Pox Box

When both my sister and I got the chicken pox (she got them first) she found a box and decided that she would sit in the box wait for the itchiness to go away and should would watch TV from the box, read and boss me around.

Ian's box arrived today and he got to test it out. Downside to his box it's too tall and he can't see the TV so he'll require a portable DVD player. No, he doesn't have the chicken pox he just wanted to test out a box. This may not be the final box as he may want to upgrade when the time comes.

Two Steppin'

pavement

I'm in need of feeling the pounding of hitting the pavement under my feet. Of taking 30min and getting some miles on the jogging stroller and on my shoes.  To start mine and Ian's morning off with run along the riverwalk, to hear the birds chirping, to see the baby geese follow their momma along the path to the water (and hope they don't run after me), to witness the trees getting their leaves, flowers blooming, to feel that burn in my lungs of being out of breath, to push my body to it's limits and build my endurance back up.  If you can't tell I have spring fever, not sure if it's because of all the snow or the deadline at work that is looming overhead or that the stores are putting out the spring lines or that my child is struggling to sleep through the night. I'm going with all the above. And no running won't make any of those things go away but they will help cope.

"I do it as a therapy. I do it as something to keep me alive. We all need a little discipline. Exercise is my discipline."  - Jack LaLanne

I couldn't have said it better myself, retail therapy is also a good coping tool but not as easy on the budget as hitting the pavement or dropping and giving 15 (my current max for push ups before I need a break).

What's your coping tool?

Napping

Thank you all for the comments and advice, as I said willing to try anything.  Some of you asked about his napping and I feel he is an excellent napper.  He goes down for his 1st nap 2hrs after he wakes up and will take a 1-2hr nap and then usually 2hrs after he wakes from his morning nap he takes his 2nd nap which again is usually 2hrs long.  He can sleep through anything (I was able to vaccum his room while he napped and he never even stirred....yes he was still breathing).  I think maybe one of the issues is that when he's at the sitters he's on their routine where as when he is home with me or at my parents or in-laws he is on his own routine.  Or maybe that has nothing to do it...

I quickly glanced at the babywhisperer forums but haven't gotten to dive into much yet. Not too worry I will keep you all posted!

dark circles

I have dark circles under my eyes that only getting darker and my brain is fried trying to think of ideas to help Ian sleep thru the night.  He did great with sleeping up until about 3 months ago and then started waking up anywhere from 1 to 3x a night.  He goes to bed prefectly fine never puts up a fight. Staying asleep is  different story.

We have tried:

1. letting him cry it out, I gave up after 45min
2. feeding him right before bed didn't make a difference so at least I know he isn't hungry
3. having white noise in the background 
4. keeping him up till 10, this worked once
5. sitting next to his crib and rubbing his back
6. getting in his crib with him, yes you read that I right I hopped right in and it didn't make a difference
7. Motrin/Tylenol combo for any teething pain
8. Humphrey's teething strips/tablets
9. baby orajel
10. Johnson and Johnson's bedtime body wash and lotion
11. music playing in the back ground, in case there was a case of loneliness going on
12. .....

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions.  He typically goes to bed between 8-9 wakes up anywhere between 12-2 and then will wake up again around 2:30 and sometimes an hr later and then will sleep till I wake him at 7 (on the days I have to work) or whenever he wakes up on the days I have off. What ends up happening is that I get him and as soon as I pick him up he nuzzles into my neck and cuddles, we usually head out to the couch and he goes back to sleep within about 5-20min and usually within that time I too have fallen asleep.  After I wake up I carry him back to his crib where he will sometimes stay asleep until the morning or following the pattern or something very similar mentioned above.  I have talked with our Dr and said there is no "this is how you do it" book you more or less have to fly by the seat of your pants and often times go into survival mode.  He said  his kids liked to sleep in his and his wife's bed so so they rolled out sleeping bags and told them if you want to sleep in here there you go.  It wasn't ideal he said but everyone slept.  We are in survival mode right now we all sleep maybe not in our respective beds but we are sleeping and it might not be a great sleep but it's sleep.  Any thoughts????