Sweeter Sleep--sleep training, day 2

Last night was amazing...well, until Jeff and I went to bed. We went through our routine with Lauren, and she seemed pretty tired in general last night. We started around 6:30 pm and by 7:00 I was ready to put her in her crib. She cried for a little while, but by 7:09 she was out like a light.

It was sweet and serene quiet time and it was the first time in months Jeff and I were able to start a movie before nine...and stay awake for the whole thing! The only issue? Lauren woke up 3 (or 4?) times throughout the night :(

The first two times, she quickly fell back asleep when Jeff gave her a pacifier. It seems like a blur, but I think by 1:30 and 3:30 am I caved thinking she needed to nurse both times to get her through the night. I'm excited to see what tonight brings. As my mother-in-law recalls, she "power-nursed" her babies right before putting them down; making sure they ate as much as comfortable to get them as many consecutive hours of sleep as possible!

Sweet Sleep--sleep training, Day 1

I've reached my limit of sleepless nights, interrupted zzz's time, and midnight nursing sessions. Don't get me wrong, I love bonding with my little one, but after 6 months of choppy sleep I'm due for a good night's rest. So, I set out with a few tools to jump start my venture into sleep training.

After talking to multiple mothers, I checked out the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and a few other books about calming and sleep training. I've read several articles on Parenting.com and felt I was ready to give it a shot.

So, tonight was number 1 and for the next week or so, our routine will go something like this:

7:00 pm: Let Lauren burn some energy in the Johny-Jump-Up.
7:10 pm: Give Lauren a warm, relaxing bath and talk in a soft, calm voice
7:20 pm: Have Lauren in a fresh diaper and p.j's, comb her hair, and then bundle her in a warm blanket.
7:30 pm: Read a short story, say family prayer, make sure dad has a chance to kiss goodnight, and nurse if needed.
7:35 pm (or about then): Cowboy up and place baby in crib. Turn off lights, turn on "white noise fan" and sit beside the crib as needed.

We did great tonight. After 30 minutes of roller coaster crying (started out with a complaining cry, escalated into a scream-like cry, then hit a real cry which took every ounce of my will power to not pick her up, then back down, etc.) and me whispering little words of comfort to her, Lauren settled into sleep recognized by her easy rhythm breathing. Then I knew it was safe to tiptoe outside.

All references say Lauren should reach destination Dreamland bliss within a week (9 days max). I'll log our progress with the hopes of getting 7+ consecutive hours of sleep by the time October ends.

Every Nursery needs a theme!

I started with a pink and brown theme, and then I tried to add a touch of my favorite animal. Can you tell what my favorite animal is??? Did I go overboard?

Lastly, two very sweet girlfriends donated to my cause! (Or my love of giraffes!)

What Happened When I Discovered iPhoto Booth

Jeff and I got a Mac a couple weeks ago. I've found some cool applications, Photo Booth is one that has been around, but is new to me. This is what happens when Lauren and I discover something new and cool...and have too much free time!

Lauren wasn't nearly as impressed or excited as I was about this application find....

The Opposite of a Compulsive Shopper

I have been way into A&E's television series, "Hoarders". It amazes me how much people hold onto things and how messy someone's home can be, but it doesn't bother that person. There was one episode that stood out to me because the wife was a compulsive shopper and her husband was a hoarder, so together they didn't quite make a good team.

I almost fall under the compulsive shopper category because I LOVE TO SHOP! I'm at Target every other day and I frequent the mall just about every weekend. Sometimes I just feel better after spending a little money, even if it's just a buck for a Coke...yeah, as if the money was literally burning a hole in my pocket.

I have something helpful on my side, however. "Buyer's remorse". If it's something I don't really need, I tend to return it within a week. The people at Target probably recognize me, and maybe some should even start asking me, "Hey Maxene, do you really NEED this? Or really WANT it? You could always leave it on the rack and think about it..."

So, I'm a Compulsive Returner. Technically, this could be a good thing. That, or I should learn patience and just wait on certain items. My new motto should consist of a 3 step process: (1) Do I need the item? If yes, than get it. If no, than (2) Do I really want the item, like life would be better with it? If no, than don't get it. If yes, than (3) go home, sleep on it, and if I remember the item in a few days, than go see if it's on sale to determine the final purchasing decision.

Maybe cats aren't so bad after all

I don't quite know what it is about me and cats, but we don't get along. I think it had something to do with a black farm cat that scratched my eye (or maybe it was my sister's eye) when I was a little girl. Ever since then (that and the persistent allergies) I haven't been a big fan of cats...until I saw this youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_uuN5kuq74

There you have it.

Ring Leader

I wouldn't say I come up with a lot of good ideas. I'm not the dare devil who comes up with a brilliant game plan or activity and gets all my friends to follow in suit. No, I'm definitely one of the many who follows behind that ring leader no matter if it's for good or for trouble! My husband, on the other hand, was born a ring leader. Jeff has had more broken bones, stitches, and trips to the emergency room than anyone else I know. He's also a "do-er". When there's an idea out there, he's the one up front making sure it's carried out. A week or so ago, he had one of these great ideas. He got a golf ball catcher a while back as a gift, and since has not had to buy a single ball at the store. Last week, for our Family Home Evening, we had dinner and for our activity, we went to the golf course to go on a "walk". We waited till dark, brought our flashlights, and packed Lauren in the stroller with some blankets. As we walked to the designated water hazards, it was not to enjoy the view nor to appreciate the fairways. We proceeded to fish for golf balls with Jeff's catcher. We even came up with a game plan if we sensed issues. Jeff was to run out of sight and I would casually continuing strolling on my "nightly walk" which just happened to cross through holes 16 and 17. We would meet up at the old house I grew up in. I'm sure we looked very suspicious. We only had one close call, and 3 dozen balls later proved to be worth it. It's true, we're getting older but we're not growing up!