2009 Pregnancy/baby thread

[wolfsoul]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments.

Tyler is really cute! I like all her animal hats. And I can't believe you went camping already!! Did Tyler have fun?

She slept pretty much the whole time! lol. I take her everywhere, we go to the dog park, the mall, and we even took her to Boston Pizza the other night for dinner. She's such a good baby.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Well, I managed to sell the bassinet and a bunch of Lyra's old clothes that no longer fit. I sold the clothes for $0.50 and $1 each, and still managed to make $40 on them (and there are still quite a few left)! I guess Lyra has a lot.

I listed things on craigslist but there are so many new ads that they get pushed down really fast. I might have to hold a garage sale next weekend.

[wolfsoul]

Just thought I'd share this cute picture of Tyler. She was 12 days old here.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Tyler looks very cute and cozy in that picture.

I had a question about bedtime. Lyra has started taking only 2 naps a day (for about 30-45 min each), and as a result she wants to go to bed earlier. She has been getting to sleep around 6:30-6:45 and sleeping till 5 or 6 in the morning. Since 5 am is a bit early for me (I typically go to bed around 10:00), I'd like her to stay up a bit later in the hopes she will sleep a little later. Also, in November we go back to standard time which means it'll be like her going to bed at 5:30!

Any suggestions on how to change her bedtime? Should I try to get her to nap later in the afternoon? I don't want to keep her up when she's tired too long, or she gets really super cranky then weirdly hyper...

Thanks in advance!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I just wanted to share a few pictures of Lyra's "first" snow (it's the first time she got to go out in it anyway). The snow will be gone tomorrow, so I thought I should get some pictures today! And Lyra's tiger suit was a gift from a friend teaching in China- I guess babies there wear them in cold weather. I think it's cute!

We didn't stay outside long, but Lyra had fun!

[prechrswife]

Great pictures! Love the Chinese Tigger snowsuit. Did you notice the split pants?

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Great pictures! Love the Chinese Tigger snowsuit. Did you notice the split pants?

Thanks!

Yeah, my friend said that many babies there don't wear diapers, and when they need to go the parents just kind of hold them away from their body and let them pee in the street. I have to say, I have a hard time picturing it, especially in cold weather!

[Cataholic]

PC- Jones was a difficult sleeper- from birth. It was well into the 2nd year before I could count on a consistent sleep through the night. There were no explanations and I feel as if I tried everything under the sun (short of drugs, LOL). He is, and has always been, a 10 hour sleeper. So, if he was napping during the day? He slept less at night. He gave up naps at 2. Thankfully, at 5, I can tell you that 90% of the time, he is a a great sleeper- but that other 10% can be tough.

So, I tell you all this as a prelude to MY advice- no training/experience other than motherhood. The thing that worked best for Jones was strict adherence to a routine. No deviations, ever. And, yeah, that was a super big pain in the butt for us. But, a bad night's sleep made it terrible for us for 2 days sometimes. No naps after 3 pm. Even if that meant waking him up. Earlier to bed (within reason) meant longer sleeps in the am. This seems so contrary to thought. Jones did not ever sleep in longer in the am when I moved his bedtime back. He went to bed at 7 pm for the longest time. And, if I put him to bed at 9? He still woke at 5. It just meant he slept less over night. 5 seemed his wake up time for months. I remember thinking this was it for us- sleepwise.

One of the things I also learned is that a baby's sleep history/pattern is so ever changing. What works today, now, a year ago, etc., might not even matter a month later, as the whole cycle has changed. I remember being so flipping anxious about time changes (when you have a child that doesn't sleep through the night for 14-16 months, these are anxious times). We survived them, and it did alter the pattern. Slowly we moved back to where we had been.

I remember everyone telling me, "wait until he starts walking", "wait until he is in preschool", "wait until he starts playing outside", all these events were to help him sleep. Just yesterday, Jones was playing with another kid his age and they were wrestling around like crazy outside. The other mom said, "they will sleep well tonight". Yeah? Jones was up til 915, as I laid there trying to not fall asleep before he did. He woke up sunny and fresh at 730am. If he sleeps 12 hours (and it does happen from time to time), I get anxious- thinking there must be something wrong with him.

And, not everyone has a child so sensitive to sleep events. LOL. In the last 60 days, 3 days of 3-5 am wake ups are still fresh in my mind. He is a great child, but a horrible sleeper.

So, what am I saying? That all the information in the world could be forthcoming, and none of it helpful in adjusting your daughter's sleep schedule.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

So, what am I saying? That all the information in the world could be forthcoming, and none of it helpful in adjusting your daughter's sleep schedule.

I had a sneaking suspicion that someone would say this! I have noticed that Lyra tends to wake up about the same time no matter when she gets to sleep. I do feel really lucky that she sleeps well overall, though, but I'm a bit worried about the time change.

My nephew (who is 8) sounds just like your son with sleep. He stayed the night at our house last weekend and woke up at 4:30 am to play with the pets. Maybe your son is just too curious and interested in the world to want to sleep too long.

[JenBKR]

PC- Jones was a difficult sleeper- from birth. It was well into the 2nd year before I could count on a consistent sleep through the night. There were no explanations and I feel as if I tried everything under the sun (short of drugs, LOL). He is, and has always been, a 10 hour sleeper. So, if he was napping during the day? He slept less at night. He gave up naps at 2. Thankfully, at 5, I can tell you that 90% of the time, he is a a great sleeper- but that other 10% can be tough.

So, I tell you all this as a prelude to MY advice- no training/experience other than motherhood. The thing that worked best for Jones was strict adherence to a routine. No deviations, ever. And, yeah, that was a super big pain in the butt for us. But, a bad night's sleep made it terrible for us for 2 days sometimes. No naps after 3 pm. Even if that meant waking him up. Earlier to bed (within reason) meant longer sleeps in the am. This seems so contrary to thought. Jones did not ever sleep in longer in the am when I moved his bedtime back. He went to bed at 7 pm for the longest time. And, if I put him to bed at 9? He still woke at 5. It just meant he slept less over night. 5 seemed his wake up time for months. I remember thinking this was it for us- sleepwise.

One of the things I also learned is that a baby's sleep history/pattern is so ever changing. What works today, now, a year ago, etc., might not even matter a month later, as the whole cycle has changed. I remember being so flipping anxious about time changes (when you have a child that doesn't sleep through the night for 14-16 months, these are anxious times). We survived them, and it did alter the pattern. Slowly we moved back to where we had been.

I remember everyone telling me, "wait until he starts walking", "wait until he is in preschool", "wait until he starts playing outside", all these events were to help him sleep. Just yesterday, Jones was playing with another kid his age and they were wrestling around like crazy outside. The other mom said, "they will sleep well tonight". Yeah? Jones was up til 915, as I laid there trying to not fall asleep before he did. He woke up sunny and fresh at 730am. If he sleeps 12 hours (and it does happen from time to time), I get anxious- thinking there must be something wrong with him.

And, not everyone has a child so sensitive to sleep events. LOL. In the last 60 days, 3 days of 3-5 am wake ups are still fresh in my mind. He is a great child, but a horrible sleeper.

So, what am I saying? That all the information in the world could be forthcoming, and none of it helpful in adjusting your daughter's sleep schedule.

Totally agree! Ty has never been a great sleeper either, although he is much better lately. He was always much worse with sleeping as he learned new things...like when he started to crawl, he didn't sleep for about a week! He just wants to practice his new skills. And I don't even want to mention teething! I tried many many things and bought all kinds of books. Some things worked, some didn't. Some things worked for a little while and then for some reason, not anymore. And just as Johanna said, their sleep patterns change constantly. I can't tell you how many times I thought we had it down, only to change. I have learned that I have to adapt to Ty more so than him adapting to me. Good luck!

[finn's mom]

Clara weighs 10lbs 15 oz and is 23.5 inches long! She's growin'!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Vince is so cute! He looks like such a happy boy- his smile makes me smile, too!