Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Sleep

I was so spoiled. The Bun had been sleeping over nine hours these past few weeks. Then she would sleep another 2-3 hours, sleeping a total of around 12. Yes, TWELVE. And then five nights ago, we went back to our old routine. Waking up at 2:30am and then at 7:00am.
*Sigh*
Just when I thought we were making progress! But the ladies with older babies from my Mommy group said that they all went through the same thing around four months.
Well, it was nice while it lasted.

1/27/10 edit: Last night, she woke up at 12am, 3am, 4am, and 5:30am. I wanted to kick my husband. Not because I thought it was his fault but I can't very well kick the baby. Or the pups. Well, guess I can't kick anyone, can I?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Pups, turn overs, grabbing and such

Dear Bun,

The pups still respect your space. Well, if they can see you. When I cover your legs with a blanket, Pili has a bad tendency to step on the blanket, not knowing she's actually stepping on you. But whenever you cry hard, your furry sisters come racing to you and then giving me this look like, "Well? Aren't you going to DO something? FIX HER!" Although I know Piko loves you too, Pili is the one that comes into your room when your Daddy and I go through the night time routine and say good night to you. What's funny is that she sometimes forgets that when we turn off the light, it's time to go. We have to prompt her. We know this because, one time, we left your room and heard a couple minutes later one bark. Just one. Daddy quietly opened your door and Pili was waiting patiently on the other side. I thought it was very polite of her not to want to wake you.
You recently learned to turn over from your stomach to your back. I'm happy for you but I can't help dread that days I can leave you on my bed like an upside down turtle are gone. You are still slow to turn over but I know that rolling is just around the corner.
You are grabbing more and more. Last week, you grabbed my glasses. You constantly grab my hair but you've been doing that for a while so I suppose I'll be wearing ponytails, buns and braids until you're five.
Next week, I'll write about your teeth coming in (oh lawdee, you are NOT happy about that!), finding a daycare provider and our maternity leave time coming to an end. I'm not excited about that but I know you will be in good hands.

Love,
Mama

Friday, January 15, 2010

3+ months

Dear Sticky Bun,

I really wanted to document every little thing you do but time has escaped me. And after I tuck you into bed, I'm in no shape to try to string sentences together on this little blog. So let me try to do a recap:
A couple of weeks ago, you discovered your right fist. It is seriously the most awesomest thing ever in your life right now. Seriously. And every time you move it out of your line of sight and then move it back, it's like Christmas Day all over again. It makes me and your Daddy laugh. We're looking forward to you discovering your left hand. You found it a couple of times but lost it and then forgot all about it so we don't count that yet.
I LOVE your pout. I think you've had that for at least a month. I didn't know that pouting was a natural expression. I guess I thought it was something toddlers learned to copy. Your pout is the CUTEST. THING. EVER. I try not to get caught up in it because I know that you are THIIIIIIIIIS close to crying and I need to tend to the matter at hand. But darn it, that pout is something else. And I don't think I'll ever be quick enough to capture it on camera (because, as I wrote, it usually quickly leads to crying) but it is sooo cute.
You are a champion sleeper. Over the past few weeks (again, I wish I had been good documenting all this because I love precise information ... but that's your mama being anal), we slowly moved you from going to bed at 10:00pm to 8:30pm. We have two white noise machines for you because you seem to take to them. Your Aunt Tiff remarked during her visit that it sounded like crashing waves when she passed by your room ... we take white noise very seriously since it seems to work for you.
You usually refuse your pacifier when we tuck you in but within 10 minutes to an hour, you typically cry a little. So your daddy or I sneak in, do what we call the "binkie push", and leave. Bless your little heart, that's all you need. When we first moved you into your own room, I turned the baby monitor all the way up because I was, quite frankly, freaking out at the thought of you by yourself. But you hardly cried and figured out how to settle yourself and eventually go to sleep.
Oh! I should mention that you started sleeping in your own room Thanksgiving week. I THOUGHT I was ready for that but I was a little bit of a mess when we moved all your stuff from our room to yours. I kept muttering, "I'm not ready, I'm not ready" but your Daddy thought it was time. Your Lola was visiting for the holiday so she slept in your room to make sure you were OK. Guess what? We discovered you sleep far better in your own room than in ours.
For a while now, you only wake up once during the night. You are now up to eight hours. You will probably figure this out as you get older but your mama LOVES predictability and routine. Which is not at all how babies are at all;) Sometimes, you will sleep up 10+ hours straight which FREAKS ME OUT. I admit, I always check on you to make sure you're OK. Other times, you will sleep 5-6 hours and need your after midnight feeding. It just depends. And sometimes, yes sometimes, you are like a rooster and get up at 6:30am!
Thank you for being a good sleeper. Not that you could control it if you weren't. But I'm very thankful because I LOVE my sleep and am a sad sack of somethin' else when I don't get it. But you are such a sleep champion. And, I've learned from other mommies that I'm really really really lucky. I don't take this blessing lightly, I'm thankful each and every day for this. Did I thank you for being a good sleeper? Let me thank you again :)
I have less than a month left of maternity leave. I have mixed feeling about this. I'm certain that I don't have what it takes to be stay-at-home mom. This, as with all occupations, is a special calling that I just don't posses.) But with tremendous help from your Nana, I have been able to enjoy spending all this time with you. And my heart breaks just a little to think that I may not be the first person to see you discover or do something new because I'll be at work. But I know that you are in fantastic and loving hands and for that I am also thankful. You being here has given me a new appreciation and respect for your Nana. She LOVES you to pieces and, now being a mama myself, I realize that she's kind of a super hero. And so is your Papa :) (He has been treating us to home cooked meals every so often!)
You are amazing and, just like any mommy, I think you are the best baby ever. Your Auntie Cons and grandparents all told me from the beginning that you were an easy going baby. They were amazed how little you cried and how much you sleep. I was hormonal and sleep deprived so I didn't really have good judgement. But, over three months later, this looks to be your personality. You are so wonderful. In fact, so very wonderful that your daddy talks about having another one. (I'll share with you my battle scar one day so you too can look at Daddy like he's crazy.)
I love you, Sticky Bun, and I'll try to be better about writing all about you so we can remember all these small but significant moments. Oh yes, next time, I'll write about how the pups love but stay away from you. Like you are a mob boss or something - they respect you, want to protect you ... but they stay far out of your way.

Love,
Mama

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

2010 ... what's next?

2009 was a HUGE year for me. For us. We bought our first home together. And moved in while pregnant. It felt like I was pregnant FOREVER! Probably because I was for a good chunk of 2009 ;)
And then the arrival of our Sticky Bun.
Life changing.
What's going to happen in 2010? I would be perfectly happy if we just what we have right now. I don't want to be selfish and wish for a lot - we've been so blessed. Maybe professional growth? Yes, I would like that. And good health for all those that I love.
It's hard to believe that I'm going back to work in about six weeks. I am so thankful for the time I've been able to spend with SB. All the good times has certainly outweighed the rough patch in the beginning. She is a pretty cool baby. And I have outstanding support from my parents, Sister & mom-in-law.
Yes, I am so thankful for all the blessings I received in 2009. It was a really good year for us. Here's to good health and continued happiness in 2010!