Monday, December 20, 2010

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe Theodor is almost 9 months. Time is really just flying by now. He has been sick the past weeks with 2 different viruses and an infection, which basically hasn't affected him at all. He had a really high fever for a day and now has little red spots on his hands and feet but his behavior this whole time has been classic Teddy. In a good mood, enjoying life and practicing his new skills- standing and trying to "cruise".

It is so exciting to realize that soon our little guy will be walking. He is 24 pounds now so my arms will really enjoy a bit of a break, plus he is so proud of himself when he pulls himself up to standing that I can't imagine how he will feel when he takes his first step. I am pretty sure it will be happening in the next month or two- as he is SO determined. Practicing standing and "walking" is all he wants to do, all day everyday. Thankfully he has been in such a good mood that I have even managed to get some wash done, as you can see here:D

I've also managed to get one Christmas jelly done to give as gifts (grapefruit sesame seed) and just have one more to go (carrot cake) and then I am making little macaroons to go with them. I found these great little glass jam jars and I think the finished product of 2 jellies and a few macaroons wrapped up in clear paper will look really nice. Once I am done I will share a picture of the finished product, as I am pretty psyched to be giving homemade gifts this year. Unfortunately there was one victim- a fig currant jelly that tasted so so bad that I had to pour out 7 jars of it. Sometimes it makes sense to test a recipe out before doubling it and making it a gift LOL.

4 days to go!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

6 to 6

Yes that is right you read that correctly, SIX TO SIX! Our amazing son slept from 6pm to 6am last night. F Yeah! Sorry but seriously, F YEAH! I then nursed him and he slept another hour and then we got up at 7. This was with taking two naps of about an hour and a half each. SO AMAZING.

I was honestly a bit shocked when he woke up for me to feed him, "Woah, it isn't 12 or 3 or 4?" "What?, seriously??"
I mean Teddy was never one of those natural good sleepers. His longest stretch the first 4 months was 3 hours because he had a fever, and even after we sleep trained he still woke up 1-3 times in the night to nurse which I was fine with.

He also had weeks where he woke up 5+ times in the night and sometimes refused to go back to sleep for hours due to being sick, or learning to crawl, or having a bad night, or being 7 months, or whatever else he could think of;)

Throughout it all we stuck with it and him of course. When he woke up, if I hadn't just been in then I nursed him and put him back down, and if I had just nursed him then I picked him up held him for a little bit and then put him back down and left his room. Then he either went to sleep or I came back 5-10 minutes later and we repeated this until he fell asleep. This system works well for us and for naps and the initial bedtime put down he almost never cries but of course after a few weeks of him waking often in the night I started to wonder if I needed to change something. Was he sleeping too much during the day or too little? Did I need to just leave him be and stop nursing during the night? Was his room too warm or too cold? Too light or too dark? You get the picture.

Well it looks like it was just a phase must likely due to learning to crawl and being sick. This phase lasted quite a few weeks but I think it might be over. Even if he doesn't sleep as well tonight I know he can do it and I know that the future holds me getting 8 hour stretches on a continual basis. Which is pretty darn cool.

Yay for sleep!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

We were away on holidays,

it was great. Baby is sick which doesn't seem to bother him much. He constantly had streams of snot on his face which was one of those things where I used to say I WOULD NEVER LET HAPPEN TO MY CHILD. You know before I actually had one and was all idealistic about all the things I would and wouldn't do.

But then I did have one and apparently wiping his nose is the absolute worst thing that I or my husband can do to him. He first twists his head back as far as humanly possible and then just starts pitifully crying like he is seriously the absolute saddest little boy ever. So finally we just decided whatever. It doesn't seem to bother him, and just made sure to wipe him off with a warm washcloth a few times a day.

He also has a nice hacking little cough which of course only shows up at night and makes me fear for his life but also drives me a bit crazy because he is waking up a zillion times again. Well OK 3 times on a good night 5+ on a bad.  But seriously I want an 8 hour stretch of sleep soon. It seems like it has been months since we have had a really good night and even though there always seems to be a legitimate reason: illness, learning to crawl, trying to stand, etc. it still doesn't make me want a full night of sleep any less.

It was so much fun to introduce him to sand, and water, and fish, and just hang out with him and my husband. I am so blessed that we were able to take a break from daily life and just enjoy each other. Now we are back and life is hitting me in full force. Teddy is super clingy which means the mountain of wash is barely diminishing, the Christmas decorations are spread out on a table but not put up, the Christmas letter isn't written, the Christmas jams aren't made, and the house is a mess. But life is good and I am just taking it a day at a time.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the season:)