where did august go?

Well the month is over and we are still not sleep trained nor do we care - Bella is finally taking 2-3 naps a day and sleeping a little less at night. She is eating 2 meals of "solids" a day, she is almost sitting up on her own for ever increasing amounts of time, she is the rolling queen and can somehow, without crawling, make it across the room in a few minutes, and she got a tooth, although trying to see it is a bit of a challenge. All in all it was a great month - the sad part was having to go back to work last week and now I am counting the days until my next vacation.

Day 1 of Sleep Training = Disaster

What a disaster. I had my schedule down - she was supposed to wake at 7 and then I was going to give it a shot. Well the day went something like this...
4:50 Up - Nurse - talk like crazy - no way was she going back to sleep
5:20 Reluctantly get out of bed - but try to keep everything mellow
6:20 Fell asleep nursing (I knew she was still tired)
6:50 Very carefully placed her in crib with my hand still on her chest so she would think that I was still there, gently remove hand after 5 minutes of standing there leaning over crib and eyes pop open not upset I leave her to play quietly in crib hoping for the magic sleep to take over - 7:20 Screaming - okay here is my chance to try the PU/PD the problem is everytime I put down she would scream louder
7:35 I had had enoughh of the stupid PU/PD (pick up put down)so I gave in and nursed within 2 minutes out cold (should have continued PU/PD)
8am very carefully lay her in my bed - barricade bed with pillows on the perimeter so she won't roll off
852 wake up (hurray almost an hour and a half)
We then went to Toys R Us - looking for high chairs
11am we were home and on schedule - nurse and she fell asleep
1120 phone rang - daddy just wanting to say hi! Argh! Baby up (20 minute nap)
Walk to post office
1:00 Lunch - 1T yummy oatmeal and 1T yummy banana
Play with new toy from Toys R Us
230 nurse 238 asleep but on me as gardner was here
251 very carefully lay her down eyes pop open - I try the pat pat pat method no doing (15 minutes of sleep)
330 Up - I need a break I have her watch Blues Clues (bad mom I know but I've been up since 4:50)
Play on mat and get frustrated starts tired cry - Happily I pick her up to put in crib
starts screaming (tired cry has turned into exhaustion - I missed the tired window)
for the next 40 minutes this is what happened - Bella screaming at top of her lungs into my ear - me shhshhshhing, patting (as instructed by stupid book), bouncing on the big ball while holding her patting and shhing (legs burning but at least a 15 minute workout) until finally I lay down with her and nurse (should have done this in the first place) and shes out
20 minutes later - up - UP!!!!! nurse - asleep - 20 minutes later UP!!!!!!!!!! nurse again asleep finally by 7pm she is out. I dream feed at 945 - and I go to sleep.
12:30 I hear her humming, talking, playing, laughing, UP!!!! (What is with my daughter) change diaper, and try not to respond to her (very hard as she is so cute but truthfully I am a zombie)
1:30 asleep
530 Up - but happily nurse to sleep and here I am Up again
Okay we will try again today - she will be more rested and as they say the more sleep baby gets the more they take - I have yet to see this but I am hoping that it is true.

PU/PD

Pick up Put Down - today will be the first day of Bella's sleep training - it involves a schedule - up at 8am nurse, nap at 10 am - sleep 1 1/2 - 2 hours (this will be a miracle), eat lunch at 12, play nap at 230 (again for 1 1/2 - 2 hours hahaha) then nurse, play, dinner at 530, bath at 600, nurse, books, bed at 730. Pick up Put Down is the Baby Whispers plan of action - lay her down in her crib and when she starts to cry PU/PD - rather then the harsh CIO method of Ferber. In her book she said that with one baby on the first day she had to PU/PD 160 times during one nap session and the next day that number "dropped" to 60 times and the next day to 10 times. Okay I know my daughter and I am thinking I will be in the 160 times PU/PD range. Today is going to bite and I will most likely need a big glass of wine tonight when all is said and done. I guess the oddest advice in the book was wear ear plugs so when they scream in your ear it won't be so bad. Great.

This plan was all set to go into action - except Bella woke up at 4:50 and would not go back to sleep so I guess PU/PD starts at 8....

How to stall at 7 months

as promised - this is much more fun then going to sleep

Sleep? Who needs sleep? Not Bella.

Okay - I know that I ruined the whole sleeping thing. It was me - I take full responsibility for having a non napping, non crib using baby. MeMeMe. The sweet attentive nurses in the NICU had my baby swaddled and napping on a 3 hr schedule. I brought her through the door and ruined it. I wanted to hold her. Love her. Touch her. I wanted her with me all of the time. She was so little and her start at life was so hard so I made the decision to hold her to sleep, nurse her to sleep and let her sleep on my chest in bed. Well 7 months later - after having read The Happiest Baby on the Block, The Baby Whisperer 1 and 2, The No-cry sleep solution, Dr. Sears, Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child and the famous Babywise - I am no where nearer having a sleeping baby. Infact if left to CIO (Cry It Out) dear sweet Bella becomes a screaming maniac - who doesn't cry but yells at me non stop for 15 solid minutes after I have left her in the crib to CIO and then pick her up. How dare I leave her in her crib to cry and just pat her on the back and let her know that it will all be okay. Her new thing is, althogh very cute also very annoying, she lays on her back then rolls over and lifts head smiles lays down rolls over ever so slightly moving in a clockwise position while talking. She repeats this cute move until she has done a complete cirlce and the rolls over and simultaneously kicks her legs waves her arms and happily screams. This has happened now 4 nights in a row - this is starting to become a pattern. Help!!!!! Tomorrow,as I am sure that it will happen again, I will try to take a video of this sweet manuever as for now I am going to reread the highlighted parts in the no-cry sleep solution book and I am going to try to come up with a schedule.

Bouncy Bella

Our trip to the fair

as fun as a day at the fair sounds well throwing a six month old, and all of her gear, into the mix made it all that much more challenging. The special stroller line to enter took forever, manuevering a stroller through the sawdust and dirt - well if that doesn't say "fun times" then I don't know what does. Nursing infront of hundreds of people walking by and well the clincher nursing in a sports bar. all in all a fun day but man things have changed since last year.

Let's Go Swimming

This sounded like a great idea this morning - I knew that it was going to be hot and my sister has a great pool in her back yard - not a real pool, no chemicals or chlorine - a perfect pool for Bella's first pool experience. So I pack Bella up and we go to Target. At Target I buy - baby swim diaper trunks, a sun hat, sunglasses, a blowup crab with a sun shade so Bella could sit and be in the shade while playing in the water. We drive to Julies and change - the trunks are too big, the glasses fall off her head and the hat flops pver her eyes - still not detered out we go to the pool. I place her in her crab raft and she starts making a weird sounding moan - not a happy squeal but a "Get me the hell out of this stupid crab I am freezing" moan. So $40 dollars spent and 1 minute in the pool - a new mom moment.

Amazing

I look at Bella and daily I am amazed by her. Her peace and her presence - she is the most wonderful miracle.

5 Months Old

Bella is 5 months old today
Likes: smiling, her red bumpo chair, green rainforest bouncer, hitting hanging things that hang by her face, pulling anything she can into her mouth, dribbling, daddy's voice, watching everything, being held, standing up (with help), sitting up (with help), being read to, walks in the big cushy stroller, bath time and splashing
Dislikes: anything at all having to do with sleep - argh!

Singing with daddy

Mike can get Bella talking like noone else - here they are singing.

answers to an email

REMEMBER ONLY 1 WORD ANSWERS!!!!
YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD!
Not as easy as you might think. Now copy or forward,
change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only
use one word answers.
Be sure to send back to the person you received it from!
1. Where is your cell phone? cube
2. Your significant other? asleep
3. Color hair? brown
4. Your mother? singing
5. Your father? protecting
6. Your favorite thing? bella
7. Your dream last night? crazy
8.Your favorite drink? water - who am I kidding a rum and coke but that's 3 words
9. Your dream/goal? security
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your hobby? knitting
12. Your fear? jail
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? comfortable
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? aggressive
16. Muffins? blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? house
18. Where you grew up? sandiego
19. The last thing you did? coffee
20. What are you wearing? pajamas
21. Your TV? off
22. Your pets? sleeping
23. Your computer? on
24. Your life? blessed
25. Your mood? good
26. Missing someone? dad
27. Your car? old
28. Something you're not wearing? shoes
29. Favorite store? target
31. Your summer? short
31. Do you like someone? yep
32. Favorite color? blue
33. When is the last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? wednesday

7:30

Last night I knew that Bella was tired - the night before she barely slept and naps yesterday were a disaster so at 6pm I gave her a bath and then let her play in her chair by 7pm she was ready for bed - I laid down with her and by 7:30 she was out - overjoyed at the thought of actually watching a movie with Mike I giddily walked to the living room and sat down pondering what to do with myself - when she started to fuss - I went back in and laid down with her again and when I opened my eyes to get up and join Mike it was 3am! So much for our movie date in the living room. She is in her crib right now - this has been an ongoing battle - whenever we admit to anyone that we co-sleep we get looks of horror - but it has actually gone very well - and night nursing is a breeze - although I know that she will need to be in her crib soon - I think I am going to miss her in our bed - working full time gives me such little time with her and well - I want all I can get.

it's not easy being green

I'm trying to be green - trying to simplify - trying to be kind to the earth and in the process have bought cloth diapers and "green" cleaning supplies. Now I have to scrub poop and dried out my hands from the shower cleaner. It's not easy being green.

3 months and 3 days old

okay where has the time gone - a month has gone by since my last post - yikes!

well much has happened in the life of a 3 month old - her head moves everywhere trying to see the world, staring at bright objects, especially those that flash different colors and play music is really fun, smiles are everywhere, tummy time is not as fun as it sounds, the first shots weren't as bad as I thought they'd be - I think the nicu helped prepare me for the pain and shock on Bella's face, we had our first trip to Balboa Park, our first ride in the big stroller - hated it!, and celebrated our first easter. All in all it was a great 3rd month of life. April is going to be a challenge - I am dreading going back to work but this is life. Sigh!

No more pictures mom!

Is she trying to tell me something? hmmmmmmm......

Things I've Learned from Bella

I know that Bella has not yet been in this world for 8 weeks yet but I am amazed at the amount of things I have learned from her.

1. Patience Patience Patience

2. Never lay a naked baby on your duvet

3. Being anywhere but in someones loving arms is not a fun place to be

4. Being alone is a perfectly good reason to scream at the top of your lungs

5. Cold wipes should never accidently touch your leg (they belong only on th tush)

6. Who cares about knitting? Things I used to love have lost their lustre.

7. When poop goes up the back, down the leg and some how manages to make it on the arms just throw the clothes away - don't bother washing and scrubbing.

8. When in the car seat - it is okay to scream and flail arms as long as your wearing mitts.

9. The main goal after being swaddled is to get your arms out and swing them around your head.

10. Grunting and cooing always make people smile at you.

11. Sleeping during the day is much more rewarding then sleeping at night.

12. who knew i'd be wishing for ounces -- such a small amount is so gladly welcomed --

bella is 6 pounds 8.5 ounces today

happy valentines day

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