Swaddle Update

So the little guy is back to being swaddled. I like sleep too much. He goes to his 4 month check-up this week and I will talk the matter over with the doc. This morning I found him rather content in his crib, but he had broke free. What a stinker.





"Ok Mom I'm hungary!"

Sleepless night

So last night did not go over so well sans swaddle. Ryder went down by 9pm, but stayed up talking and whining until around 9:30. By 11pm he was whining and then again 45 minutes later. At that point he was getting worked up so I just grabbed him and put him in bed with me. I know, I know... Not a good idea. Well I was too tired by that point and did not feel like being up the rest of the night. So he slept till a little after 6am without much commotion.

I wonder what tonight will bring???? I would rather swaddle him again for a few more weeks then have him sleep with me so that will be the plan if he keeps getting up again. I will try to get a good pic on here later. He is currently conked out in his swing with his bib over his face.

The straight Jacket

Last night I decided to brave the night without using "the swaddle" for Ryder. He has been swaddled since birth and it has worked very well. Ryder has been a good sleeper, and on average sleeps approximately 10 hours at night then takes at least 3 decent naps a day. Since he is almost 4 months old and very active I decided to research the process of weaning him off the swaddle. Well there was a lot of feedback about mothers having a hard time with the transition. The "Swaddle Me" website advised of terminating use when baby is able to roll over. Ryder has more recently been rolling over both ways. He has plowed over his sleep positioner even swaddled at night. He has managed to move from one end of the crib to the other swaddled. Therefore, I felt it may be time to cut him loose and take a risk of losing some sleep of my own.



We went cold turkey- no silly transition here. Well he did much better than I would have imagined. He went down at 9:15 pm and then whined for about 20 minutes. I checked on him at 10:pm and he was out. I heard whining at 11:00 pm and 1:00 am. I fought the urge to go in his room and he went back to sleep quickly. Then at 2:00 he cried, so I fed him and put him back in the crib awake. He fussed a little and was out within minutes. I woke-up at 7 am and had not heard a peep out of him. To my delight, I found him awake softly cooing and whispering to himself in the crib. It was the sweetest sight. I hope he will eventually get back to sleeping 10 hours straight threw the night.
(the bunny is a prop and not used at night to sleep)


Please note, I do not endorse the "crying it out" method until 6 months when the child can utilize "cause and effect," hence manipulate you. I do allow "whining it out" or some healthy independent fussing. Mothers can tell when the child is headed to a full out rage. There is a lot of good research out there about this. I feel blessed to have a good tempered baby. I know this will most likely change with my second.

Valentines

So we had a pretty uneventful V-Day. Kevin woke me up with handing me Ryder as my gift. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Well he actually surprised me with a box of chocolates, and a new book from Ryder called "Love Dare." This book dares us each day for the next 40 days to do something for each other. It is from the movie "Fireproof." So we did not do the usual dinner out to a nice restraunt and I did not get the usual spa package. I really did not miss any of it. There will be many more years ahead to do those things. We have been blessed for many years with those luxuries. With me home now we are really tight on funds and I actually feel more content then ever.

Ryder and I baked a cake for Kevin and I went out and got him a bottle of wine. I meant to show a pic of the cake, but we dug into it before I got one.


This years cupid
I also want to thank my best friend Carissa for sending Ryder the cutest Valentine card, and she surprised him with a very generous check for anything he might need (She is forever spoiling my child). How thoughtful. She is always trying to think of someway to bless me or anyone for that matter. Carissa and Ben we love you very much!!!!!



Carissa drove up from Peoria while I was in labor and surprised me. She said she couldn't take being at home and getting the text messages. She left home so quick she forgot her checkbook and wallet. What a friend

Cereal...Yum!!!

Clean... Does he look like he needs more to eat???
SO I have wavered back and forth for a week about whether I should start introducing cereals to Ryder. Our pediatrician went over the process at our 2 month visit and told us it would be fine to start cereals around 4 months. She told us that a good sign to start is when he stops sleeping through the night. Well that has happened in the past week. He has been waking up almost every night at least once. It is usually an hour before,or after I pump. So I get to wake up multiple times. What sacrifices! I have always loved my sleep so this is a big deal for me. Before baby, if anyone woke me up I would be a mean bear. Somewhat resembling a mean drunk. I would somehow forget what I would say to Kevin.

So I decided to give Ryder a taste of Rice Cereal mixed with BM yesterday. I was eager to see his reaction. He actually liked it. Of course that is what little that made it to his mouth. He slobbered all over the place and stuffed his bib in his mouth. Then he had the nerve to complain I was not feeding him fast enough. I know understand why my friends give their children nightly baths.

So here is the PIG in action. I will video it all at a later date.



Favorite new fascination-FEET

"I'm Ready Mom!"



"Get out of my face I am eating"


"All Done"

Did I mention he still woke-up at 3:00AM today ready to eat. I think he is teething and going through a growth spurt at once. Lucky Me.

Pregnancy Pics

So I am slowly moving my old pictures to the Mac computer. All my preggo pics are on the old computer. Since I was not blogging at the time of my pregnancy I decided to post a few. Where Ryder began to sprout day by day.


Burnt in Puerto Rico and looking for Ryder- March 08- 2.5 months pregnant Approx.


With all my pregnant friends at a shower in April. 4 Months


At Amanda's Wedding- 5-6 Months- I think the dress was too small. I was so uncomfortable...



Eating at shower- My favorite past time during my pregnancy- August- 7 Months


Another shower- WE were all ready to pop by September- Yowsers


OMG- Could I get much bigger- With my sister in law at her shower- 8 Months




The end result- Ryders Birthday! (did I mention I had him a week late...)

The Angel-8lbs, 3 oz.- 22 inches long

Grandma and Grandpa'a

We had a nice visit with my parents last weekend. How the time flies right by. We relaxed and ate a lot. My mom is a good cook and always makes too much. As if that is a problem... We did a lot of watching Ryder. He is getting funnier daily. Thank goodness for my mother. She takes such good care of us. She suprised me Saturday with a trip to the Salon to get my hair done. My mom is the farthest from vain, but stated that my hair was starting to look "pretty bad." The boys watched Ryder while we were gone. My mom also kindly sewed our down comforter that had been ripped by our lovely weimaraner. Thank goodness she can sew. I really need to start learning some of these things.
Thank you mom and Dad!


Napping with Grandpa


With Grandma

Since arriving back home he is not sleeping quite as well. We think he is in the midst of another growth spurt. Last night he actually screamed at me when I tried to re-swaddle him and give him a pacifier at 4:30 am. My usual trick was not acceptable! He wanted the real deal. Ryder's cousin did not make it home for the weekend so we were a little sad about that. Hope to see the little stinker soon.