Crying it out...

So, before today's post, I need to write about something I saw on TV.  Do you remember me talking about the post-pregnancy jeans?? I think I found them!!!!!!!!!!! https://www.pajamajeans.com  That's right, pajama jeans!  If any of you try them out, let me know what you think!  I think I'd have to do some serious convincing of Josh to get some...

So as of Sunday night, Josh and I agreed to begin working with Jacob to sleep through the night.  I was pretty sure it would be horrible.  I was pretty sure we would be awake for hours on end, and we would never sleep again.  Ok, I may be a little extreme.  Just a tad.  Good news?  It was no where near that!  The first night, he woke up around 3am and cried for about 15 minutes before going back to sleep.  WHAT?! Is that for real?? I was shocked beyond belief! 

Last night, he woke up at 5am for a quick pacifier reinsertion and back to sleep.  This is amazing!!  I can't wait for tonight in hopes that the sleep is amazing.  Man!  I think we're both kicking ourselves for not starting this earlier.  I think crying it out is a very good thing to do when done correctly.  Here was our plan:

• Go in every 5 minutes to replace pacifier, flip over, cover with blanket, etc.
• After one hour, pick him up, calm him down, and do whatever was necessary for going back to sleep.
• If after 7 days there is no difference, stop and try something else.

We also made sure that Jacob didn't need the food.  He is over 18 lbs, has 4 meals a day with rice cereal in his bottles, and he's in the 75th percentile for weight.  I'm pretty sure he doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night!  We also bought overnight diapers so the potty is not an issue.

So that's what we did.  And it works!  And I wish we had done it much sooner!  Here's to more consistent and wonderful sleep!

Have you done cry-it-out?  What method did you use for sleep training?

The tip toe game....

We are finally back from our whirlwind trip!  We had such a wonderful time and Jacob completely enjoyed all of the attention and love lavished on him.  And boy did he get some awesome toys, clothes and books!  And a mini soccer ball.  How adorable!  So now the game is to find space for everything.  Josh says he's coming home tonight and reorganizing as well as throwing things away! 

As we were traveling, we learned a new game.  I would like to call it the "tip toe" game.  Jacob was very excited to sleep in the room we were in.  So excited that he woke up and hung out with us in the middle of the night.  The reason?? My tip toeing does not work.  I thought I could enter the room stealthily, take out my contacts, change into my pjs and get into bed without waking the baby.  I was seriously wrong.

I don't think I've ever held my breath or paused mid-motion than I did this past week.  It was amazing how easily I could just stop moving and wait.  At one point, I stood still for 3 minutes waiting for him to settle down.  I'm also amazed that apparently my husband has this tip-toeing ability.  And honestly, it makes me a bit jealous.  He needs to teach me the finer points of the game.

All in all, we survived sleeping in the same room and are very excited that it won't happen again for awhile!  Maybe by then he'll sleep like a log.  And I'll be able to learn how to tip-toe...

Have you ever had to tip-toe?  Do you have any tips or pointers????

Preparing for the Holidays...

I can't believe Jacob is six and a half months old, AND it's Christmas-time!  Where did the last year of my life go??  I can't believe how slow it seemed a year ago, and how fast this year.  Just crazy!  But now I face a whole new challenge.  Last year at this time, it was SO easy to be gone for 10 days, visit anyone we wanted to, and pack.  This year?  A whole different ball game!

Now we have to figure out what to get a little boy that is special enough for a first Christmas.  I'm pretty sure Jacob will only care about the wrapping paper, but there's still something special about his first Christmas gift.  And then, we get to travel.  I am SO thankful for wonderful parents and in-laws who want to see us and put up with us for a few days.  So now we prepare.  I need to make my packing list and check it about nineteen times.  You almost would think they don't have stores near where we're going, the way I'm thinking about packing!

So in the end, truly, I am excited to share this holiday with him.  Definitely one of my favorites!  And I'm so excited for him to be loved on by his grandparents and family.  And the food!  I'm definitely excited about that!  The blog will most likely be non-existent for the next two weeks.  I should be back to writing in 2011!  That is weird...  anyone remember worrying about 2000?  Man!

What is your favorite part of the next two weeks??

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!! 

Mornings are evil...

We didn't have such a good sleeping night last night.  I think Jacob is teething??  I question it, because he's been "teething" for the last 3.5 months.  We'll see if this time something is actually produced.  Anyway, he woke up at 1:30 am in a screaming fit.  Let me tell you, that is the WORST way to wake up!  So we were up for about an hour working on getting him back to sleep.  I was so hopeful for sleeping until 8:00 am, but this is just a pipe dream.

So our next screaming fit was at 6:30 am.  I can't tell you how much I hate that time of the morning.  I don't even know if I can put it into words.  I thought I was becoming a morning person again, but I'm pretty sure I'm regressing.  When in high school, my parents were not allowed to speak to me until I had been up for an hour.  I'm pretty sure I reinstated that rule this morning.  I promised both Josh & Jacob that I would be selling them to the Russians today.  (Just in case you were wondering, I didn't.... yet.)

I can't seem to find a way to get happy in the morning.  Morning is for sleeping and quietness.  It's for sunshine and birds that don't require my voice.  And it's definitely NOT for babies who have learned how to blow raspberries while eating their oatmeal.  Oh how I want my mornings back!  I'm thinking maybe I should run to the other bed in the mornings and camp out for a bit.  The main problem?  My husband hates mornings too.

What is your favorite and/or least favorite part of mornings??

A new type of jeans...

I believe this is an idea I've thrown out with my sister-in-law a few times, but I think it's time to share it with my faithful readers.  The reason?  I do not have the ability to do this, and it's time SOMEONE gets out there and does it!  So this is my idea.

We need a new type of jeans.  I'm weary of calling them "mom jeans" as that ultimately throws you back to tapered leg, faded, high rising "mom jeans".  I'm thinking of a hipper, new jeans.  Jeans that every mom would wear.  Not because they are ugly, but because they do wonderous things to you.  Things that every woman dreams of.

1. They would suck in your tummy.  Not enough that it brings the rest of your tummy above the pants, but enough that it looks like you never had a baby.  Hot.
2. It would make your thighs look like they never expanded.  
3. It would always stay the same shape.  I hate when you put pants on that are uber tight which stretch so much after wearing them for an hour that you need a belt to keep them up!
4. When you turned to the side, it would make you look like a Size 2 again.  Or for the first time.  Whichever.
5. I think they might have to reach up under your boobs just to keep things in place.  A bit uncomfortable, but that's ok.

Maybe these are really the maternity jeans.  But these would be better.  Because they'd suck things in, which obviously you can't do while pregnant.  So, if you are a designer, please start designing.  If you've heard of these, let me know where I can buy 829473 of them & give them to every mother I know. 

What would you add to the list???

My little burrito...

Do you remember how I said before I don't follow all the rules?  Well, one of the "rules" is never use a blanket with your baby.  We've used a blanket since he's been about a month old.  The reason is so they don't pull it over their heads.  Which makes sense, except my baby sleeps on his tummy.  A few times now I've started to worry as he's been able to grasp the blanket. 

But lately, Jacob has created a new ability.  He rolls to both sides and then back to his tummy.  By doing this, he gets the blanket wrapped around him.  Really, he looks like a burrito!  He keeps his hands out, so he's still able to fling his pacifier back behind the crib to lands unknown.  I love watching the different ways he sleeps.  His hands have always been over his head, but sometimes the land on a crib slat or outside the crib.

There is just something so wonderful and peaceful about a sleeping baby.  The sweet way they breathe in and out, the fact that they're no longer crying.  It's just wonderful!  I could watch Jacob sleep all day long.  Except then he would either wake up or I would fall asleep.  And we all know babies don't sleep all day, ever! 

What is your favorite part of watching a baby sleep??

Still looking for guest writers!  Please let me know if you're interested!!

Ahhhh... all done!!!!!

Yesterday, my dear sweet husband graduated from WVU with his Ph.D.  Technically, it was a convocation because finals aren't over yet, but he's graduating no matter what!  So yesterday, we spent the afternoon watching young and old, men and women realize their dreams.  I was so very excited for him!! 

As we listened to the speaker, I found myself amused.  Maybe not the right word for a graduation, but nevertheless.  She spoke about how to get a job.  How you should change your email address to something professional, clean up your facebook, etc. etc.  I was hoping that for most of these people, this was not the first time they heard this!  But what struck me as intriguing was that she never talked about what you should do when you have a job.  So I feel like I need to give my own advice.  They should have hired me!! (Yeah, yeah, I know...)

My advice:

• Never let work come before family.  Although most people think, uh, duh, of course not, it's not as easy as it sounds.  So many companies want your full attention and time.  And they don't care if it's the weekend or if you're at an event for your child.
• If you stop working and stay at home with your child, you are completing the most important job anyone could give you.  Do not feel like you are less of a man/woman because of it.
• Always strive to do your best.  Don't just wing it.  They can tell when you wing it!
• Keep your singing to a minimum.  No one really likes to hear that.  Wait until you have a child who doesn't care how you sing...
• Enjoy every moment.  It's much harder than it sounds.  Much harder.  Even enjoy when you're frustrated, because you are growing as an individual.

See, I told you I should have been the speaker! Hahaha, I can only imagine how bored they would have been!  And in the end, all I could think about was 18 years from now and this little boy I have who will be accepting his diploma.  These next 18 years better go SLOW! 

What would you say to a graduating class??