6 Have Flown

It's been a while...once again. Just finding time to sit down and put some thoughts together has proven itself a challenge around here. Ren is keeping me on my toes, Mama work is weary work, but a good weary (weary weary weary weary weary...say that a couple times in a row and see if you don't sound like Bugs Bunny).

My little fighter is sleeping better, we have adjusted his night time routine...dinner at 6, then bath, then a little play time, prayers with Dada, then off to his room for a book, nursing, rocking and singing...I am out of the room by 8:20 (we are hoping to push this up a little so he is asleep by 7:30ish but considering he was going to bed 9:30-10ish, we are doing good) He is not crying very long (thank the Lord in heaven) and is waking about 5:30 in the morning for nursing and then back to sleep until 7 something. So YAY...I am a little less stressed.

Nap time however is now the battle we are fighting, Ren sleeps a couple times a day (3 to 4) about 30 to 45 minutes each...and in his swing....so I would like to get him to two long naps (ya know one morning, one afternoon and in his bed) (so I can get some stuff done around here)). Oh and my sweet boy had his six month appointment....he is 16pds 13 oz and 26 1/2 inches long. In his 6 to 9 (or to 12) size clothes. He is sitting up like a champ, loves his jumpy and has the best giggles! We started him on solids and he is eating; sweet potatoes, pears, avocado, banana, mango and cereal...we are trying new things every 4 days. No teeth budding up just yet and he always has his fingers in his mouth.

Ren's 6 month appointment photo

We are getting some stuff done around here...going through closets and organizing spaces to prepare for a move (to SC) and possibly a pack-out and move (to a new base) this coming year. I can hardly believe that half a year has flown by, when the nurse was weighing Ren I could not help but think about our first appointment with them and how little Ren was and how tired I was and worried. Worried that I was doing something wrong, not nursing enough, holding him too much or too little...and a dozen other thoughts swirling in my head and heart.

How did you tackle naps with your little ones?

5 weeks....on Tuesday

I can hardly believe that my lil guy is FIVE weeks old today (I started this post on Tuesday). It seems like just last week we were bringing him home for the first time. Well not just last week...haha...I would be a little less sleep deprived.
The first couple weeks with him have been an adjustment and I feel like we are fairing pretty well. Ren wore his cloth diapees for the first time last week, too cute!
He only wore them for the day though...his legs are still a bit to skinny for them...we had gaps and while they didn't leak any pee I am afraid of the mess I would have on my hands with poo.
We have had a couple nights of good sleep...thank you baby! we moved Ren to his crib on Monday night and he slept so much better. I am kinda sad to have him in the other room already but....he sleeps better and so do I. Nursing is getting better...Ren is nursing more proficiently and I am feeling more positive about it every day.
I am so excited about seeing his little personality bloom....he makes the best faces already.
What a wonderfilled 5 weeks this has been...I am loving this Mama stuff...

3 weeks today...

My baby...he is sleeping right now...which is a good thing. He is sleeping in the bouncy chair, the same bouncy chair he slept so well in yesterday...the very same chair he would not sleep in last night. I don't understand this...this night thing....of not sleeping well. I worry it is that he is not getting enough breast milk, maybe I am not awake enough to ensure that he gets a full belly so he nibbles all night long....which makes for a tired Mama. I am okay by 10am usually...and then need an afternoon nap with him so I can do the nights. Hubby has taken to the guest room bed.....and I don't blame him...I worried about his sleep and it is better for me to stay in the room then try to get comfortable in the living room. So, today I am going to try to keep him up a little...not so many nice naps...maybe that will help his night sleeps. We do the whole bright lights, outdoor walks it's DAY TIME little one and then soft voices, low lights and not much interaction for night.

We head to the doc tomorrow to weigh in again. I am hoping and praying that Ren has gained the required 4 oz or more. He seems to be a growing and content baby...if he was not getting enough milkies than I am sure he would be a crying non-sleeping, not-content little boy.

Any advice..I've been reading lots....but you know babies don't come with an instruction manual and if they did...well every manual would have to be different. We are partly co-sleeping after the initial wake up around 1-2am Ren stays with me...but I worry about him sleeping with me and although I know that co-sleeping will work...the problem is that Ren is not getting sleep from that first wake up (1-2am) until 7 or 8 am. We are going to try the crib...with out the sleep positioner (it has a slight incline) for naps today.

So...yeah..any advice for this new tired mama? I sure would appreciate it.