More from Me

Day #1 of Dalton's sleep training. Really all it involves is keeping him on more of a schedule...putting him down at the same time every day...having him stay in his bed for two hours, even if he wakes up after 45 minutes...no crying it out, though. I wouldn't go for that, personally. But, I don't go in just because he's awake. He has to be crying and then I soothe him while he's still in his crib.

Today went really well. Last night wasn't too bad actually. He woke up at 6:45 and that's when he started his day. He was up for two hours, down for two, up for two, down for two. Then I got confused. He couldn't be up for two then down for a third nap...it'd be bedtime. So instead he was up for FIVE hours. That was a little too long. He was overtired and took awhile falling asleep tonight. Hmmmmm. It is a lot my fault though. We should've stayed closer to home and an earlier bedtime. But no, instead we went out to dinner. I was hoping he'd take a cat nap in his carseat on the way. That was my "perfect" solution. But he didn't fall asleep. Oops. However, I did end up getting 32 ounces of milk into him today! I just wish he wasn't overtired going into bedtime tonight. I'll be better tomorrow. I just hope he sleeps till 6:45 again...or that's when I'll wake him. Just to keep him on his schedule.

It is an effort to get all that milk into him. If I had less than 12 hours I don't know how I'd manage it. Tricky business this all is. He hasn't had solids in two days. I really prefer to for him to be having mostly breastmilk. That is my personal priority. The solids should really be supplemental. I plan to give him very small amounts just to keep him familiar with things and such, but I'm not going to be offering "meals" just yet.

The solids are also affecting his bowels. The kid has stopped being a regular, many-times-a-day pooper. Today he treated us to LottaPOOlooza 2007. It was unbelievable. We were on our way to Babies R Us and we heard some very suspicious sounds coming from his area of the backseat. Eek! I hadn't brought the diaper bag. At the store I went into their "Mother's Lounge" where they have changing tables, free wipes, and free newborn diapers. Well, those weren't gonna work but heck, we were at Babies R Us after all so I pulled a pack off the shelf (to buy!) and took out a diaper. Got in there. No wipes in their wipes box. And once I peeled back Dalton's clothes I realized it was pointless. The child was covered in poo. It was seriously, disgustingly unreal. I slapped the new diaper on over his other full diaper and we headed home to hose him off. Not pretty. He had a bath and then we went back out for dinner. That messed up his sleep... What an ordeal, eh?

And, Easton...he's done with naps. He actually took one today. What a mistake because of what it does to bedtime. He just won't go to sleep and lays in there and calls and calls for us. At least he doesn't get out of bed and he never actually protests getting ready for bed. But he just won't go to sleep for the longest time. So I think we've decided that he'll still do his quiet time reading his books and all, but no sleeping. Not unless he really seems to need it. Which most of the time he doesn't. When he does take a nap then he doesn't actually fall asleep at night till over an hour past "bedtime". That then affects his wake up time (too early!) the next day. So I'm done.

Yesterday my mom's cleaning lady came to our house. It was a birthday gift I had asked for. Soooooo nice. We got out of the house so she could clean freely so we crashed Max and Susannah's pad. Easton and Max had a good time with Max's trains and in the backyard and such. Dalton actually slept in my arms which was so very sweet. I don't do that much anymore but I did savor every minute of it yesterday.

We left their house and ran to the indoor outlet mall near them. Easton and I shared a piece of pizza and we did some shopping for fall/winter clothes for the boys. Easton is going to be tricky this season because he is taller and skinnier than even last year. Plus we're hoping pottying will be happening again before long so it's not like I can wrap a belt around him. Elastic is our friend. But I did get a pair of jeans for him too. You gotta have jeans, right?

Came home to my clean house...I love what she can do to my stove top. Even Blitz's stainless steel dish is somehow sparkling. But didn't smell all chemically and dangerous or anything. Anyway, Easton did an hour of book time and Dalton napped. It was lovely.

Today I let Jason sleep in. I never do that. I tend to be a little more selfish and if I have to be up then so does he. But today I was nice and unplugged the monitor in our room and hung out with the boys till Jason joined us. Then I got to nap for a bit when the little guys did. Lovely.

Oh, anyway...Dalton's tooth. It's just barely poking through, but it's there. And razor sharp:


You can't see it? And it's neighbor nearing the surface too? Here, try this:


We gave him a dose of Motrin before bed last night because he was cranky. I tried letting him gnaw on some ice in a mesh feeder but he wanted nothing to do with it:


He preferred chewing on the icy corner of a frozen washcloth:


That's what my boys did while I made dinner. They're not allowed near the danger zones...the oven/stove. So this is as close as they can get, D with his washcloth and E with his fridge phonics:


Jason wrangles them when he's home but he wasn't yet.

Anyway, some more cute pictures. Bob the Builders:




And Easton lined up all his Little Farm People this morning:

He likes to do that with his toys, fridge magnets, etc. And he color codes things: the plate/bowl/spoon combos from his pretend food. Should I worry? He's sounding a little too anal like me.

Alrighty, Jason is watching LSU and I should maybe think about bed. I have a bad feeling about tonight because of that too long stretch of awake time we forced on Dalton. He's already woken once since we put him to bed. Then there's Easton who likely won't sleep as well tonight after his late bedtime. *sigh*

So, I gotta go now. 'Night!