Monday, May 24, 2010

Co Sleeping??

Of course as new parents I want so badly to make the right choices and not to start bad habits with the little one. My current adventure in parenting with Avery has been the dreaded night time routine. .I will never forget that first week home. Oh the horror of trying to get a newborn to sleep. And when after hours had passed and he would finally get to sleep it seemed he gave me a good hour to sleep before he was screaming at the top of his little lungs again. This is when we decided that the only way to get him to sleep would be to set up the pack and play inside our bedroom..

With this arrangement I could easily get  him at night- feed him- and put him back without having to make my way across the house, wake myself up and spend another 20 minutes getting back to sleep. It worked pretty well at first! At least until the dreaded night that he wanted no part of that pack-n-play. As a matter of a fact, he wanted no part of the crib either! He just wanted no part in being away from me. It didn't matter how long I waited, an hour an hour and a half? He would still be crying... When I'd pick him up he'd stop and slowly drift off again. I'd again try to tiptoe my way back to the pack-n-play, and slowly lay him down only to hear him wail at the top of his little lungs again. It was a vicious cycle. After a solid week of no sleep- I did it. I did it out of utter tiredness and frustration. I took him to bed with me and layed him beside me.Now let me just say, growing up there are about a million things that I hear that are voodoo acts of parenting that are forbidden....That I swore I would never deal with.Letting the little one in the bed was probably number 1. That night was the night that I found a good 7 hours of sleep. Now- I know that was bedtime NO NO rule number 1 ! And I broke it!! Since then, it has been an uphill battle. Who would have knew that a 15 week old could be set in their ways. lol

I will say this though- we have made leaps and bounds in progress. We are now on a pretty routine schedule where we put him in bed around 9 (we are still working the time out- but this is as early as we have got him so far) in his own room inside the crib.. And then usually around 4am he is ready for a feeding. It's around this time that he will refuse to sleep in the crib or pack-n-play. Not sure why... But Avery usually ends up in our bed at 4:30am and stays there until I or Justin gets up for work at 6.....Given we have had a couple of thoes freak nights that he sleeps until 6am or later but those are few and far between.

 I know, this is probably a terrible confession. So lately I have been researching a remedy for this 4am family bed scenario, and have been pretty astonished with some research out there claiming that it's psychologically better to allow your little one to sleep next to you! How crazy is that?  Dr. Sears article claims that although putting your baby in a room and letting them cry is a way to get them to find some independence from you, it actually causes more harm psychologically. He seems to think babies will always sleep better, thrive better, and it reduces the risk of SIDS when sleeping close to a parent.

KIR states that "American studies show children who sleep with their parents as a baby  are more independent than their peers. They perform better in school, having higher self-esteem and fewer health problems. After all, who is more likely to be well adjusted-the child who learns that his needs will be met or the one who is left alone for long periods of time? Dr. McKenna suggest that it is confusing for a baby who receives cuddles during the day, while also being taught that the same behaviour is inappropriate at night"

Now, I am in no way saying that I going to plop Avery right in between Justin and I at night- that just won't work for us. But does it open my mind up to the 4am laying with mom and dad time? I don't know.

 All I know is that the parenting adventure can't come from one book or opinion. It is what it is- an adventure that is as different as one child is different from another.

 I have to soley rely on God and pray that I do right by his standard- even on these little things like bedtime.

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Weekend, where did you go??

What?! It's Monday already! Why do weekends go so quickly? Seriously! For me, I end up cramming about one million things into a weekend which makes it go by before it had even begun. But it was great and I wish I could have more weekends like it.

This weekend we started off on Friday night with some friends, Kyle and Kim. We had big plans to grill out some shish kabobs and watch movies. What we didn't factor into the equasion was the tornandos that touched down about 10 minutes down the road, so it was quite an experience to watch the guys standing out on the back porch tying to grill in the hail/wind/thunder/lightning storm... But we ended up with some pretty tasty kabobs and baked potatoes despite the tornado..haha.

The next day I ended up venturing to Jeffersonville Outlet Mall for some girl time. I met up with Leigh, Amy and Jessika. It was espically nice to see everyone with Jess being down from her home in Maryland. We got to hang out there and spend the afternoon together and then had to part ways. Here are some pictures that I stole from Leigh from the mall trip. :)
























We then drove down to Portsmouth for my brother's graduation on Sunday. It was good times! Always great to see family and enjoy being together, but I am ALWAY exhausted after a crazy weekend like that... ay yiyiyiy

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Tired Wednesday!

It's Wednesday and I am soooo motivation-less after a long night with the little man. I probably made it to bed around 12am. Woke at 12:30 for a feeding, then at 3am for a feeding, and then at 5am for a feeding, and then had to rise at 6am for work-- and now I am at work trying to function on caffeinee. It's a new, very different world in which I lived a few short months ago. The world of 8 hours of sleep, and sleeping in until 7am ( i am at work at 8), making a random shopping trip without having to pack a huge bag of just-in-case-this-happens things, BUT I would not change it for a second. I was told by some mom's before having Avery that these late nights will be gone before I know it, and I would be wishing them back, so I am trying to really enjoy the moments of this stage of Avery's life. Yes- even the 3am feedings when it's just me and the little guy. I do look forward to being able to interact with him verbally, and seeing him turn into a little boy with his own corky personality, but it still makes me sad to think that he will one day not want to be cuddled and rocked to sleep, that he may not want to sit and coo at his momma. It seems like it was just a few short days ago that he came home from the hospital and even though he is only three months, he is already a new baby! I am trying my very best to enjoy these times with him and cherish them as much as possible.

I offically started a new hobby yesterday. I am beginning my journey with scrapbooking a baby book for Avery! I can't tell you how long I have wanted to pick up a hobby, but scrapbooking can be intimidating with how expensive it is! Especially if you have nothing to start with! Luckily, for my baby shower I recieved a "starter kit" with a really nice leather scrapbook so I thought I would give it a shot! It's already VERY addictive to me!

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Friday, May 14, 2010

Picture Day

Yesterday was picture day for Avery. He hit his 3 month milestone which is bitter sweet for me. I never thought that I'd be the mom that takes their baby to get pictures every 3 months, but I definatly am. Especially for this first year.( I will have to post some of his newborn pics on here tonight.) He is changing daily and I feel like if I blink too much I am going to miss something. I guess this is my way of documenting this time of him being so small and perfect.

Anyway- here are some pictures from yesterday. It was so hard to choose from all of them that ended up just buying the copyright to the whole session so I could use them however I'd like.

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

My smiley boy

Sorry the video is still sideways! I am still learning all of the features of the camera..!

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Monday, May 10, 2010

Shame on me!

Shame shame shame on me!! I post every single week of my pregnancy, and share all the new exciting details of the week and then BAM- I'm out like a light! Nobody knows what happens. Is there a little Avery that exsists? How much did he weigh? How was the birth?! I know! It must have been killing everyone to not know  :)
 
Well, let me just say- yes, there is a little Avery Grant MacQuarrie. He is my cute blonde-ish red headed blue eyed sweetheart that I have kept all to myself for the past 3 months. I always try to look at life unbiasly- but this little guy IS THE cutest-sweetest-loving- happy little guy EVER.. And I am not bias or anything.
 
Anyway- let me back up three months ago yesterday. February 9th, 2010. This is how my day went:
I had been a miserable wreck for that entire week prior and was praying for an early arrival of baby Avery-Grant. February 6th, 7th, and 8th had came and gone without even the slightest inclination that a baby was coming soon. February 8th was no different. I went to work, came home, made some homemade chicken and noodles and went to bed expecting to get up for work the next day and do it all over again.
 
 2:00am: I woke up feeling a little 'rumbly' in my stomach. It wasn't pain at all- just slightly uncomfortable and I felt like the baby was laying on a nerve because my back was hurting too. I got up and decided to try to sleep on the couch.
 
3:00am- I woke for a second time feeling slightly more crampy, went to the bathroom to find (sorry if TMI) a large amount of blood. At this point I was alarmed. I wasn't feeling pain at all to the point that I thought I was in labor, so to see this was disheartening.. But despite the blood- I decided to go back and lay on the couch to see if this is the onset of labor.
 
3:30am- The pain in my back seems to progress pretty rapidly. To the point I get out a pen and paper and start writing down the time of the sharp bolts of pain to see if there is a pattern going on. Surely enough, there is. They are coming consistantly at 5 minutes apart without a second wavering.  At this point- I know that 'it's time'! I run to the bedroom where Justin is sleeping and shake him to death "IT'S TIME!!" He jumps up out of bed and grabs his phone. I pick it up and call the hospital. I begin to explain to the nurse everything that had happened and that the contractions are coming consistantly 5 minutes apart. I could tell that the nurse was taking everything I said in stride. "Honey, why don't you get a glass of water and try to go back to sleep. Most first time mom's have false labor. If you still feel the pain in an hour- give us a call back."
 
Uhhhhg Yeah right!.. I thought. But I did hang up and get a glass of water. And tried to wait it out. I think Justin partially thought it was false labor as well because I wasn't necessarily screaming bloody murder or anything. But I honestly was just trying to focus my way through the pain- so I was very silent and still. If Justin even tried to talk to me during a contraction I would say"SHHHH"... In any case - the hour flew by and my contractions sped up.
 
4:30- I picked up the phone and made the second call to the dr's office...After trying to hold a conversation with the dr. while having a contraction I handed the phone off to justin- it was jsut too painful to talk through. He grabs the phone and is silent for a moment "Oh okay,"  he says poliely and hangs up.....
 
What did they say???? I snapped.
 
Wait another hour and see if they are still bad he replied.
 
At this point I could have bit off someone's head. The Dr. was not on my good side- but I sucked it up and started the timer for 1 hour. About this time I had an intense shift in pain, and I became really nauseous. I ran to the pantry and grabbed some saltine crackers and began to nibble on them in hopes of calming down the nausea- which seemed to work. I decided that in between contractions- I should go ahead and make sure all of the loose ends are tied up and bags are completely packed. At this point Justin is just starting his packing.
 
5:30- I handed the phone to justin and told him "We are leaving no matter what they say at this point." He calls them and lets them know that we are going to leave. NOW. I grab the keys and get in the car...
 
Justin is running around the house. Do you want snacks? Reading material? what about some music? he said.
 
I could feel the anger rising up inside... Shush up and get in the car NOW...
 
I ran to the car and got in... Leaving justin inside running from room to room picking up random things (because he didn't pack anything up until it was time to go).
 
5:40- He finally gets in the car. Oh- and it's snowing a stinking blizzard outside and the 5 minute drive to the hospital felt like 2 hours because the roades were covered in ice.
 
5:50- We walk in the hospital and the receptionist meets me at the door. Can you please step over here and answer some questions? She then proceeds to ask a hundred questions about insurance and everything else. I can't even remember it all, I was in so much pain. She points us to maternity and off we go.
 
6:00- I am finally in the maternity ward. I make it to the front desk receptionist she asks me a couple more questions and then hands me a gown and asks that I pee in a cup... At this moment, I again had another intense surge of pain that made me stomach turn nausous again. I make ithalfway to the bathroom and end up throwing up all over myself (sorry if TMI)..lol... but it was definatly a sight.
 
6:20- After getting cleaned up and going to the restroom the nurse finally takes me back to examine me.. Her mouth drops open. 8! Your 8 centimeters, are almost ready to push!
 
My mouth nearly hit the floor. What???
 
7:00am- I am officially admitted. There is a little quarrel among the nurses if I can have any pain medications and it was decided to go ahead and give me a shot to take the edge off  (not the epidural like I had originally planned on getting.) 
 
The shot helped some. Enough for me to relax, but definatly didn't leave me painfree. This is when we finally got to call and text people and let them know that we were in the hospital and I was 8 cm. dialated. My mother was in disbelief. How are you 8 cm dialated and jsut getting to hospital???  haha..
 
8:00am- I am checked to see how far along and I was 9 1/2, but the head was not coming down far enough.
 
So from 8-10:00am it was a waiting game to see if the baby would acutally come down enough to push, and at 10:20am I started pushing. Because Avery was quite a large baby for me, and because his head was still fairly high I pushed for an hour and a half!
 
At 11:59am Avery Grant is finally born! My mom and dad show up 10 minutes later from their drive in the blizzard!
 
He weighed in at 8lbs even. He was beautiful!
 
 
Since his birth he has grew like a weed. I wish I could record each and every day because it seems like he growns and just learns neww things every day. I could not have imagined motherhood to be any more fulfililng than it is right now. I hope to start my every week posting again to record my little guy's life!
 
 
 

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