Monday, October 29, 2007
September Pictures Are Up!
I'm a month behind, but I finally got a few of our favorite pictures from September up on our Picasa site. Watch for September videos - coming soon!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Ahh, the Quiet
It's been a while since I've posted an update. It's been a crazy (but fun) few weeks. The first week of October we took Benjamin on his first airplane ride, and his first trip out of Houston. We went to Colorado for a friend's wedding. We arrived home, where the Grandparents (my parents) were waiting to help us out for a week. I was supposed to have this big, week-long event that week for work- thankfully, it was postponed until December (especially thankfully since I am the one planning it, and am still nowhere near ready) - but my folks already had plane tickets (we had asked them to visit/watch Benjamin while I worked), and it was time for them to see their grandson again, so we stuck to the original plan. They were a huge help, I got some work done, AND we laid sod in my backyard. Not bad!
That brings us to this week. My folks were supposed to leave on Monday, but couldn't get out of town until Tuesday. Then Wednesday Benjamin had his four month check-up. Then Wednesday night all hell broke loose.
Okay, granted, I'm exaggerating a bit. As you know from previous posts, sleep is something we're always trying to figure out with Benjamin. But then Wednesday it hit an all time low. Was it the trip to CO? No, I don't think so, because although we had some rough nights there, Benjamin returned to more or less the same sleep patterns when we returned home (except a few less naps, since the grandparents are way more exciting than going to sleep). We even had a few record between-feedings - 7.5 hours one night! Was it having someone different take care of him most of the day? Still no, I think, because he slept well while they were here. Was it their departure again? Was it the immunization shots from the doctor on Wednesday? I'm a little more prone to think it has something to do with this. I think his leg was really sore on Wednesday night, and that contributed to being uncomfortable as he was trying to go to sleep. But then why such madness Thursday night, and Friday night, and again tonight? I really don't know. Deep down my irrational fear is that the immunizations messed with his brain (there are theories going around that the immunizations cause autism). While I don't really think it is that, there is definitely something psychological going on with sleep. I think it's also seeped into nap time issues, but somehow we're getting around truly dealing with that, though, because it seems that we go on a walk or run an errand periodically enough that he takes naps in his car seat.
So, you are wondering, what does a tough sleep night look like in the Griffith house? Well it begins with whining. Benjamin is starting to get sleepy. So I try to put him to bed. It seems that as soon as he figures out that's what is going on, he starts SCREAMING. The all caps is NOT an over dramatization. I can begin to understand the pain/fear/overwhelmingness that caring for a colicky child during a meltdown can be. So then I decide he's not really tired enough, so I get him up to play again. He seems relieved for a few moments not to be going to sleep, but then starts whining again because he's tired. Repeat sequence. More screaming. Repeat sequence. Same. Wednesday night I was successful in nursing him to sleep, thinking this was a one time thing because his leg hurt. Thursday and Friday night, not such luck. I thought maybe he was hungry, because his feedings are starting to spread out. Last night, I tried feeding him at 7, 8, 9 and 10 pm. He'd be happy to nurse - until my milk would let down, and he'd start crying. Wasn't hungry. Was he uncomfortable? I tried rocking, then swaying him different ways. Nope that wasn't it, either.
Of course, like all baby (or otherwise) issues that rise up, they always happen to do so right before Mark hits a busy time at work. He had/has concerts Thursday - Sunday nights this week. Four long nights of figuring out this thing solo. Last night, Mark actually did put him to bed. Because the boy was still up at 10:30 when he got home. I had been trying to get him to bed since 7:30. It was maddening and heartbreaking. Tonight, Mark thought he would give it a try before he went to work. But after about 1/2 hour of listening to Ben scream, I had to intervene, because it was driving me crazy.
So we found a solution, for tonight at least (hence the title - finally a quiet night in the Griffith household - at least for now). I took him into bed to nurse him middle of the night style (both of us lying down). After he ate, I held him there by my side. He squirmed for a while, then settled in, then went to sleep. No crying. No screaming. I waited until I was sure he was good and asleep before getting up and returning him to his crib. That was 45 minutes ago, and he's still asleep. A MUCH needed break. So tonight I broke another ideal of how I was going to raise this child "Ideal 4: He'll learn to fall asleep on his own so that he develops good sleeping habits, and doesn't have sleep issues as an adult." Hopefully this is not an iff (if and only if for you math nerds out there - this ones for you Lara!) statement. I figure though that screaming himself to sleep is not a healthier way to approach sleep. So we'll try this method for a while, and see if it works. And then try to go after Ideal #4 again.
In case your lost, Ideals #1,2&3 went out the window within the first week of his life. Those were: #1 - no formula (still have only given it to him once, but that once was on the evening of the third night when my milk hadn't come in, he was hungry, and we were panicked & exhausted). #2 - no pacifier. I think this was the night after we broke #1. Or maybe it was the other way around. #3 - no co sleeping. I think he was in our bed around the fifth or sixth night.
So I guess that's not bad to go about 4 months between breaking this latest parenting ideal? One thing Benjamin has taught me so far is to never judge another parent. Those ideals are great, but you have to be willing to let them go too!
Anyways, I'm still blogging away. And our house is still quiet. What a beautiful sound. Good night everyone!
That brings us to this week. My folks were supposed to leave on Monday, but couldn't get out of town until Tuesday. Then Wednesday Benjamin had his four month check-up. Then Wednesday night all hell broke loose.
Okay, granted, I'm exaggerating a bit. As you know from previous posts, sleep is something we're always trying to figure out with Benjamin. But then Wednesday it hit an all time low. Was it the trip to CO? No, I don't think so, because although we had some rough nights there, Benjamin returned to more or less the same sleep patterns when we returned home (except a few less naps, since the grandparents are way more exciting than going to sleep). We even had a few record between-feedings - 7.5 hours one night! Was it having someone different take care of him most of the day? Still no, I think, because he slept well while they were here. Was it their departure again? Was it the immunization shots from the doctor on Wednesday? I'm a little more prone to think it has something to do with this. I think his leg was really sore on Wednesday night, and that contributed to being uncomfortable as he was trying to go to sleep. But then why such madness Thursday night, and Friday night, and again tonight? I really don't know. Deep down my irrational fear is that the immunizations messed with his brain (there are theories going around that the immunizations cause autism). While I don't really think it is that, there is definitely something psychological going on with sleep. I think it's also seeped into nap time issues, but somehow we're getting around truly dealing with that, though, because it seems that we go on a walk or run an errand periodically enough that he takes naps in his car seat.
So, you are wondering, what does a tough sleep night look like in the Griffith house? Well it begins with whining. Benjamin is starting to get sleepy. So I try to put him to bed. It seems that as soon as he figures out that's what is going on, he starts SCREAMING. The all caps is NOT an over dramatization. I can begin to understand the pain/fear/overwhelmingness that caring for a colicky child during a meltdown can be. So then I decide he's not really tired enough, so I get him up to play again. He seems relieved for a few moments not to be going to sleep, but then starts whining again because he's tired. Repeat sequence. More screaming. Repeat sequence. Same. Wednesday night I was successful in nursing him to sleep, thinking this was a one time thing because his leg hurt. Thursday and Friday night, not such luck. I thought maybe he was hungry, because his feedings are starting to spread out. Last night, I tried feeding him at 7, 8, 9 and 10 pm. He'd be happy to nurse - until my milk would let down, and he'd start crying. Wasn't hungry. Was he uncomfortable? I tried rocking, then swaying him different ways. Nope that wasn't it, either.
Of course, like all baby (or otherwise) issues that rise up, they always happen to do so right before Mark hits a busy time at work. He had/has concerts Thursday - Sunday nights this week. Four long nights of figuring out this thing solo. Last night, Mark actually did put him to bed. Because the boy was still up at 10:30 when he got home. I had been trying to get him to bed since 7:30. It was maddening and heartbreaking. Tonight, Mark thought he would give it a try before he went to work. But after about 1/2 hour of listening to Ben scream, I had to intervene, because it was driving me crazy.
So we found a solution, for tonight at least (hence the title - finally a quiet night in the Griffith household - at least for now). I took him into bed to nurse him middle of the night style (both of us lying down). After he ate, I held him there by my side. He squirmed for a while, then settled in, then went to sleep. No crying. No screaming. I waited until I was sure he was good and asleep before getting up and returning him to his crib. That was 45 minutes ago, and he's still asleep. A MUCH needed break. So tonight I broke another ideal of how I was going to raise this child "Ideal 4: He'll learn to fall asleep on his own so that he develops good sleeping habits, and doesn't have sleep issues as an adult." Hopefully this is not an iff (if and only if for you math nerds out there - this ones for you Lara!) statement. I figure though that screaming himself to sleep is not a healthier way to approach sleep. So we'll try this method for a while, and see if it works. And then try to go after Ideal #4 again.
In case your lost, Ideals #1,2&3 went out the window within the first week of his life. Those were: #1 - no formula (still have only given it to him once, but that once was on the evening of the third night when my milk hadn't come in, he was hungry, and we were panicked & exhausted). #2 - no pacifier. I think this was the night after we broke #1. Or maybe it was the other way around. #3 - no co sleeping. I think he was in our bed around the fifth or sixth night.
So I guess that's not bad to go about 4 months between breaking this latest parenting ideal? One thing Benjamin has taught me so far is to never judge another parent. Those ideals are great, but you have to be willing to let them go too!
Anyways, I'm still blogging away. And our house is still quiet. What a beautiful sound. Good night everyone!
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