More on Jack's sleeping

Jack's sleeping has definitely improved. I am not sure if he was feeling bad before we left for our LR trip, but he sure sleeping HORRIBLY! But since he's gotten over this virus we are MUCH improved. He generally is still waking up in the morning a little early, but we have a system now: I go in (and if he's not poopy) I cover him back up and sit in the recliner that's in there and we both go back to sleep. Sometimes he asks: "Mommy, can you help me?" and holds his blanket up for me to cover him. It is the sweetest sweetest thing!

One hospital story that I haven't shared, that has shaped my thinking some is that he fell asleep in his hospital bed all by himself FOUR different times during the night that we were there. I wasn't touching him and wasn't very close to the crib. I was in the chair next to him, and he could see me, but we were certainly separate.

That really proved to me that he knew how to go to sleep on his own, but something was definitely bothering him at home. I think the ceiling fan blowing on him might have been making him stuffy and sleeping with his mouth open, thus slobbering allllllll over his bed and waking up in a pool of wet: YUCK! I wouldn't like that either.

The other thing that has kept him in his own bed is that in Little Rock, when he was waking and crying 3-4 times a night, we put him in our king sized bed and he continued to cry. So that meant to me that something else was wrong and I just hadn't put my finger on it. Especially since we don't have a king bed at home, we certainly don't have room in our bed. ;)

All of those different things have led me to these conclusions:

1. When Jack is well, he sleeps well. When he doesn't sleep well, I should pay more attention and know that he something is probably up with him.
2. When Jack wakes up too early in the morning, I can still make it possible for us both to get what we need by sleeping in the recliner. This also helps Samantha get the sleep she needs as we aren't up and around before 7ish. He is progressively getting closer to 7 anyway, so it is working.
3. Surely he won't be sleeping this poorly in High School, so we just have a few more years left. :)

Anyway, tonight we had a GREAT evening; we went to the park and had a picnic supper with ice cream to follow. It was super.

Later Taters!

On motherhood

It is an interesting beast; it's so amazing how in one day you can go through sooo many different emotions (worry, intense worry, angry on their behalf, pain, relief, joy, exhaustion) about the same people. It's quite the roller coaster...until you decide to get off. Every once in a while, I just jump off the coaster for my own sanity's sake...the stability of being in the middle emotionally is a blessing and it comes only by choice. Thankfully the crisis for our family seems to be subsiding, although Michael is revving things up at work so that will bring a whole new bucket of worms to sort through. But Jack's not running fever any more, he just didn't get there soon enough to go to school today...I'm hoping for Thursday.

FEVER
Fever is not a problem...it's a good thing. It indicates that your baby is fighting some bug or illness which is good: that's what we want. After a discussion with my pediatrician yesterday, I've boiled fever down to this: how does my baby feel when the fever comes down? If he's still lethargic and complaining of pain then we should see the doc, otherwise it's best to let the body do it's thang.

WOUNDS
I am brand new to the world of wound care. It seems as though if the sides of the wound are "approximate" (this apparently is the technical term for whether or not the skin is touching) and it stops bleeding then no sutures are necessary (maybe?). But if they are not approximate then sutures or Dermabond are needed.

We needed Dermabond yesterday for the first time: Jack fell of our bed and konked his melon on the corner of Michael's nightstand. I think the thing that got Jack most mad was that the wash rag fell over his face while I was stopping the blood.

SLEEP
Here's the ultimate question: why does my kid wake up and not go back to sleep? Dr. Ferber talks a lot about sleep associations and as MUCH as I try not to let Jack fall asleep on me I think he's still doing it and this maybe why he's having trouble. He's taking CRAZY short naps after having a hard night the night before. I also know that sleep begets sleep, so I've been trying to help him finish his nap so that the nights aren't so hard, but I think I maybe just throwing fuel on the fire.

For a while, I think I am going to try modify our routine and see if I can't help him fall asleep in his bed and not on me (or Michael).

Old routine: Lamp on for books, Light off for songs and rocking, then he used to say "I Ready" and we'd lay him down, but I think he's just falling asleep while rocking.

New routine: Lamp on for books, and songs. Little to no rocking. Hugs and kisses, then laying him in bed.

It really isn't that different, but if I can make a little change and get a big result I am all for that! :)

READING
"Mommy, what does that sign say?" I am hearing this more and more. I am pretty sure that in a month she'll pick up a simple book and starting reading (not memorizing books like she's done for four years) to herself. It's amazing to watch her work!!

Gotta run!

Jamie