So Big!

As a new mom, I look at Nicholas and can’t believe how fast he is growing. Well yesterday and early this morning he did two new “growing up” things that I wanted to share.


1. As I was getting him ready for his night time bath, I put him in his crib tummy side down so he could get in some good tummy time. When he was really little, we would put him tummy down and he would just scream with his face in the blanket/mattress until I would turn him over. Little by little, he would get better and even rolled over once or twice. He really hasn’t done it much since then though. He’ll hang out, look around, but then get tired and cry to be turned over. I know that he will do it when he’s ready. Well, before I could even turn my back yesterday he flipped RIGHT OVER, and looked super proud. I jumped up and down like a 16 year old cheerleader, clapping my hands and cheering. He had the BIGGEST smile on his face. When I turned him over again he instantly flipped onto his back – so of course I had to repeat the cheering. He was so proud of himself, but not nearly as proud as I was of him.

2. Nicholas has been waking up in his crib and just “hanging out” a bit. He’ll wake up sometimes at 4, “hang out” (ie, chew on his hands, the swaddle, roll around) and not cry for me until around 5. I do want to sleep train him but have decided to wait until he does not need to be swaddled anymore. That day is coming soon as he will typically break out of the swaddle and fall back asleep, at least for a little while – but then “startle” himself awake. Nick and I always put Nicholas to bed completely asleep – we love to hold and rock him to bed because we see so little of him during the week. The book I recently read recommends you put the baby down “slightly” awake so he learns to settle and self soothe himself back to sleep. I tried it a few times and it just ended up with Nicholas getting more and more upset and crying (and sweating because he worked himself up so much!) for me. Well last night at 3:45 he woke up for a bottle. It’s always hard when he wakes up at 3-4 because he typically wants to be “awake” for the day and that’s just not good! Anyway, I fed him and thankfully he seemed a bit drowsy so I brought him back upstairs and held him for a bit. When I put him in his crib, his eyes popped right open and he did his little “jig” and wanted to play. I patted and kissed his head and told him “time for some more sleep sweetie”. I used the bathroom and went in to bed. I gave him 5 minutes to see if he settled, and he cried a bit for me. I went to his bedroom, patted his head and offered a pacifier (which he sucks on a few seconds and spits out). Then I went back to bed and gave him 5 more minutes. I repeated the process twice more and then let him be…and he fell asleep ALL ON HIS OWN! I was so thrilled and happy. I know it has just happened once but I thought it was pretty great (and reassuring that he CAN do it). I laugh because leave it to me to decide to try and get him to bed on his own at 4 am! Also, I left him arms out in the swaddle and he seems to be getting more comfortable that way so I think that’s a great sign as well. Here’s a pic of him doing “the sprinkler” like his Mama:

Ahhh…they grow up so fast, don’t they?