Annabelle taking her new baby doll for a ride
Faster Sister!
Annabelle trying to play with Maggie's Activity Mat
Beautiful smile!!!
Smiling at Mommy!
Maggie in Annabelle's Doll cradle
Times are tough-even Maggie has to downsize!!!Sunday, May 31, 2009
Pictures of our fun!
Annabelle taking her new baby doll for a rideFaster Sister! Annabelle trying to play with Maggie's Activity Mat Beautiful smile!!! Smiling at Mommy!Maggie in Annabelle's Doll cradle Times are tough-even Maggie has to downsize!!!
Baby Boot Camp-end of day 1 and beginning of day 2
So last night was not so bad-except my husband let me fall asleep on the couch for 3 hours while Maggie was supposed to be eating and he was playing a video game! He said he thought I was just watching TV! So-I missed a big part of my bed time sleeping and had a major neck cramp but Maggie did go from 10:45 to 3:30 without needing to eat. She woke up once at 2:30 but a paci and a few rocks of the cradle and she went back to sleep. She woke up again at 6:30-i got up to fed her because Annabelle heard her crying and woke up-but after a few minutes of eating she was out again. So she slept til 8:00 and then she was really ready to eat.
What I learned from her yesterday is that with the floor time and increased attention to keeping her intriqued, her tummy was much less upset and she was more ready to sleep last night! SUCCESS! I cant say she has a consistent schedule by any means, but we do have a routine that is working. Eating-then playing as long as she will take it-sleeping and then it is usually time for the next feeding. I have to wake her up for the next feeding, but she is more than happy to go along with it.
The other benefit of this new plan is that Maggie and Annabelle are starting to interact more. They played with Annabelle's dolls, played on the activity mat together and Annabelle loved seeing eye to eye with her in the Bumbo! I even got some great pictures of Maggie playing like one of Annabelle's dolls and some smiles from Maggie that I will post in a little while. It is time for Maggie to eat so I have to wake her up from her pleasant dreams!!!
What I learned from her yesterday is that with the floor time and increased attention to keeping her intriqued, her tummy was much less upset and she was more ready to sleep last night! SUCCESS! I cant say she has a consistent schedule by any means, but we do have a routine that is working. Eating-then playing as long as she will take it-sleeping and then it is usually time for the next feeding. I have to wake her up for the next feeding, but she is more than happy to go along with it.
The other benefit of this new plan is that Maggie and Annabelle are starting to interact more. They played with Annabelle's dolls, played on the activity mat together and Annabelle loved seeing eye to eye with her in the Bumbo! I even got some great pictures of Maggie playing like one of Annabelle's dolls and some smiles from Maggie that I will post in a little while. It is time for Maggie to eat so I have to wake her up from her pleasant dreams!!!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Baby Boot Camp-Day One
Italo reminded me about an Oprah yesterday (sorry to out you for watching Oprah babe) we watched several years ago about having a baby merge into your schedule and lifestyle instead of merging your schedule into the babies. I have been thinking about it for the last few days and I realized that my basic approach to Maggie's arrival has been very different than Annabelle's in that I was much more determined to get Annabelle on a schedule than I have been to get Maggie on one---well now it is catching up to me! The main reason for the change is because I have just been in survival mode and was mostly concerned to go a few hours without someone crying in my house rather than trying to get everyone on a schedule----needed but not really the approach that will work for us long term as a family.
There are two basic approaches to the early days of kids that are floating around in the world today-one is to let a baby build a schedule that fits them best and the other is to teach a baby a schedule that fits into your lifestyle. With Annabelle I remember the first few weeks of her arrival being EXHAUSTING and I have been wondering why I have not felt that way with Maggie. I thought it was that I was more used to being a mommy and used to schedules but now I realize I have been really just letting Maggie do what she wants to do in terms of sleeping. I have been waking her to eat at designated times, but she sleeps most of the day except for right after she eats---and I have just been letting her. BUT-she does not sleep well at night as a result. What I remembered last night in the height of my frustration that Maggie only let me sleep for about 1 hour was that babies sleep when they get bored---so I had to make sure that Maggie was only sleeping when she was tired during the day and not just because she was bored. That way she was actually tired at night so she will sleep more than 2 hrs at a time!
So today we started Baby BOOT CAMP! Just because I want to remember what I did-I will be journaling how it is going and what I am doing. The basic premise is to get Maggie Eating, Sleeping and Playing on a schedule that fits our lifestyle instead of what comes naturally for her. I am kinda middle of the road when it comes to schedules in that I believe the schedule needs to have some input from the natural cues of the baby rather than 100% dictated by the parents so I will start the process with a day where I pay extra close attention to Maggie's preferences and cues. After today's "Observation", I will determine her schedule and then try to stick to it for a few days. The only changes I made to her natural inclination today has been to wake her for feeding times and to play with her until she is tired after each feeding.
So far here is how the day went:
8am-Eat for 45 minutes
8:45-9:45-Play on the activity mat, holding her and singing, playing with Annabelle etc.
9:45-10:30-Sleep
10:30-Eat for about 30 minutes
11:00-11:45-Activity Map, Bath
11:45-12:30-Sleeping
12:30-1:00-Woke on her own and played on my lap
1:00-1:30-Eat for 20 minutes-from a bottle this time-we were in a movie :)
1:30-3:30-Sleeping on my chest in the movie---NOT ideal for boot camp but needed for Mommy!
3:30-3:45-Eating from a bottle after the movie-she did not really wake up...dream feed in the middle of the afternoon
3:45-4:15-Sleep
4:15-5:30-Playing ball with Annabelle and other fun activities
5:30-6:00-Nap
6:00-Getting ready to feed her--with a clogged milk duct-----OUCH-I hope she helps me work it out!
So-I will let you know how the rest of the day unfolds and how she does tonight. I hope she will be tired and ready for a good long slumber with minimal wake up tonight!
There are two basic approaches to the early days of kids that are floating around in the world today-one is to let a baby build a schedule that fits them best and the other is to teach a baby a schedule that fits into your lifestyle. With Annabelle I remember the first few weeks of her arrival being EXHAUSTING and I have been wondering why I have not felt that way with Maggie. I thought it was that I was more used to being a mommy and used to schedules but now I realize I have been really just letting Maggie do what she wants to do in terms of sleeping. I have been waking her to eat at designated times, but she sleeps most of the day except for right after she eats---and I have just been letting her. BUT-she does not sleep well at night as a result. What I remembered last night in the height of my frustration that Maggie only let me sleep for about 1 hour was that babies sleep when they get bored---so I had to make sure that Maggie was only sleeping when she was tired during the day and not just because she was bored. That way she was actually tired at night so she will sleep more than 2 hrs at a time!
So today we started Baby BOOT CAMP! Just because I want to remember what I did-I will be journaling how it is going and what I am doing. The basic premise is to get Maggie Eating, Sleeping and Playing on a schedule that fits our lifestyle instead of what comes naturally for her. I am kinda middle of the road when it comes to schedules in that I believe the schedule needs to have some input from the natural cues of the baby rather than 100% dictated by the parents so I will start the process with a day where I pay extra close attention to Maggie's preferences and cues. After today's "Observation", I will determine her schedule and then try to stick to it for a few days. The only changes I made to her natural inclination today has been to wake her for feeding times and to play with her until she is tired after each feeding.
So far here is how the day went:
8am-Eat for 45 minutes
8:45-9:45-Play on the activity mat, holding her and singing, playing with Annabelle etc.
9:45-10:30-Sleep
10:30-Eat for about 30 minutes
11:00-11:45-Activity Map, Bath
11:45-12:30-Sleeping
12:30-1:00-Woke on her own and played on my lap
1:00-1:30-Eat for 20 minutes-from a bottle this time-we were in a movie :)
1:30-3:30-Sleeping on my chest in the movie---NOT ideal for boot camp but needed for Mommy!
3:30-3:45-Eating from a bottle after the movie-she did not really wake up...dream feed in the middle of the afternoon
3:45-4:15-Sleep
4:15-5:30-Playing ball with Annabelle and other fun activities
5:30-6:00-Nap
6:00-Getting ready to feed her--with a clogged milk duct-----OUCH-I hope she helps me work it out!
So-I will let you know how the rest of the day unfolds and how she does tonight. I hope she will be tired and ready for a good long slumber with minimal wake up tonight!
Monday, May 18, 2009
My view of things!
Pregnant Belly
Sleeping Baby on my armIt has been just over 3 weeks since Maggie has joined our family in a way that we can all enjoy her. She has been part of our family since August of last year when we found out she was coming but now here she is for everyone to hold! The pictures above are random pictures I took oh how I see things for Maggie. It is never quite the same as how others see her and very different from her Creator, but none the less, it is my view. As a sit and think about her life, I wonder how I will see her in a yr, in 5 years or in 2o yrs. I cant imagine all the laughs, tears and concerns her life will bring to me, but I know that she is here to teach me something and I just PRAY I am in tune enough not to miss it!
Her sister has taught me to slow down and enjoy the moment, to look at things with fresh and BIG eyes and to always have a hug and kiss for anyone who wants one!
Her daddy has taught me that there is not ONE way to do things, I am not as smart as I think I am and how to forgive and love. And of course he has taught me that there is always time for silliness!!!!!
I love each member of my family and am so grateful for who they are making me----day by day!
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