Bed Update

I have gotten a few inquiries as to how Nathan was/is dealing with his new bed situation...

Well, he actually has been GREAT! He is still taking his naps, still going to bed without any trouble. Nothing has changed actually, except he can can get in and out of his bed on his own. Now this afternoon we had some issues...we had gone to All About Kids to run around and play. We were there for almost 2.5 hours, and Nathan was SOOO tired (you try running, climbing and jumping for 2 hours!!!), so he was super fussy, crying and just D.O.N.E. We came home and he wanted to go to bed, so I put him down. I heard him rumbling around for a good 15 minutes after I left the room, which I figured was him just winding down from all of the action earlier. He finally fell asleep...and about an hour later he woke up crying. Now he hasn't done that in a long long time, so I knew something was up. I went up there, and he was lying by the door. SO...I don't know if he had gotten out of bed and was playing in his room, and then fell asleep...woke up and didn't know where he was. OR, he fell asleep in his bed, and walked to the door when he started crying. I don't know (I need to put a video camera in there!). Regardless, I put him down again, and he fell back asleep for about 30 minutes when I heard a big THUD. He obviously had fallen out of bed while sleeping. Odd thing is is that he didn't cry, he didn't say a word...he just got up, and continued to play for a good 45 minutes until I went and got him. Not sure if this is the start of a trend...or if it was just a fluke of him falling out of bed.

Also, an odd thing...Nathan doesn't get out of bed and try and open the door by himself. He CAN open the door, I know this, he does it all the time when we are getting ready in the mornings. But for nap time and bedtime, if he wakes up, or isn't quite tired yet, he will just play (I assume in his bed) until someone comes and gets him. I am not, at all, complaining...I just find it one of his personality traits. He isn't presumptuous...or its as if he doesn't know he is "allowed" to do that on his own. He did this when he started to crawl. He would only crawl in one room, and it took him a while to venture into other rooms...again, as if he didn't think he was "allowed" the freedom to do that. I find it interesting (and no, we have not TAUGHT him this...we don't beat the kid into staying in one place! We don't even say anything about it.:)).

SO yeah, that's the scoop.

SOOOO Sleepy

Last weekend Nathan went and spent some time with Nan and Paps, and they just plain tuckered him out. When I went to pick him up, all he wanted to do was lay his head on my shoulder. I got him in the car, strapped in, and he wanted his "choc-mo". We pulled out of their driveway, and when I looked back at him, this is what I found (above). He had fallen asleep while drinking his sippy cup, and the cup was caving in! It was very cute!!! He proceeded to take a 3 hour nap!!!!

Bed Head

Yes, this is what Nathan's hair looked like when he woke up from his nap today. I have no idea what was going on while he was sleeping, but apparently it was a battle! This is the ultimate definition of "Slept with an egg beater"!

Events

It has been an eventful week for our Little Nater Tater.

With the weather being so nice, I have tried to get Nathan outside as much as possible. He LOVES it! He is definatly become an outdoor child. We have taken 950,000 walks around our neighborhood...or atleast it feels that way. Anything to get him outside where he can take it all in. We have hit the parks near our house a few times, we have watched the ducks, and swung on the swings, slid on the slides, walked around in the trees...everything! It has been very refreshing and oh so nice to get out of the house!

On Monday, we went to the Zoo with Audrey and Keaton. That was fun...more for us Moms than the kids at this point. Many of the animals just didnt want to perform for us ;). I am not sure the kids even noticed any of them, but thats okay, it was nice to spend the afternoon walking around at the Zoo. We signed up for a season pass, so Nathan will for sure being going back!

On Tuesday, Jonathon took Nathan on his first adventure to....HOME DEPOT! They looked at all the garden stuff, and Nathan got to ride in the cart. Needless to say, both "boys" were very excited at the excursion, and they both garnered a LOT of attention!

Along with these fun adventures...we have also started a little bit of "tough love". In asking around to some friends, as well as realizing that the last time I had a FULL night sleep (minus maybe 4 nights max) was almost 8 months ago...and I am just plain tired...we came to the conclusion that Nathan NEEDED to start sleeping through the night. We are talking ALL THE WAY through the night, not the "through the night" definition that magazines and Doctors give you at 4 months (5-6 hours). He had been doing fine in going to bed at 8 and waking at 4 or 5, but then we went on vacation. Ever since we got back it has seriously been a guess as to what each night will bring. At almost 8 months he was still wanting a full 7oz bottle in the middle of the night...and also waking up a couple more times to be readjusted or to make sure we were still there (held/rocked/soothed). SO, I talked to my cousin, Leslie, who has had 6 kids (afterall, she should know a thing or two about night sleeping!), and she said that Nathan was waking up only out of habit. She suggested diluting his night time bottle with water, and giving him less, to see if he was really hungry or just wanted to be rocked and held during the night. Sure enough, two nights ago, I gave him 5 oz of MOSTLY water, and he was out like a light when that was finished. SO...last night we were going to give him even less and dilute it even more, but he slept through the entire night (well, until 5:30). Of course, this was only after we started the 5/10/15 minute crying session. Leslie also said that we were going to have to let him cry, because that is the only way he is going to learn to sleep without waking...if there isnt a payoff for waking (i.e. no soothing). SO, I put Nathan to bed last night, and he promptly woke up 5 minutes later. Instead of picking him up and rocking him, I let him cry (I DID go in and shh him a few seconds and let him know he was okay). After 5 minutes, I went back in and shhh'd him again, comforted him without picking him up, and walked out. I WAS going to go in after 10 minutes and do the same after 15 minutes, BUT he stopped crying at about 8 minutes and was asleep. He didnt peep until 5:30! As hard as it was to listen to him cry, I think it was something that needed to happen. Hopefully this wasnt just a fluke night. I suppose if it was, we will have to do the same thing. They say it should only take 3 or so nights, max.

As for the waking at 5:30am thing...yeah...the child has my genes and when he is 15 years old, waking that early is a GREAT trait. However, at 7 months...it is a little early to start the day....for me anyways. Although, I am not sure how to make him sleep longer. He really is ready to go at that early. If he could walk he would be downstairs, watching cartoons or out riding his bike or something. He is just an early riser.

And naptimes...yeah, those have become catnaps. Nathan takes two naps a day...but they are only little 20-30 minute naps. I makes the day extremely long. I am SURE he requires longer naptimes, I just dont know how to make him sleep longer. He wakes, and is refreshed...ready to go!