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!
Just outside of Louisville, there is this place called Henry's Ark. It is basically a very large "petting zoo", but the animals that are there to be "petted" are camels, yaks, deer, goats, llamas, ostriches, peacocks, ducks, rabbits, mules, reindeer, zebras, etc...basically animals that you wouldn't expect to find in Louisville, KY...or in North America for that matter (okay, yes...obviously ducks, goats, mules, and rabbits are not rare and you would find them anywhere...but a zebra? or a camel? You get the picture). I took Nathan to Henry's Ark a couple of weeks ago with Keaton. It was a real cold day, and we did not go prepared...meaning, we didn't have any food to feed the animals...we will next time though :) This place is completely FREE, and thrives on donations only. It is a great place to bring kids and a lot of the animals are allowed to just wander (as you can see above). They are VERY tame and well mannered. It is a really cool place to visit! I mean, how many times in your life have you gotten to PET a zebra or camel? Not many.
