Wednesday, July 28, 2010

a few updates

     The first is I started finally reading Harry Potter. The craze of those books came out at least 10 years ago, before I was in college. I read then, but definitely wasn't into reading that type of book at that time.  And I kinda was a rebel without a cause, so anything that was popular, I was a bit against in my teenage angst. I'm only a few chapters into the first book, but as of now I can say its better written than the Twilight series. Prior to this I read The Phantom Tollbooth, which is a really good book too, and I recommend it to child who is over-stimulated from media, as it brings out the imagination in you once again.

     Ben has been gaining baby skill points, as my husband would call it, as of late.  He's getting the hang of sititng up.  He still topples over a bit, but I can leave him sitting and do something small and about 75% of the time he's still sitting and playing with something.  Here's a pic from an adventure earlier in the week as semi-evidence.


We are trying to use less ac in our house, and thus build up our heat tolerance.  Apparently, if you are in constant ac then you no longer can deal with heat.  Sadly for most, this is the way we are becoming, especially since most work environments are kept at 72 degrees or lower.  So our plan right now is to set the daytime temp to 80 degrees and the night time temp to 74, and these are on days when the temps outside are greater than 85, because our house is good at staying cool and we have a basement.  So thus when its 85 or less outside no ac for us. Today it is 90, so its on, but not really, since its 77 inside still and it hasnt gone on since last night.  What are your philosophies on ac usage?

Well, I should play with the little smiler some more before his nap and thesis writing begins again. Hope this finds you well.

Friday, July 23, 2010

sleepless nights biting me in the butt

So as I stated as a facebook status.  That one should never say that your baby is letting you get sleep at night, because inevitably you will have a sleepless night immediately after.  I don't think its a karma thing.  But rather to keep you humble as a parent.  Because for some reason sleeping thru the night is something that parents get smug about.  And really its not that the little one sleeps thru the night, as in 8 or 10 hours or something like that.  But he usally does a steady 5 or 6 hour stretch and then usually wakes up to feed but then goes back to sleep until official waking up. More times then not there is a second waking time, but I move the little guy and he sleeps again.

But then there are the nights of the endless kicking from 3am on.  And these I have adjusted to zoning out a good amount of the time.  Because he's no longer kicking me but the crib beside me. I still do a bit of actual co-sleeping particularly when I fall asleep admist a feeding in the middle of the night.  But I've learned that I sleep better for the first bit of the night and so does baby when he's in his crib beside me and I am in the bed without him. And then when I have fallen asleep admist feeding and the kicking starts, well he gets put back in the crib to kick the crib and not me.

So once in a good while there is a night, like the last, where there is a ton of crying mid early morning. And last night from about 4am on there was tossing and turning and then crying from 5ish on. Inevitably ending in a 5:45 full out cry that made us all get up sleep deprived a bit to get him settled down.  About by 6:45 or 7, he did get back to sleep, for which i am thankful cause we both then slept till about 9am.  Yes, this means I'm a lazy mama sleeping in till 9am, but he lets me do it and I am so not a morning person if I don't have to be.

So I'm not looking for advice here, just wanted to say that I'm reminded that these hard bits of being a parent are reminders to lean on God, and to be patient with the little one.  To also be thankful for the good nights, and I welcome those good nights greatly! But that is where we are at.  We just went for a stroller ride mid post because these days that seems to put the little one out for a nap, so I can have some morning writing time.  So now on to the thesis writing. Chapter 3 here we come!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Parenting

Since being a parent things that have changed perspective

1. Sleep
2. Rest Stops
3. Late Nights
4. Loud Noises
5. Germs
6. Car Trips
7. Vacations

I could probably go on, but won't.

Instead I leave you with an article about how kids apparently don't bring happiness. I think this incorrect, but maybe so far I have a different mindset about it. Yes somedays are hard, but its different. And its done out of love.  It's not a job but a vocation. And since the little one is waking up. Here is the Link
Why Parents Hate Parenting

Thursday, July 8, 2010

events of note

1. My younger brother is engaged!  His fiance is a wonderful girl and I couldn't have wished for anyone better for him.

2. Baby Esther is here, and her mama is recovering due to having to have a cesarian section.

3. My parents are back from their world trip to South Korea.

4. I finished a first draft of chapter 1 of my thesis (36 pages), and now I am on to chapter 2.

5. My baby boy is now 4 months and 1 week old, and he's 15.5 lbs and 25.5 inches long.

6. Next wednesday is my husband's and my 3rd anniversary.

7. We made our first long, long car trip to Wilkes-Barre, PA and survived.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Vote for Ben

Voting is open now till the end of July 2010.














So vote for Ben in Fox 8's Beautiful Baby 2010 contest.
By clicking here. Fox 8 2010 Beautiful Baby Contest

Your vote is much appreciated.

Thanks.