Teething

I thought that by the end of my first year with Bubba that the teething would be mostly over. Boy was I wrong! We have spent many months with the ear rubbing and the wakeful nights and only have 3 teeth! He started teething around 4 months. Now 8 months later, what do we have to show for it...definitely not a mouth full of teeth.

It's funny how different children get their teeth at different times. Not only this, but how they react differently to getting the chompers! Bubba's cousin had 6 teeth by the time he was only 7 or 8 months old, and Bubba was still fighting out number 1! Not only this, but every time I talked to my in-laws I was told about how many teeth were through and asked about Bubba's (very much like a competition). They will come out when they are ready is what my mantra was/is, and I am still repeating it to this day. Not only this, but my SIL was surprised by the appearance of teeth, making me think that cousin handled it with much more sleep than Bubba, who reverts to waking every 2 hours at night, making for a very sleepy momma!

I just need to keep reminding myself that Bubba won't go to college with only 3 teeth...unless of course he decides to be a hockey player.

I am thankful for this late teething though. As it is, I am less hesitant to give medicine to my son now, than I was as a fresh, green momma. Plus, it allowed me to breast feed for much longer with less of the horror stories of him biting me with those chompers (though he has gotten me good a few times).

They will come when they are ready.

Rejoice

Despite all the cold and snow that we on the east coast are receiving it is important to remember that every day is the Lords! Strive to bring Him all Glory and Honor!

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

Birthday Thank You Cards

As promised I'm sharing a tutorial on how to include your little one in the Thank You note process. I'm hoping that if I start with Bubba at a young age that it will be easier to keep him doing this as he gets older. What you'll need:

Nontoxic paint
Paint Brush (I used foam)
Dish
Cards (You can find blank white cards at your local craft store)


I started by putting a small dot of paint in my dish and then adding some water, figuring it would make it easier to clean Bubba up. Luckily the paint I used is water based and non-toxic, though Bubba didn't try to eat it (thankfully).

I handed Bubba the foam 'brush' and a card. He was amazed at the brush and even after being shown what to do didn't quite get it...

So, it turned into finger painting. He was so proud of himself seeing what was happening to the color as he moved his fingers around.

And each one turned out unique.

I used one of my drying racks to allow the cards to dry. That way they'd be out of the way of his little artistic fingers.

On the outside of the cards for his family that came to the party I wrote "I liked the cake and presents too, But my favorite thing was seeing you." On the inside is your basic Thank You note with a hand print from Bubba. I wasn't sure how to sign it, and after much thought decided to sign it from James with a PS stating that Mommy and Daddy say thank you too.

On the Thank Yous for people who just sent a gift they said "I'd like to thank you twice... Once for _____ and once for being nice." Signed again in the same manner. I figured that since it was mainly family giving the gifts to Bubba that they would all appreciate a little piece of artwork from him.

This was a quick and easy way to include an almost 1 year old in writing Thank You notes. Bubba and I had fun our afternoon of making these and the family loved them (I hand delivered them to save on the postage).

Happy Birthday Bubba

It's hard to believe a year has passed and how much has changed. Becoming a mommy is the best thing that has ever happened in my life!

Happy Birthday Bubba!

I'll be spending the weekend with my boys and celebrating this milestone as a family...see you all on Monday!

A Year Ago Today

Look at me... I was huge! But had you told me then all that I would learn over this past year I would have thought you were nuts!

A year ago today I was working my last day as an ER nurse, in a little community hospital. Do I miss it? Yes. Would I change this past year? Absolutely not! Watching my little man grow and change is the best experience of my life (don't tell my husband). I wouldn't trade it for all the money and jewels in the world!

The Sleep Diaries, Week 4

I'm updating a day early due to the fact that I will be celebrating Bubba's Birthday over the next 2 days :) Hard to believe little man is going to be 1 on Friday!!!

This has definitely been a week of ups and downs in the nighttime sleep and napping category. For the weekend I ventured home to Pennsylvania with Bubba to celebrate Christmas with my extended family (yes, a bit late...just one of the quirks I love about my family). So, I knew that Saturday would be a late night and there would be no way of preserving bedtime. Unfortunately the whole time I was home (Thursday-Sunday) was an utter disaster in all areas regarding sleep! At night Bubba refused to sleep and needed nursed multiple times, and naps were just a no go. Not one, not two. He refused to nap for longer than 30 minutes a day, even while being held for a nap (I was getting desperate). Sunday, on my way home I planned the trip during nap time, thinking that this will definitely give Bubba a good nap...Nope. He decided to be awake for the entire car ride all 3 hours of it! Ughh!

But the week has rounded itself out nicely. For the past 2 days Bubba has taken a cat nap in the morning around 10 and a nice long nap starting around 1:30-2. I must say that I am quite pleased as I am typing this right now during a nap (a rarity for me as I usually write my update Wednesday night and schedule it to post on Thursday). Night times have also gotten better with being home and having Bubba sleep in his own crib. I don't want to count on it though, I know that these past 2 days could be a total fluke, but I am quite pleased with the results thus far. And on the positive, I think that Bubba has at least been broken of the need to be held while napping. Have to count every small victory ;)

Thank You notes

I was raised being told to write Thank You notes, however, my mother never really enforced the carry through of the notes. Most of the time I didn't write one because the resources (ie, note cards) were never available to me at the time. As I got older, she stopped asking, and I quite frankly wouldn't think twice about writing them.

That is until I got married. I hand wrote out what feels like hundreds of Thank You notes after that. And after I was done, and my hand was numb, I realized that I felt good. It felt good to thank people for their generosity. And that's when my obsession hit. I started making sure I always had a note card available to me so that I could write a quick little Thank You note.

I also realized that people like to get mail. I mean seriously, how many times do you get mail that doesn't classify as junk or a bill? It's nice to be appreciated, and it's nice to know that someone took the time and dropped the note in the mail :)

After Bubba's party I needed to figure out a way to include him in the Thank You note process, because I want to start him out early and make sure he never has the same excuse that I had to not write a Thank You note. Here's a little preview of a future craft idea that Grandma and Grandpa will love:

Deceptively Delicious

As a hostess gift my mother brought me a cookbook (she spent Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend with us). She knows my love of cookbooks! Actually she bought it as a Christmas gift, but has this uncanny habit of hiding gifts so well that when it comes time to give them she can't find them. Yes, I did inherit this trait, drive Hubs nuts!

Well, I've had the chance to try the French Toast, and I'll say, it's good. I used some baby food I'd made Bubba (it's a puree right?) and I couldn't even tell there were sweet potatoes in it! Bubba liked it too...though it's rare for him to try a new food and not like it.

We were so inspired by this that for dinner Hubs made our Oven "Fried" Eggplant using some pesto I had stored in the fridge! It was awesome (and Bubba liked this as well).

Oven "Fried" Eggplant:

Cut 1 Eggplant into 1 cm wide disks

Put Pesto on plate or in bowl

Put seasoned Breadcrumbs in other dishToss Eggplant disks in pesto then in breadcrumbs.

Place on foil lined and sprayed baking sheet then spray the tops with more cooking spray (a tip I learned from Sandra Lee).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until soft to touch. Serve with Marinara sauce.

Oh...and there is nothing better than a man who cooks for his wife!

Courage

Hubs and I have recently began our church hunt again. Turns out the church we were attending was not meeting our needs, in more ways than just one. Many Sundays I felt myself walking away not feeling full nor convicted. Entertained, yes, spiritually refueled, no. So, we began the hunt.

I'm almost confident that our hunt has ended, which is quite a relief. They are meeting not only my spiritual needs, but my needs to have childcare for Bubba that provides him with the safety he needs (he and the other church were not a match).

The past few Sundays a theme has emerged, and I'm not quite sure it was an intentional one. The theme of courage. Courage to take a stand. Courage to change the way we live. To fight against the messages the world sends. It only takes a few to start a revolution. I challenge you to have the courage to change something negative in your life.

Maybe you watch to many violent television programs, or play too many violent games in front of your young children. Maybe you use fowl language. Maybe you smoke. Maybe you have an addiction. God provides each one of us the tools we need to overcome these obstacles that the world puts in front of us. We just need the Courage to take the first stance against them.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He shall not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Barefoot is Best

"Why aren't his feet covered?!"

This is often the response I get from well meaning strangers at the grocery store when they look at Bubba's cute little feet. Many time, okay, almost all the time, I carry Bubba around without shoes or socks on, for quite a few reasons.

According to most experts, having babies wear shoes too early will actually impede mobility. As Bubba is learning to walk (and steadily becoming more steady on his feet) I feel that it is important to keep his feet bare, especially when indoors. Shoes serve to trip him up and make the learning process harder. Much of the research I've done actually encourages allowing baby to go bare (one article), unless allowing your child to walk outdoors, which when I'm shopping I do not allow (he's usually sitting pretty in a carrier).

If you are planning on outfitting your child with shoes it is recommended that the child wear soft soled shoes that allow the greatest flexibility and the closest thing to being barefoot and yet covered. Though after a quick Internet search I many sites stated that children who are learning to walk shouldn't wear these for prolonged periods of time, either.

When it all comes down to it I look at the cost of shoes, the fact that Bubba is growing quickly, and the fact that he pulls them off and may lose them, and I elect not to put shoes on him. I try to explain to well meaning family members that most research states that he doesn't need them indoors (many times to no avail).

Why don't I just put socks on him when we go out? Well...I'm glad you ask. 1. He pulls them off, and what can I make out of 1 baby sock? 2. He chews on them. How much warmer is a wet sock to being barefoot?

So what do I say to those well meaning grandma strangers?

"Because I'm his Mommy and I choose not to."

It's so much easier than going into my rant, and hey I don't have to explain my reasoning to uneducated (in the new developments of baby) strangers (actual grandparents are a different story, and we still butt heads from time to time).

Sock Creatures

My mother gave me a book for Christmas. Not surprising as I adore books. This book was an instructional guide on how to use old socks (or new ones) to create creatures. I have become addicted to these little guys! They are so easy and fun, and dang adorable!

I find myself longing to go to Target and raid their dollar aisle for socks that I can transform into these little monsters. I plan on giving them to my nieces and nephew as a Easter gift and Bubba is getting one for Valentine's Day. Actually I'm giving one away this weekend at my family Christmas Party (yes, my family celebrates Christmas well into January).

The best part about them? There are no rules! The sky is the limit when creating these little puppies and nothing goes to waste. Save your scraps and put them all together on another creature. The imperfections are what give the little guy character.

Here are my first 2 attempts (the OXOX one is for Bubba and the Striped one is party of my Dirty Santa gift):

The Sleep Diaries, Week 3

Small victories! This week has been much less stressful on the sleep front. Words can not express the excitement I am experiencing (imagine me doing a funky chicken dance now).

After accepting that Bubba may be transitioning from 2 naps to 1, life has become much less stressful. It has made me accept a slightly more lenient stance on when Bubba settles down for a nap. There are days when he desires to nap around 9:30, and on those days I run with it. Allowing him to nap at 9:30, and depending on how long that nap lasts I either try for an afternoon nap around 2:30ish or I forgo it and plan for an early bedtime. Two-three times I've actually had to wake Bubba from his afternoon nap at 5, solely so he'd sleep through the night.

On days where Bubba passed up the morning nap I tried to lay him down around 1. Most of the time he would then sleep until 4. Have there been tears? Yes. Have I doubted myself? Yes. Am I glad now for all the tears the previous weeks, well, I'm never happy I made my Bubba cry, but I am glad I stuck to my guns.

On the bedtime front, other than a minor setback, when Bubba got sick, we've had a healthy bit of success with Bubba only waking once at 4 or 5 AM. My only complaint is that with the 2-1 transition I am needing much more coffee as Bubba has some mighty early mornings. I'm hoping that these go away soon, I miss sleeping until 7!

Capturing Memories

Have you ever gotten home from an event, only to think to yourself the next day 'I wish I had pictures to remember?' I do this all the time! It never fails. I go to a party and wish I had brought my camera. I'm at a family picnic with camera in my bag and wish I had taken more pictures. It's frustrating.

My other vice when it comes to my camera, is that in this age of digital images I am horrible and I do mean HORRIBLE at printing the pictures that I take. I go through spurts where I'll print off some pictures, put them into an album, and never look at them again. Then I'll look at my camera a few months later and see that there are about 1,000 or more pictures (Bubba's a first child, can you tell?) that I don't even get to enjoy because they are stored on my camera SD card. It's very much like the old Kodak commercial.

I do have a solution, which since Bubba has been born has worked to a degree (I still haven't printed my photos). Shutterfly. It's my photo saviour! I'm able to upload my photos (with the intention of printing them, and I will someday soon) to a free server. I'm even able to publish and enjoy them on a free share site. I set one up a few years ago, while living in Kentucky, to keep the family connected. I try my best to update it once a month.

It is only during this update that I am able to enjoy the old photos I've taken. I must order some soon...Bubba is now 11 months old and I haven't updated his baby album since he was 2 weeks old..oops...



Now if only I had a solution to the remembering my camera issue...

Resolution Foods, #1 Quinoa

Remember how I said that for the New Year I wanted to try a new food a month? Well, I've done it. My new food for the month of January was QUINOA! What is it you say? Well, that's a good question. Quinoa is a grain. Actually it's the seeds from a grain, cooked much the same way as rice. It's full of fiber, protein, amino acids, and other good for you stuff. And the best part? The family LOVED it. Hubs stated it was a "repeatable" dish, which in our house where we try new recipes like you change your undies, is high praise!

It's cooked in boiling water or stock for about 15 minutes. The liquid absorbs into the grain and it becomes almost translucent. The germ separates from the seed and looks like little worms, unappetizing I know, but I tell you this so you don't freak out. When I made it I almost threw out what I had thinking it had gone bad, but the germ looks like little spiral-y worms in with the grain. It's okay. I promise.

Quinoa salad:

Diced Veggies sauteed in EVOO

1 T Vinegar (Red Wine or Balsamic)

1 T EVOO

1 -2 C. cooked Quinoa

Toss and serve. Top with leftover chicken if you like (yet one more use for my Rotisserie Chicken).

And if you have a little man in your life who likes to eat what mommy and daddy are, it's good for them too! I mixed his in with some baby food (great way to get a baby who eats solids to finish up some of the purees you have for him).

Bubba loved it!

Party Sucess

Bubba's Birthday party was wonderful! It went off without a hitch! Even though it was only grandparents and great-grandparents. It was so nice for them to travel to us for the day, and we enjoyed them tremendously!

We played 2 games. Guess the gift (with a hint) and Guess how Many. In a box wrapped with brown paper and staples (Hubs wrapped it) we put a few books and asked the guests to guess what was inside, telling them only that it was Bubba's favorite thing. Well, only 2 people guessed, my sister's boyfriend and my Step Mother (it's good to know someone listens to me, as I've been saying for a long time how much Bubba loves books). For the second game I put some Gerber Puffs in a sippy cup and asked that they guess how many were in it. The answer: 175, and I could have kept going! Father-in-law guessed closest to that one with his guess of 116. We also asked that each guest write a little note to Bubba, but more on that in a later post.

Instead of cake we did Cupcake balls (from here), which were a huge hit! Everyone loved them. We did 2 flavors, red velvet with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon swirl with a butter cream frosting. Bubba got a cupcake and enjoyed every last crumb, seriously!

Bubba made out like a bandit with lots of Little People and a few stuffed animals. And of course a few articles of clothing. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate my little boy turning 1.

Borax

I was recently inspired to buy my first box of Borax. I was sold on the many uses and thought why not give it a try? So I bit and picked up my first box.

Why not? There are so many uses I contemplated buying a box for the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. Hubs put his foot down and said I needed to see if I liked it first. But I'm all about simplifying my life a little, and this will not only do that, but it could save me some money too. Then I can indulge in my latte later in the week.

1st Birthday Party

Crazy to think how much my baby is growing up! I've been thinking about his 1st Birthday Party since he's been about 5 months old, but nothing definite. Crazy how things evolve. It started out as a Pooh Party, then morphed into a "Library Party" (as Bubba adores his books). Then we decided to narrow books down to Seuss. But...

Do you know how hard it is to find Seuss-y invites? Yeah...pretty hard. And by the time that I was looking for them (I can be a serious procrastinator) it was too late to order them off the Internet. I couldn't even find any stickers (well...except for the Grinch, but somehow he doesn't scream Birthday to me). So, we made our own. Had I been a good mommy and prepared I would have started on this adventure way sooner. But the slacker and frugal part of me won out. The invites turned out okay, but they definitely did not scream Seuss. The outside stated:

Bubba is One

Today is his Day,

He makes his first wish

On his 1st Birthday!

While the inside stated:

January's the month,

The 15th the Day

From 1-4 is when we will play.

Cute right, just not Seuss-y without the direct reference to some characters. So we're going with it. No theme. Just Baby.

Our family's are coming down to visit for the day (Hubs just couldn't get off and we really didn't want to transplant his party to Pennsylvania if we didn't have to). Bless them. But because of the 3+ hour drive we aren't really going to have a boatload of people, just family willing to make the drive.

Side note: My grandmother, who can't make it sent a card with a check...or should I say 2 checks. One for Bubba and one for Hubs and I as a late wedding gift...we've only been married 5 years :) Better late than never!

I'll update with pictures when I can and a party re-cap.

The Sleep Diaries, Week 2

I'm beginning to feel as though I've lost my mind.

I had thought nighttime sleep had improved. Maybe I was being overly ambitious, because we're back to 2 consistent wakings at night. Once at 1, when Hubs will tend to Bubba's needs, and again at 3, where there isn't much he can do. I've tried letting Bubba cry, but after the 15 minute wait it breaks my heart. And the worse part is, I've come to the conclusion that checking in on him seems to do more harm than good. Sounds strange, but he cries louder and harder if we go in to reassure him. On top of that he has adopted a 6 am wake up time, as opposed to the 7, which I was much happier about.

Naps are another disaster in themselves. While Bubba is more easily laid down, he's not napping consistently. I'm beginning to believe that we are making a transition to one nap. I'm hoping that once his napping is sorted out then nights will follow. He goes down easily for a nap around 9:30, sleeps until 10:15, then wants to cuddle and continues to sleep until 11. Then he refuses to go down for a second nap. I'm hoping I can get his nap time to be a little later in the morning, actually I'd love for it to be after lunch, but will settle for later in the morning.

What happened to my book? It's hard to have time to read when I'm constantly fighting...how did the millions of mothers before me get through this stage?

Cloth

I know I mentioned at least once before that I have a crazy passion. It's a passion for cloth and all things cloth related. Cloth Diapers that is. Yes! In a world of throw away, instant gratification, and taking the easy way, I have a love of the old. Why?

I always knew I wanted to use cloth diapers. When I got pregnant I mentioned it to Hubs who refused. Outright. me, being the strong willed, pigheaded woman he married, started to research. Then I found YouTube and some of the videos of how easy the diapers are now to use. That's how I hooked him. Now, he loves it just as much as I do. Not only that but we only own 7 of the ones I sold him on, and he actually prefers the old fashioned, economical choice we use most days: Prefolds.

I wish it were more mainstream as many people from the cloth diapering community catch a lot of flack for their choice to use cloth diapers (whether it be financially, environmentally, or crunch-ily motivated). My motivation came down to the all mighty dollar. I couldn't fathom spending money on garbage. Plus I didn't want to worry about running out of diapers, and being that parent who is running to Walmart at 1 am because she's out of diapers.

Do I know anyone else in real life who uses them? No. Do I catch a lot of flack from the family? Yes. Am I good with my decision? Absolutely.

What it all boils down to is parenting how you are comfortable.

Dinner is Served

Today was quite a day. We woke up to white out conditions and many accidents on the road. Truly putting a damper on our plans of hitting up the Commissary in the morning (before Bubba's nap..still trying sooo hard to get him to nap in his crib). Hubs was persistent on going grocery shopping with me (can you tell we don't get to go out together too much). I caved. Bubba fell asleep in his carrier (which was better than the fussy alternative) and we spent way too much. But we're prepping for his Birthday Party which is a week away!

Because of this change of plans, I was not in the mood for a complicated dinner. We had a meal that I truly made all of in the microwave, without dirtying a single pan. Does it get any better than this? The rice is one of the heat and go bags and the green beans are the steam bag freezer ones. The chicken was heated in the plastic container it came in! So easy. It was nice to have a night off and not have a big clean up...other than Bubba (how one baby seems to make such a big mess is still more than I can comprehend at times).

Can I just say how much I love Rotisserie Chicken! It is so versatile! Not to mention is is scrumptious and tender! I also love that most of the time it cost the same as it's uncooked brother, making my job that much easier. Bubba even enjoyed it! So, here are some ideas of how to use up the leftovers (if you have anything):

1. Makes a yummy sandwich, just add bread and mayo.
2. Turn into chicken salad (use the food processor for a smoother texture)
3. Make stock: Put the bones in your Crock pot and cover with water. Set on low and leave it alone for the day or over night.
4. Make soup (you can even use your homemade stock): Add chicken and frozen veggies and a grain/potato. It's even healthy!
5. Casserole. Need I say much more? We are big one pot/pan people, less mess = less clean up.
6. Puree and make baby food: warning though...I have yet to figure out how to maintain a texture that Bubba will eat...and he actually is moving away from purees.

I'm sure I could think of more if I really put my brain to it, but it's fried at the moment. So what are your uses of leftover chicken?

The Sleep Diaries, Week 1

Nighttime success! Nap time Failure.

It seems that the nighttime rules are working! Bubba is going longer and longer at night without waking up, and when he does most of the time he is putting himself back down to sleep. I actually was able to sleep until 5:30 one morning before needing to get up :) Yes, there have been a few hiccups. We did travel home during the weekend, which posed problems with both naps and nighttime. I figure I am not going to punish myself and our families by insisting we remain home just because Bubba is one stubborn sleeper.

I wish I could report naps were getting better, but they are not. I've been trying to lay Bubba down for 2 naps a day, and we've had a battle of wills for both the naps. I think the most Bubba has gotten when laid down for a nap is 45 minutes this past week. Thank goodness for car rides as this is the only way he's gotten more than 10 minute stretches of naps. I will say that I did break down and let him have a Grandma held nap. It has been a week of screaming overall. I'm beginning to question the lengthening checks. It is heart-wrenching to hear your child scream for 30-40 minutes.

I'm thinking it's time to get a book and try a new method...chanting my mantra...consistency is key...

Tantrums

When do babies transition to toddlers?

I'm beginning to think that the transition happens around one year. And I'm thinking I'm going to be blessed with some awful tantrums! It seems Bubba, when he doesn't get his way, has taken to sitting down, throwing his head backwards, and screaming. To the point that he hits his head hard on whatever is behind him! Is this a preview of the Terrible Twos?

Guess it's time to do a little reading up on dealing with tantrums!

The Sleep Diaries, The Rules

We have begun. Hubs and I sat down and set a few rules to our sleep training initiative.

1. Naps are up to me, as I am the one with him during the day.

2. When Bubba wakes at night we will wait 15 minutes before going into him. There's a good chance he may put himself back to sleep.

3. I will not Breastfeed him for the first 6 hours he is in bed. This means that the first 6 hours if he wakes and does not go back down by himself he is all Daddys. No rocking, no prolonged cuddling. The plan is to lengthen this period over time to wean him from nighttime feedings but not cut him off all together.

4. After that 6 hours I may nurse him, after that nursing Bubba must wait 3-4 hours to nurse again, unless it is now morning (6:30-7:00).

I've compiled these ideas from different sources and probally will add to them as I am able to read more sources on them. Most of these ideas are from other moms who have posted their experience on Baby Center (a guilty pleasure to pass the time away). Thus the fun has begun!

I'm a Big Boy

Recently, we've done a lot of battle of the wills, especially when it comes to nap time. Bubba believes that he doesn't need any naps at all during the day, while I try to maintain the two naps.

So now, not only am I fighting getting him to take a nap not on me, but to take one at all! No one ever warned me how frustrating being a parent can be!

Well, this is what happens when Bubba thinks he's a big boy and doesn't need any naps...asleep at 6, with the rest of his dinner in front of him.

And can I just say he was snoring something fierce! Too cute and too funny, all in one moment!

The Sleep Diaries, An introduction

Bubba has never been a good sleeper. I don't know where it comes from as his pappa is a wonderful sleeper (so wonderful in fact he has no idea how taxing 11 months without a solid nights rest is). To ring in the New Year I am back to sleep training my wonderful baby boy.

We were doing well with naps, until just before Christmas Eve when Bubba spiked a temperature of 102.6 (he's fine). Not only did we battle a fever, but he has been working on a few more teeth (which I would love to pull through myself it it meant he'd be a little less clingy). Needless to say, we back tracked over the holiday with our naps. It didn't help that Daddy was home and wanted to catch up on a few cuddles, so I feel like I am back to square 1.5.

I say square 1.5 because while Bubba resists the naps with everything he has (and boy does he get desperate), at night he goes down quite easily (knock on wood). After he's is laid down though we are almost guaranteed 4-6 hours before another waking and then every 2-4 hours until morning (usually 3). As you can imagine, I am just worn out. Additionally, I was hoping that by 1 year there would begin to be some normalcy coming back into my life.

Thus begins a series on my (and Bubba's) trials with entering back into the world of sleep training.

I wholly accept responsibility for his poor napping habits. But who can resist a sleeping baby? If I knew then what I know now, I would have fought a little harder on resisting his warm cuddles and his cute lips moving like he's still nursing. And Baby Sleep Syndrome, as my husband so fondly calls it (Baby Sleep Syndrome is the overwhelming urge/need to nap because you are holding a sleeping child).

My goal, however long it takes, is for Bubba to sleep all the way through the night, without Boob. For him to nap, consistently, without being held.

My plan to make that happen:

1. Research. Parents have been struggling with this for years. I know I am not alone in this struggle, and I know that I am not the first person to deal with it. Therefore, I plan to learn from other's experiences.

2. Be consistent. I posted on Facebook just this week a desperate plea for help with Bubba's naps. Some recommended different methods, but the one thing they all had in common was to be consistent! This principal is applied to all aspects of parenting, so why is it so hard for me to apply it to sleep as well?

3. Be flexible. I am a stubborn person. My way is the right way. I will continue doing things my way sometime to a fault. So, if one way doesn't work after a few days I need to be willing to try a new method. No child fits into a cookie cutter that is outlined in a book, that includes Bubba (and would I really want him to?).

4. Forgive myself. Like any diet, I need to enter this knowing there are going to be mistakes. It is a learning process and at least I am now committed to taking steps to fix the problem (I mean, I posted this blog, so now I am held accountable).

I plan on blogging once a week about this, but if you have young children you know how the best plans can be changed at a moments notice. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year

Welcome 2011! Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year! May the year be filled with good memories and positive changes. May our loved ones stay safe in all circumstances. May we all be Blessed with only the best things in life.