So far, it’s been a big week in the lives of our little family. Last Wednesday (7th Nov), Cameron shared his food with me for the first time. Also that day, Ian learned quite a few opposite words and shocked me when he was able to recite them back to Daddy. The next night, Cameron pointed to our cockatiel and said in a quiet voice, “buuuh”. “Yeah! That’s the birdie!”
Saturday night, was an amazing night for milestones. Cameron was spontaneously playing peek-a-boo from one side of the t.v.with me, squealing and laughing in delight saying, “Sah, sah, sah!” All of a sudden, and without warning, he then attempted to walk to me – just a few steps away from him. He took one unsteady step (because he was so hyped up) and then lunged at me. It was so adorable! Then I realised the implications of this feat.
“Okay, that’ll be enough of that business, pal!” laughing, and perhaps only half-joking.
Last night was also a big night for changes, although implementing the transition afforded me no sleep at all.
Ever since we brought Cameron home from the hospital in January, I’ve had him near our bed in a Pack N’ Play (and napping in his crib during the day). I worried about SIDS and its risks and I knew it was best to have him near me, especially when he was tiny. Despite sleeping for five hours straight during the night at just 6 weeks, for the past two-and-a-half months, he has been waking every two hours again and it has really begun to take its toll on me physically and mentally. I’ve been completely exhausted constantly without reprieval.
Exhaustion being my motivation, I began laying down to feed him, and soon I was falling asleep with him in my arms. Although this isn’t really a point of concern for me, having him become accustomed to it, and show preference for it, was my main catalyst for initiating the move. And, for an extra nod for sympathy, Cameron’s room is a good one hundred feet from mine, on the other side of the house. It doesn’t sound like much, but when faced with the trek at 11, 1, 3 and 5 a.m., having him at the bottom of my bed always won.
Last night, I placed him in his crib intent on keeping him there for the duration of the night, and I kept the monitor on the nightstand next to me. Of course, it wasn’t as pain-free as I would have liked it to be. I know I was sunconsciously stressing about it, I was waking every two hours and pressing my face close to the speaker. Conveniently – or maybe inconveniently – he awoke too. Despite the long night, he did really well.
We’re on Night 2 and already doing better.
Well, go ahead and scratch that. He woke at 1:15 a.m. to be fed (incidentally, ten minutes after I went to bed. I stayed up late for some Me time. Why do we do that?!) and I played musical chairs trying to get him back to sleep again. He faked me out and fell asleep for five minutes (just as I was drifting off) and awoke again. I gave up at 2 a.m., totally exhausted and took him in our bedroom.I am thinking part of the issue may be that his room is the coolest in the house. He’s the furthest from the furnace (it’s directly below our bedroom) and it’s not easy to keep his room at a median temperature. My next course of action is to buy lots of soft fleece jammies. For him.
Oh, and btw, he slept for five hours. About as much as I got too.
a Brit different 