January 25, 2012 ~ Spider Billy (like Spider Pig but cuter)

I was very late getting home from work so I didn't get to spend much time with Billy today. I came in on the tail end of dinner and he was already a cranky baby, tired from yesterday's tropical foray. There was only time for bath and then bed.

For awhile now Billy has been sticking his mouth and the tip of his nose into the bath water for fun. He knows how to hold his breath, although sometimes he tries to drink the water too. Today, he decided to escalate his daring bath antics. He dunked his whole head and came up laughing. I think someone is ready for the swimming pool again.

After bath Daddy tried to teach Billy about streaking. But it's cold out and Billy wanted some pants.

The long hunt for winter sleepwear in Billy's size has come to a close and he got to try out his new jammies today. What little boy wouldn't love Spiderman pjs?

I think they really show off his big Billy belly. In fact, when I asked him where his Billy belly was, he pulled up his shirt and pointed to his belly button. "Bill bell!" he giggled.

January 23, 2012 ~ Rock-a-bye Billy

Billy is a baby that likes to sleep. Normally, I don't have any trouble getting him to go to bed for a nap or for the night. He's tired, he goes straight down. But this past week has been another story altogether.

This past week he stands up in his crib and screams at the top of his lungs, voice cracking, heart-wrenching endless crying. For some reason he just refuses to sleep. Some of the blame has to go to those evil teeth that are plaguing him right now, but something else is obviously going on.

It's not as though Billy never throws a tantrum about going to bed. Sometimes he won't want to go to sleep and I will find all of his stuffed animals and blankets on the floor, binkies too and him crying in his crib. This is the attention getting technique.

But now Billy knows when I pour the milk into his sippy what is coming and starts to whimper. Then when I pick him up he starts screaming. I can rock him and get him to lay down, but as soon as I leave the room he stands up and starts screaming. It's not the normal crying. This past week has been a new level of anxiety in his voice.

I've heard that the human brain has a physical reaction to babies crying. Probably a throwback to when those cries could mean being eaten by a sabertooth. I can feel my stress level shoot through the roof. I just want to get him to quiet down. It's hard when the best thing for him is sleep and he refuses to.

Yesterday we had to let him cry it out. I hate CIO. He went on for more than a half hour before I binkied him up for the bazillionth time and he finally settled down. Today he was on track to do it again. Daddy's method is to just turn off the monitor and let him cry himself to sleep. I just can't take it. So after 20 minutes I had to go back in and get him.

What he wanted was to be fully rocked to sleep, with singing (God help him). But I rocked, shushed and sang just like when he was a teeny little guy. He clung to me and smiled as he drifted off. I would much rather rock him for 20 minutes than listen to him cry during that time. He fell asleep in my arms and no tears when I put him down. So much less painful than CIO for everyone.

November 23, 2011 ~ What Did the Great Pumpkin Leave Under Your Turkey Tree?

Do you feel like the holidays are confused? Everyone was in the grocery store today buying cartfuls of feasts with Christmas music playing in the background. I still have bowls of Halloween candy floating around, table dressed for Thanksgiving and a baby incessantly playing Christmas carols. Welcome to Hallowthankmas.

Normally I try to avoid stores at all costs the day before and after Thanksgiving, but the need for a birthday cake drove me to the store. So Billy and I were mixed in with all of the last minute holiday cooks trying to pick up a cake. Such is life.

We got in to the box of old baby toys today. When I say old, I mean old to him. They are the smaller toys, the rattles, the teething rings that he used to play with so much before he was mobile. They long ago became boring and I tucked them away. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, so we played the whole afternoon away with the old toys. I wonder if he even remembers them.

For dinner we had mac'n'cheese. He decided that squeezing his hand in the bowl of pasta was much more fun than actually eating it. I'm sure it's got a pretty cool texture. Makes a great mess. What little boy wouldn't want that?

He had another tantrum at Going-To-Bed-Time. I'm wondering if we are starting a new behavior trend- and not one that I want. He screams and calls and if I go in he is standing up in the crib, usually throwing toys and blankets onto the floor. The binky, of course, is the first victim of the tantrum, which only sends him into further screams. He wants me to rock him to sleep until he is so deep asleep that he doesn't notice me put him down. Often that is more than an hour. That's just not going to happen. Every night I rock him for 15 minutes, but I don't want to establish a routine of longer bedtime rituals. That would impact my dinnertime and the short amount of time for chores in the evening. I am contemplating, however, of moving his bedtime to a little later so he is more tired by the time he gets to his crib. Then again, I don't want a tired, cranky baby either. It's a quandary.

Billy and I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and hope your table is plentiful and tasty. Until next time...Go Ravens!