Sunday, February 28, 2010

No More Night Nursing

Last night (being Saturday night we got in late)  I put the baby down about 11PM and he did not want to nurse again until like 9something this morning.  I offered and he just wanted to sleep!  I am having mixed emotions... happy to sleep through the night w/o needing to nurse because SLEEP IS GOOD, but I am a little sad that he's basically weened himself of all night feedings before 4 months.  My toddler nursed for 19 months!  I literally stopped on the day he turned 20 months.  (my husband said he might never have stopped if we had not gotten pregnant again.... cause that boy could eat/nurse!)  When I weened my toddler, I did the opposite of what most books tell you to do.  That is, I began by cutting out a day feeding and I would keep that cut out for a few days (usually at least 3 or 4 days) and then I would move to another feeding and cut it out.  I took 9 full weeks to gradually ween and I ended with night feedings.  I was also co-sleeping/bed-sharing so that is just what worked for me.  With my toddler (my first child) he directly associated nursing with going to sleep -- either for naps or for night sleep.  That was HARD to break.  I thought it would be nearly impossible.  But like everything in life, we just gradually moved into a new season where I could read a book and sing to him and that became a new way to bring comfort and SLEEP.  Fast forward to my second son..... we does not associate nursing with sleeping.  He does occasionally fall asleep nursing, but he does not have to nurse in order to fall asleep.  This is a huge difference.  This child can be nursed, burp, changed into a dry diaper and if I know it's sleepy time, he will be perfectly content to be placed in his crib STILL AWAKE and he will go to sleep!!  God bless him.  He is so easy.  No crying.  Sound asleep and sleeps well (not continually popping up).  This is another huge difference.  I don't know that one is all-the-way better than the other as far as nursing and sleeping go....  just different.  The bonding will be and has been different too.  With my second son, being that he's not even 4 months old yet, I feel that I am still learning him.  And that's exciting.  I am not pushing any certain Mommy agenda.  I am learning what works best for him.  And it IS going to be different from big brother.  They are going to eat, sleep, and need me in different ways.  But that's so cool to me because I can see how God made them.  They are each their own little person.  And I LOVE THAT!  I LOVE MY BOYS!!!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Rolling

News News....


The baby rolled over today!!


I left him sleeping on his little wedge, on his belly and when I came in to check on him, he had rolled off the wedge and onto his back and he was still sleeping peacefully.  I was very surprised.  


On the move already.....

Friday, February 19, 2010

Happy 30 Months

HAPPY 30 MONTHS OLD
My Bear







WOW! We cannot believe that you are already 2 & 1/2 years old!! Time flys and yet I have enjoyed every day! We are super proud of you!

I LOVE YOU!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Being a Mom to 2 Boys

There is never a dull moment, so they say, when you have two little ones.  Just in the past few days I've....
- Spent a good 20 minutes erasing a beautiful pencil drawing off of my Mom's table and one chair. 
- Was vacuuming when my toddler got into a box of baking soda and said he was "making smoke" as a white cloud filled my bed room. We had to go racing into the bath room to get him some water and get  it off his tongue.
- Just yesterday my poopy diaper count was 6 (they tied at 3 and 3 with each other) And my loads of laundry count was 3 ...wish that could have been the other way around
- Got a Skittles out of my toddlers nose
- Cooking, Cleaning up, More Diapers, Nursing....
AND I LOVE IT!  I love being a Mom!  I love my kids and I love to see them learn and laugh.  I love to watch them eat.  I love to watch them sleep! (Ah yes, sleep is good)  I love love love the sweet interaction between them as brothers.  They love each other and smile and laugh and play even now.  And I am delighted to think of their forever friendship as they grow up together.  I love to listen to my baby coo and talk.  I love the new found conversations that I have with my toddler about the poor Snowman and why his nose and hat "falled" off.  Or the repeated conversation about the big tiger upstairs!  I love to pray over my kids at night and sing over them.... I pray that the prayers I am praying for them will surpass my life time.  The prayers prayed now are seeds and that is exciting.

My Husband has been home with us since August, thanks to the economy, but starting next week he will be working full time again!  I am so proud of him and blessed that we have a job.  However, my boys and I have been SUPER SPOILED in having Daddy around.  Starting next week, we will transition as a family to whole new dynamic.  But we will embrace this season of our journey. 

So wiping bottoms, mouths, and tables (not in that order) is part of it.  Finding a small cow in the washing machine or clean burp clothes in the trash can or my cell phone in the frig.... is part of it.  Playing with play-doh, drawing on the AquaDoodle (love it!!), reading Curious George and Goodnight Moon 100x is part of it.  Nursing around the clock and so often finding spit up on my shirt is part of it.  Changing the batteries in ELMO and changing the DVR to WordWorld or Handy Manny is part of it.  Being there for them when they are sick or hurt and giving lots of kisses is part of it.  Discipline is part of it.  And I love it.  I get to invest in my kids more than anyone else and I'm honored to have this job.  Often a little worn out, behind, and running late. (i.e. took down the Christmas Tree in February)  But I love being a Mom to two boys!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

SNOWMAN with Daddy!

 
  
  
  
  

 
  
A Saturday with a Snowman is really really FUN!

Saturday SNOW!!

 
  
 
 
  
 
Snow in Metro Atlanta is BIG Deal!

Friday, February 5, 2010

God is so Good

Sometimes when our circumstances just stagnate and don't change.... and don't change.... and don't change.... it begins to feel as if they might never change.  Or that you won't see forward motion in your life. 
God stepped into our lives with a great break through this week and I am deeply and desperately grateful.  Thank you Jesus.

Continuing to pray.  Seeing HOPE on the horizon. 
Reason enough to celebrate by going to eat BBQ this weekend!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010