The good news:
Eli has been sleeping wonderfully!! Ever since we implemented our new routine Eli has been sleeping a full 11-12 hours each night!! He no longer wakes up at night and he can fall asleep after only 5-10 minutes.
I NEVER thought that OUR baby would sleep this good!! It is awesome! It also gives Daniel and I some much needed time alone to reconnect. Eli's bedtime is now 7:00. So after 7, its just me and my wonderful husband!
The not so good news:
Yesterday was Eli's 6 month check up. And it was HORRIBLE.
First of all, he didn't gain ANY weight. He LOST 5 oz in two weeks, so now he weighs 16lbs 4 oz. I didn't believe the nurse because E eats a TON. He nurses every 3 hours and eats about 16oz of food per day. He has consistently been in the 50th percentile for ht, wt, and head. Now he is in the 50th percentile for ht (27in) and head (17in), but in the 25th PERCENTILE for weight.
When the doctor addressed this he seemed concerned. He was asking all about Eli's development. He said that we will keep an eye on it and check it the next time I am in for shots in 2 weeks.
Second, Eli doesn't "talk". This is apparently a concern too. When the doctor asked about Eli's development, he asked about babbling. I said "He doesn't really make noise except for when he laughs or cries or grunts." Well apparently he should be able to voice consonants like dadada. The doctor asked about his hearing, his awareness, if he interacts with us, if he smiles and is social (all which are fine). Now I am super worried about Eli's inability to babble. He is just a really quiet baby.
The ONE positive thing about the appointment is that the doctor is happy with Eli's physical milestones like sitting, trying to crawl, standing, head control, etc. He said that Eli will be "getting around in no time". But whatever. Every doctor says that to make every mother feel good.
Random:
Eli pulled himself up from sitting to standing yesterday! He was sitting and playing with/grabbing Daniel's shirt. The next thing we knew he was standing! It was so funny! It might have been a fluke, but it was still pretty cool to see!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
A Big Change
Eli is on night 3 of sleeping in his crib! This might seem strange to some people... aren't babies supposed to sleep in their cribs after all? Haha. I guess they are, but ours didn't.
Eli has been sleeping in bed with Daniel and I since he turned 2 months old. At 2 months he decided that he wouldn't sleep unless he was on his tummy. Well, me being paranoid about SIDS/suffocating didn't feel comfortable with this unless he was right next to me. This is how he ended up in bed with us!
Daniel and I decided that after Eli turned 6 months we would transition him to his crib. We decided on the age of 6 months because I wanted to be sure he had object permanence and that he KNEW I was in the other room; that I just didn't disappear and was never coming back. I have been dreading and dreading this transition. I just HATE hearing Eli cry and I was SURE that he would hate me forever (lol).
For the past 6 months Eli would go to bed when we went to bed (around 12) and wake up for the day around 11-12pm. He would wake up 3-4 times at night, roll over to nurse for 5 minutes, and then roll back over asleep. Although our nights weren't terrible, I know it COULD be better. Daniel and I have been cramped in bed while we've been attempting not to squish our child at night. Also, for me, NOT getting consecutive hours of sleep has been taking it's toll.
Two nights ago we started putting Eli in his crib to fall asleep. We also put in place a strict bed time routine, so he would know that it was time to fall asleep. We decided to follow Eli's cues and start his bed time routine when he showed signs of being tired (rubbing eyes, yawning), which for him was 8:00pm. This is the routine: Daniel and I read him bed time stories in his room, then I nurse him, we say goodnight and lay him in his crib on his back, sing Jesus Loves Me, say a prayer, play his musical elephant and leave him in there to fall asleep on his own. This takes 15-20 minutes.
We've been following the Ferber method. So Daniel goes in to pat him (but does NOT pick him up) after 1 minute of crying, then after 2 minutes, then 3, 4, 5....
On the first night, Eli put himself to sleep after the 20 minutes of crying/moaning.
Last night, Eli put himself to sleep after 15 minutes.
Tonight, he was out after 10 minutes and he hardly cried.
I am just in total awe!
The first night he woke up twice in the middle of the night, so we did the Ferber method during those times as well. Last night he only woke up once. I am anxious to see how he does tonight!
Overall, I feel like we have had such a huge success with Eli's sleep habits! He is now in bed from 8pm to 8am without being held, rocked, fed, or soothed. He soothes himself and sleeps so much better! Although I miss snuggling him in my bed at night, I make sure to get extra cuddles in the morning!
Eli has been sleeping in bed with Daniel and I since he turned 2 months old. At 2 months he decided that he wouldn't sleep unless he was on his tummy. Well, me being paranoid about SIDS/suffocating didn't feel comfortable with this unless he was right next to me. This is how he ended up in bed with us!
Daniel and I decided that after Eli turned 6 months we would transition him to his crib. We decided on the age of 6 months because I wanted to be sure he had object permanence and that he KNEW I was in the other room; that I just didn't disappear and was never coming back. I have been dreading and dreading this transition. I just HATE hearing Eli cry and I was SURE that he would hate me forever (lol).
For the past 6 months Eli would go to bed when we went to bed (around 12) and wake up for the day around 11-12pm. He would wake up 3-4 times at night, roll over to nurse for 5 minutes, and then roll back over asleep. Although our nights weren't terrible, I know it COULD be better. Daniel and I have been cramped in bed while we've been attempting not to squish our child at night. Also, for me, NOT getting consecutive hours of sleep has been taking it's toll.
Two nights ago we started putting Eli in his crib to fall asleep. We also put in place a strict bed time routine, so he would know that it was time to fall asleep. We decided to follow Eli's cues and start his bed time routine when he showed signs of being tired (rubbing eyes, yawning), which for him was 8:00pm. This is the routine: Daniel and I read him bed time stories in his room, then I nurse him, we say goodnight and lay him in his crib on his back, sing Jesus Loves Me, say a prayer, play his musical elephant and leave him in there to fall asleep on his own. This takes 15-20 minutes.
We've been following the Ferber method. So Daniel goes in to pat him (but does NOT pick him up) after 1 minute of crying, then after 2 minutes, then 3, 4, 5....
On the first night, Eli put himself to sleep after the 20 minutes of crying/moaning.
Last night, Eli put himself to sleep after 15 minutes.
Tonight, he was out after 10 minutes and he hardly cried.
I am just in total awe!
The first night he woke up twice in the middle of the night, so we did the Ferber method during those times as well. Last night he only woke up once. I am anxious to see how he does tonight!
Overall, I feel like we have had such a huge success with Eli's sleep habits! He is now in bed from 8pm to 8am without being held, rocked, fed, or soothed. He soothes himself and sleeps so much better! Although I miss snuggling him in my bed at night, I make sure to get extra cuddles in the morning!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
He's Growing!
Well, the days of holding my little peaceful baby on my chest and cuddling are over. Or at least it feels like it. Eli is just a week shy of 6 months and he is growing way too fast.
I know I've said it before, but motherhood has taught me to live in the moment... not the past and not the future. Too often I find myself thinking of Eli walking and talking, then when he reaches a new milestone I find myself nostalgic and thinking of when he was so teeny tiny that he could fit perfectly on my chest and nap for hours. I need to be better about being in the present and soaking in each moment of each day with my sweet miracle.
This week Eli has hit two HUGE milestones.
He has started to practice crawling and he has started to sign!
Last week Eli was just scooting, this week he has started to get on all fours and make serious progress on moving forward towards something he wants.
I know I've said it before, but motherhood has taught me to live in the moment... not the past and not the future. Too often I find myself thinking of Eli walking and talking, then when he reaches a new milestone I find myself nostalgic and thinking of when he was so teeny tiny that he could fit perfectly on my chest and nap for hours. I need to be better about being in the present and soaking in each moment of each day with my sweet miracle.
This week Eli has hit two HUGE milestones.
He has started to practice crawling and he has started to sign!
Last week Eli was just scooting, this week he has started to get on all fours and make serious progress on moving forward towards something he wants.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Rocking Chair
This afternoon my mom and I went up in the attic to look for old toys/baby items that they saved for their "future grandkids". Well, while we were up there we found my old rocking chair!
This rocking chair is over 20 years old! It was made for me while we were stationed in Turkey and I got it for my 2nd birthday! I am so excited to have something to pass on to Eli! All it needs is a fresh coat of paint!
Here are some pictures of Eli in the chair :)
This rocking chair is over 20 years old! It was made for me while we were stationed in Turkey and I got it for my 2nd birthday! I am so excited to have something to pass on to Eli! All it needs is a fresh coat of paint!
Here are some pictures of Eli in the chair :)
4 month shots.... at 5.5 months....
Eli got his 4 month shots on Thursday. Yes, we are behind. He turns 5 months in just over a week. I am always a bit apprehensive about going to get Eli's shots, so I seem to come up with excuses to put them off! Plus Eli was sick this month, so I actually had a valid reason to wait!
Eli did great! We walked in and he was nothing but smiles for the receptionists and nurses. The pediatrician commented on how friendly he was. He said "Well I could just take you home with me" and Eli grinned at him! He warned us that next month is when the stranger anxiety starts.
Eli now weighs 16 pounds and 9 ounces.
This weekend we are at my parents house again and Eli will be going to a birthday party (for our friend's daughter who is turning 3!). Nana and Pops are glad that we had an excuse to come back :)
Eli did great! We walked in and he was nothing but smiles for the receptionists and nurses. The pediatrician commented on how friendly he was. He said "Well I could just take you home with me" and Eli grinned at him! He warned us that next month is when the stranger anxiety starts.
Eli now weighs 16 pounds and 9 ounces.
This weekend we are at my parents house again and Eli will be going to a birthday party (for our friend's daughter who is turning 3!). Nana and Pops are glad that we had an excuse to come back :)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Eli v.s. Lemon
LEMON wins!!!!
We went to Chili's last night while we were out at Babies R Us looking at the Graco Nautilus (a new car seat for Eli). We ended up buying a jumper for him! Anyway, while we were at Chili's we let Eli try the lemon that came with my sweet tea! Here are some pictures!
Eli was so good while we were out! He was smiley and flirted with all the ladies who stopped to look at him! He is such a friendly baby!
We went to Chili's last night while we were out at Babies R Us looking at the Graco Nautilus (a new car seat for Eli). We ended up buying a jumper for him! Anyway, while we were at Chili's we let Eli try the lemon that came with my sweet tea! Here are some pictures!
Eli was so good while we were out! He was smiley and flirted with all the ladies who stopped to look at him! He is such a friendly baby!
My Growing Boy
Wow, I haven't updated in a while! Partly due to the fact that our computer died and I am waiting on my new Mac to come in! I am so excited!! So here is what has been going on in the White house:
Eli is getting so big! Each day he seems more like a little boy and less like a newborn!
Over the past few weeks we have received several clothing items and shoes from friends. We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives! We were afraid we would have to buy Eli a whole summer wardrobe, but now he is stocked up on clothes that will last through the summer and fall, including a few cute swim suits and shoes!
Valentine's Day came and went, so we took the opportunity for a photo shoot! Isn't he a sweet little Valentine?? This outfit was the FIRST outfit bought for him before he was even born (since we found out about him in late January!)!
Eli also got sick this month. His first sickness EVER! So I guess that needs to be documented! He was sleeping horribly for two nights in a row and I was getting so frustrated with his constant crankiness and clingyness. Poor baby. I took his temperature and it was 102! I panicked (remember, first time mom here). I snuggled him so much over the next few days and gave him Tylenol to bring his fever down. He also had a stuffy nose and a cough. I felt so bad for him, but I was sick too. We tried our best to keep him comfortable. Here is a cute picture of him soothing himself; He fell asleep with his hand in his mouth!
We also visited Daniel's family this month. We took a weekend trip up there and Eli had fun with his cousins! He also got to swing for the first time and had so much fun!
We visited Nana and Pops in Georgia too. While we were there we met up with some friends and Eli got to have a play date with Brennen, Isabelle, Cohen, and Reece! It was so cute to see him with other babies!
Eli has grown and changed so much in this past month. He has started drinking from a sippy cup, but mostly he just chews on the rubber "straw". He has also started to sit on his own. He is still a little wobbly, but he now reaches out to catch himself when he starts to tip over. His legs and arms are getting so strong. He loves to practice standing and he is scooting around (mostly to get his toys). We "practice" crawling by helping him to balance on his knees and hands at the same time, but he has no idea how to move forward... he just laughs! I know people think I am crazy, but I can't wait for him to be mobile!
Eli is such a joy and a blessing in our life! We love watching him grow and change every day! Now if I could just keep up with this blog I wouldn't have to write mega posts to update about what Eli is up to! My Mac should be here tomorrow!!
Eli is getting so big! Each day he seems more like a little boy and less like a newborn!
Over the past few weeks we have received several clothing items and shoes from friends. We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives! We were afraid we would have to buy Eli a whole summer wardrobe, but now he is stocked up on clothes that will last through the summer and fall, including a few cute swim suits and shoes!
Valentine's Day came and went, so we took the opportunity for a photo shoot! Isn't he a sweet little Valentine?? This outfit was the FIRST outfit bought for him before he was even born (since we found out about him in late January!)!
Eli also got sick this month. His first sickness EVER! So I guess that needs to be documented! He was sleeping horribly for two nights in a row and I was getting so frustrated with his constant crankiness and clingyness. Poor baby. I took his temperature and it was 102! I panicked (remember, first time mom here). I snuggled him so much over the next few days and gave him Tylenol to bring his fever down. He also had a stuffy nose and a cough. I felt so bad for him, but I was sick too. We tried our best to keep him comfortable. Here is a cute picture of him soothing himself; He fell asleep with his hand in his mouth!
We also visited Daniel's family this month. We took a weekend trip up there and Eli had fun with his cousins! He also got to swing for the first time and had so much fun!
We visited Nana and Pops in Georgia too. While we were there we met up with some friends and Eli got to have a play date with Brennen, Isabelle, Cohen, and Reece! It was so cute to see him with other babies!
Eli has grown and changed so much in this past month. He has started drinking from a sippy cup, but mostly he just chews on the rubber "straw". He has also started to sit on his own. He is still a little wobbly, but he now reaches out to catch himself when he starts to tip over. His legs and arms are getting so strong. He loves to practice standing and he is scooting around (mostly to get his toys). We "practice" crawling by helping him to balance on his knees and hands at the same time, but he has no idea how to move forward... he just laughs! I know people think I am crazy, but I can't wait for him to be mobile!
Eli is such a joy and a blessing in our life! We love watching him grow and change every day! Now if I could just keep up with this blog I wouldn't have to write mega posts to update about what Eli is up to! My Mac should be here tomorrow!!
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