Gabe-less day

There was a time when I was almost heartbroken to spend any time away from gabe. I feel like a bad mom saying this but....yesterday was nice. Don't get me wrong please! I love my son with all of my heart but, it's like being in a relationship, sometimes you just need some time apart.



I've been a pretty bad blogger lately. I haven't really posted anything. Sometimes life just catches up one you and you have to choose what things you are going to do and what things you are going to leave for later. Sorry, blogging has been left for later. I promise I will put up pumpkin patch pictures! (on snapfish too mom)










It's been pretty good the past week or so with putting gabe to sleep at night. We have a new routine down that seems to be working. Although I have been paranoid that he will wake up any minute. The routine we have tried to stick to is a sippy cup of milk, in the rocking chair, while we read stories. This is another big thing. Gabe hasn't really been interested in books until recently. He will look at the pictures while I read and not try to slam the book shut. Back to the routine....then I turn the lights down and hold him for a minute by his bed. Then I put him, his pacifier and his giraffe in his crib. I rub his belly and leave. Sometimes he stands up before I leave and then I give him a big hug while he's still in the crib. It's so much better than rocking him to sleep. (let's not discuss nap time though)





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Dance

For those of you who don't know, I used to dance. I did jazz, tap, ballet, hula, belly and Tahitian. I went to the same dance studio from the time I was five until about four years ago. I wanted to continue, but the costumes were so expensive and there was only one recital. (there used to be three)


Anyways.....I have started dance again. It's good exercise. I haven't committed to the recital yet, it is only October. Also, I get a little gabe break. However, I SUCK! I admit that I wasn't the kind of dancer that could instantly pick up on steps, but now I am lost! I feel like the sore thumbs that used to be in the back lines when I was younger. You know the ones, they could kinda dance, they wanted to dance, but they always were In the back line.


I AM THAT PERSON NOW!

I am feeling like I am slow on picking up the steps. Then, I have the steps and we have music and then it's like I never knew the steps. I try to practice them but i remember steps but can't remember the order that they go in. I feel so uncoordinated and old! I am in a class with about five high school juniors, a early twenty something and a few women who are around my moms age. I'm there, stuck on the middle, not getting it.


I'm sorry about this post. I know it sounds like i am whining. I kinda am. I am also shocked at how bad I am. And a little embarrassed at how bad I am.

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Chaos!

*big sigh*


I have really been trying to get gabe on a schedule, as you all know, and it's not going so well. Sometimes, its like hes a third child instead of a first. Naps are insane. I have been trying to get him on one nap a day because he really wants to take a nap at ten or ten thirty. That means he doesn't take an afternoon nap until three. Conor comes home at three twenty and gabe will wake up when talk to him because, of course, I have to hold him while he's taking his nap.

I have really been trying to stick to my bedtime plan. With a few exceptions it has worked out ok. One day Jorge put him to bed and they both fell asleep. It kinda defeated the point of putting him to bed a little awake. But, he did sleep in his own bed until the morning. Sunday he hardly took a nap because we had an exciting day at the pumpkin farm. (hopefully I will be able to put the pictures up for wordless wednesday). He was so beat that he fell asleep on the way home from my moms at 6:30 and stayed sleeping, with one wakeup, until seven the next morning. Wow!


So, my plan is to cuddle with him, in his room while he has his bedtime milk. If he is cooperating we will read some books but he doesn't always want to. Then I put him in bed while he is kinda awake. Sometimes he cries while I'm still in his room and then I rub his belly. (he likes that better than his back). If I leave and he cries then I give him five minutes before I go in and rub his belly after giving him a big hug. Hopefully, this will help anyone who is also having problems. Thanks for the advice I received.


This has been a long post without any pictures....here they come!








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I was trying to cut his finger nails when I realized that he was watching tv and it was distracting him. What a great thing! I don't know which one of us hates this activity more. Then he decided that he really wanted to hold the nail clippers while chilling on the couch with his buds Mickey, pooh, and Elmo.





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Love it!

Ok after my post yesterday I got another suggestion. I was all set to try it out last night when the unimaginable happened. I put gabe down, he cried for one minute (no joke) and then he was asleep.


This is what he looked like after his one minute of screaming






Unfortunately, we were not so lucky tonight. I think it took almost half an hour of crying, back rubbing, and listening to "marry you". Hopefully this will get easier every night and we will soon have a kid who can go to bed awake and calm himself down and go to sleep.

Do you want to know the craziest thing? I have always babysat for kids who put themselves to sleep. One girl would be asleep before I even made it down the stairs. So how, I wonder, did I let this happen to myself?


On to why I titled this post love it! I love this weather we are having! It's so nice to be able to take gabe outside to play. What a difference walking makes! We didnt spend a lot of time outside before because at first gabe hated the grass and then he always wanted to crawl on the sidewalk. But the warm weather is perfect for my little walker.

We enjoyed the leaves today after lunch.





















Tomorrow will be an exciting day....gabe gets his fancy big boy car seat installed in my car. I will kinda miss the carrier because he still falls asleep on some car rides, but his legs and feet need the room.


Enjoy the weather while it lasts!




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Time is my enemy

Well...not only time. My needly/cuddly baby can also be my enemy. The past week was busy because we had to get all of the stuff ready for gabes second first birthday party. It left me almost no time. After the party, I was tired! I cannot even imagine how tired my mom must have been since the party was at her house.


Because of gabes ear infection and now this cold, we have been letting gabe spend even more time in our bed. *frown* I never wanted to be one of those parents who let their kid sleep with them. How did this happen? I let him sleep in our bed for an hour or so in the morning so that we could both get a little more sleep. Now, he is falling asleep in our bed?! How? And, how do I end this?











Yesterday was his year old doctors appointment. A year already! I still cannot believe it! Unfortunately he needed a few shots. Since he's fighting this cold I elected to only do half at this visit. Needless to say he was a very unhappy little man. He also demanded to be held by me all day. I'm not even kidding. I was washing dishes, he was crying and he wiggled his way in-between me and the kitchen cabinet! Then at home he cried almost all evening because he wanted me to hold him (even though Jorge tried). It makes getting anything done almost impossible. I also held him through his two and a half hour nap!





He did play for a few minutes with Elmo.....













Back to sleep issues.....
I have really wanted to get a better bed time routine going. Namely getting gabe to get himself to sleep. He has not been falling asleep once he's in his crib. He will be sound asleep in my arms and the second I put him down....SCREAMING! We figured with all of the crying he did last night, he would be out at bedtime. Not at all. I let him cry for twenty minutes in his crib after our bedtime bottle and cuddle. Then I tried to cuddle again with no use. I finally, in tears myself at this point, carried a screaming gabe to our bed. I laid down with him, he snuggled on my chest and was out in seconds. Seriously!?!


I know we are so late in the game with starting to get gabe to soothe himself, but does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had this problem? Help please!

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