Lucas is taking a nap right now. He went to sleep at 12:15 and will hopefully be asleep until around 3! He has been bouncing between taking one and two naps each day. It depends on when he wakes up in the morning. If he wakes up at 6-6:30 and won't go back to sleep, it is a two nap day. He is exhausted by 10:00 and needs a nap. He will sleep til around 12, and then take another one from around 3:30 to 4:30. But if he sleeps in until at least 8, he can make it until noon, and take one long nap. Normally this is around 3 hours long.
I love that he is finally a good sleeper!! It is so nice to be able to to count on that time for myself to get things done and relax a little. I remember when he would ONLY take a nap while I held him. He didn't take a nap in his crib until he was 6 months old. So I had a long time when I had no free time at all. Not that I would have done it differently, but I now appreciate my free time a lot more.
Lucas is sleeping really well at night, still. He goes to sleep around 8 pm and normally doesn't wake up until around 4:30 or 5. He takes a bottle and goes back to sleep until 6 or today it was 8:45! It just depends on the day. But I am getting solid hours of sleep, and I hadn't gotten more than maybe 4 solid hours for a year. Wow, between that and the coffee I started drinking again, I feel like I can get anything done now! Now I just need to find projects to keep me busy while Little Man sleeps :)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Fun With MeMe
This past week, my mom was able to fly out to spend some time with us! It is always nice to have company, especially company that does laundry :) hehe And we had a great time. Lucas loves his MeMe. He was so happy to wake up and see her the first morning, and each morning that she was here. He would run to her and put his arms up for her to pick him up. He really loves her and the feeling is mutual.
While my mom was here, I got a ton of stuff done! I was able to make the growth chart that I have been wanting to make Lucas, a wall hanging for the living room, painted Lucas's room, and a bunch of other little things. She definitely motivates me to be busy, and it was great letting her spend time with Lucas while I get things done. Everybody was happy. Here are a few pictures from her time with us!
While my mom was here, I got a ton of stuff done! I was able to make the growth chart that I have been wanting to make Lucas, a wall hanging for the living room, painted Lucas's room, and a bunch of other little things. She definitely motivates me to be busy, and it was great letting her spend time with Lucas while I get things done. Everybody was happy. Here are a few pictures from her time with us!
At the pumpkin patch!
Reading a story.
First trip to the Train Museum!
Choo Choo!
Lucas's new room!
The wall hanging I made Lucas :)
I am very blessed to have my mom as my mother, and now Lucas is blessed to have her as his MeMe. She is my role model and I hope I can be as good a mom as she has been to me. Love you Mom!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Year One Photos
During the first year of Lucas's life, we have gotten professional pictures taken twice. Once when he was six months old, at Sears, and once when he turned one. The six month pictures were very nice, and I love them. But I wanted some realllly nice pictures for when Lucas turned one. I figured that since we only took professional pictures occasionally, we could splurge on them this time. Also, I love pictures. I love decorating with them, looking back at them, and I see money invested into awesome photos as money well spent.
So we found a new photographer in the area, Holly Gannett. She just moved here, as her husband is a new T1 instructor. I loved the pictures she had on her site, and thought she had a beautiful style. (www.hg-pd.com) We had a one hour shoot with her, but really it only took about 20 minutes to get a ton of amazing pictures. Lucas was a little ham and seemed to love getting his picture taken. Here are a few of my favorite ones, and that is saying something because I love them all!
So we found a new photographer in the area, Holly Gannett. She just moved here, as her husband is a new T1 instructor. I loved the pictures she had on her site, and thought she had a beautiful style. (www.hg-pd.com) We had a one hour shoot with her, but really it only took about 20 minutes to get a ton of amazing pictures. Lucas was a little ham and seemed to love getting his picture taken. Here are a few of my favorite ones, and that is saying something because I love them all!
Thank you Holly Gannett for the amazing pictures of our family. I am so happy with how they turned out, and will cherish them.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Pro Life
Becoming a mother has given me insights and thoughts that I previously never had. It has also strengthened some of the ideas and beliefs I've always understood. One topic that has been in the forefront of my mind the past few days is the right to life or the right to choose. With the presidential election this year, the debates, and all the political discussion that seems to permeate our society, I've been thinking about the two sides of this issue.
My belief that life is precious and worth protecting has been strengthened since becoming a mother, and watching my son grow inside of me. I felt the first flutters of movement at 14 weeks, which is very early. Most states allow you to get an abortion between 20 to 24 weeks into your pregnancy. It baffles me how people don't think that this tiny, moving baby with a heartbeat isn't alive yet at 20 weeks. I honestly cannot understand.
My biggest disagreement with people that claim to be "Pro Choice" is that it is the mother's right to choose if her baby lives or dies because it is her body. No. It was the mother's right to choose to have sex. Period. I realize that many people having sex are not trying to create a new life, but any time that you have sex, the possibility is inherently there. So every woman has the right to choose if they want to have sex. I understand that there are extreme circumstances like rape, incest, and even when the life of the mother is in jeopardy. But these are not the usual reasons that people have abortions, and shouldn't be used to defend other circumstances such as the mother not wanting a baby.
So really, if you want to say that it is the right of the mother to choose because it is her body, I disagree. It seems, with this logic, that it is the right of the unborn baby, because it is really their body. And since they can't speak for themselves, I am going to just guess that they want to live.
Amillia Taylor was born at 21 weeks 6 days and survived. She is now 18 months old.
This is a picture of her tiny feet held by the doctor who delivered her. ( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1021034/The-tiniest-survivor-How-miracle-baby-born-weeks-legal-abortion-limit-clung-life-odds.html)
She will hopefully go on to live a full life. I just don't see how we can allow other babies to be aborted within weeks of this baby's delivery.
This topic has been weighing heavily on me as I watch the presidential debates, and think about where our country is going. Above all, I know that my vote this year is the one thing that I can do to help get our country on the path I want it to be. And now, I need to go give my baby a big hug and kiss.
My belief that life is precious and worth protecting has been strengthened since becoming a mother, and watching my son grow inside of me. I felt the first flutters of movement at 14 weeks, which is very early. Most states allow you to get an abortion between 20 to 24 weeks into your pregnancy. It baffles me how people don't think that this tiny, moving baby with a heartbeat isn't alive yet at 20 weeks. I honestly cannot understand.
My biggest disagreement with people that claim to be "Pro Choice" is that it is the mother's right to choose if her baby lives or dies because it is her body. No. It was the mother's right to choose to have sex. Period. I realize that many people having sex are not trying to create a new life, but any time that you have sex, the possibility is inherently there. So every woman has the right to choose if they want to have sex. I understand that there are extreme circumstances like rape, incest, and even when the life of the mother is in jeopardy. But these are not the usual reasons that people have abortions, and shouldn't be used to defend other circumstances such as the mother not wanting a baby.
So really, if you want to say that it is the right of the mother to choose because it is her body, I disagree. It seems, with this logic, that it is the right of the unborn baby, because it is really their body. And since they can't speak for themselves, I am going to just guess that they want to live.
Amillia Taylor was born at 21 weeks 6 days and survived. She is now 18 months old.
She will hopefully go on to live a full life. I just don't see how we can allow other babies to be aborted within weeks of this baby's delivery.
This topic has been weighing heavily on me as I watch the presidential debates, and think about where our country is going. Above all, I know that my vote this year is the one thing that I can do to help get our country on the path I want it to be. And now, I need to go give my baby a big hug and kiss.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Sleep.
One of the things that I thought I knew going into motherhood was that I wouldn't be getting as much sleep. I have always been a good sleeper. I used to go to bed every night at 10:00 pm my freshman year of college, which my roommate can confirm, because I had early classes and didn't want to miss sleep. So the idea of going without sleep for awhile was not too exciting to me, but a necessary sacrifice for my baby.
Lucas was a typical newborn, waking up every 3 hours or so to nurse, then needed to be rocked to sleep, and repeat the cycle. He started sleeping longer stretches around 3 months, right around Christmas when we went to Maryland for a few weeks. I think the longest he went was 8 hours, but typically he would go down for about 6 hours, up to eat, down for another 3 hours, then another 3 hours. This all came to an abrupt halt when we got home from our visit.
Right at about 4 months, Lucas started waking up every 3 hours throughout the night. This went on for about a month or two. I read about a "4 month wakeful period" where babies were so much more alert and receptive to stimuli that they weren't nursing as much during the day so they woke up more at night to make up for it. Ok, I can handle a period of bad sleep. But then it went on, and on. By March he was getting up about 4 or 5 times a night, sometimes every hour for stretches of time.
We had moved to San Antonio for Ben's Pilot Instructor's Training and were in an apartment complex at this point. I really felt bad letting him cry when I knew that the neighbor's could hear and it would wake them up. I had never tried to let him "Cry it Out" because he was just too little in my opinion and I didn't think it was developmentally appropriate. By this point, he was 6 months old and probably could have fussed a little more than I let him before I went to soothe and nurse him.
That was another problem, every time he woke up, Lucas wanted to nurse. And since I had just had an alarming doctor's visit where I was told he was in the 6th percentile for his weight, I wanted to let him eat as much as he wanted. So from months 7 to about 10, I really got no sleep. It was completely normal for me to get up with him 3 or 4 times a night to nurse him. He would go right back to sleep, so I would be out of bed about 15 minutes each time.
Finally, when I was home visiting for a few weeks in July and August, he started sleeping a little better. He would only wake up 2 or 3 times a night, and started sleeping longer stretches. Then, when I got back to Oklahoma, I talked to my friend, Lindsey, and we decided that we were both going to let our babies fuss a little bit more when they went to sleep and woke up at night and naps. Neither of us had ever tried to do this, so we gave each other encouragement and updates. ("Lucas cried for 8 minutes and then went to sleep for his nap!")
This really seemed to help Lucas sleep better. He would go down to sleep easier, and stay asleep longer. And when he woke up, he would fuss, but then go back to sleep sometimes. This doesn't mean that he always goes to sleep easily, and never needs to be helped back to sleep, but it was a major improvement.
Right now, he sleeps for about 11 or 12 hours at night, sometimes needing a bottle once. But some nights he doesn't wake up or need me for 12 hours straight. I am actually getting sleep! It only took a year :) but I am finally able to sleep.
With my next baby, I am going to do some things differently. I won't rush in every time I hear them make a noise. I used to hurry to get to Lucas as soon as he fussed at night, because I didn't want to wake up Ben (he was in training) and I thought if Lucas got really upset it would just take longer to put him back to sleep. I think if I had just let him fuss a little, he might have learned how to go back to sleep by himself earlier.
However, I am happy with the way everything worked out. I am a stay a home mom. I didn't have anything that required me to be fully rested and functioning all day. I was able to take naps when Lucas did, if I was tired enough. I didn't have other kids that needed me, and I was able to function with less sleep. I completely understand that other people need their babies to sleep, or have other ways of dealing with their baby, but the way I handled Lucas worked for us. Nothing that anyone could have said would have made me let my infant cry more. I was determined that he needed me, and I got to spend extra time with him. I will never have another first year with Lucas. I won't get to hold him while he naps, or sing him to sleep, or nurse him. But I did that for a year (or part of a year), and while I would have liked more sleep, I wouldn't trade it for 365 nights of 8 hours of straight sleep.
Lucas was a typical newborn, waking up every 3 hours or so to nurse, then needed to be rocked to sleep, and repeat the cycle. He started sleeping longer stretches around 3 months, right around Christmas when we went to Maryland for a few weeks. I think the longest he went was 8 hours, but typically he would go down for about 6 hours, up to eat, down for another 3 hours, then another 3 hours. This all came to an abrupt halt when we got home from our visit.
Right at about 4 months, Lucas started waking up every 3 hours throughout the night. This went on for about a month or two. I read about a "4 month wakeful period" where babies were so much more alert and receptive to stimuli that they weren't nursing as much during the day so they woke up more at night to make up for it. Ok, I can handle a period of bad sleep. But then it went on, and on. By March he was getting up about 4 or 5 times a night, sometimes every hour for stretches of time.
We had moved to San Antonio for Ben's Pilot Instructor's Training and were in an apartment complex at this point. I really felt bad letting him cry when I knew that the neighbor's could hear and it would wake them up. I had never tried to let him "Cry it Out" because he was just too little in my opinion and I didn't think it was developmentally appropriate. By this point, he was 6 months old and probably could have fussed a little more than I let him before I went to soothe and nurse him.
That was another problem, every time he woke up, Lucas wanted to nurse. And since I had just had an alarming doctor's visit where I was told he was in the 6th percentile for his weight, I wanted to let him eat as much as he wanted. So from months 7 to about 10, I really got no sleep. It was completely normal for me to get up with him 3 or 4 times a night to nurse him. He would go right back to sleep, so I would be out of bed about 15 minutes each time.
Finally, when I was home visiting for a few weeks in July and August, he started sleeping a little better. He would only wake up 2 or 3 times a night, and started sleeping longer stretches. Then, when I got back to Oklahoma, I talked to my friend, Lindsey, and we decided that we were both going to let our babies fuss a little bit more when they went to sleep and woke up at night and naps. Neither of us had ever tried to do this, so we gave each other encouragement and updates. ("Lucas cried for 8 minutes and then went to sleep for his nap!")
This really seemed to help Lucas sleep better. He would go down to sleep easier, and stay asleep longer. And when he woke up, he would fuss, but then go back to sleep sometimes. This doesn't mean that he always goes to sleep easily, and never needs to be helped back to sleep, but it was a major improvement.
Right now, he sleeps for about 11 or 12 hours at night, sometimes needing a bottle once. But some nights he doesn't wake up or need me for 12 hours straight. I am actually getting sleep! It only took a year :) but I am finally able to sleep.
With my next baby, I am going to do some things differently. I won't rush in every time I hear them make a noise. I used to hurry to get to Lucas as soon as he fussed at night, because I didn't want to wake up Ben (he was in training) and I thought if Lucas got really upset it would just take longer to put him back to sleep. I think if I had just let him fuss a little, he might have learned how to go back to sleep by himself earlier.
However, I am happy with the way everything worked out. I am a stay a home mom. I didn't have anything that required me to be fully rested and functioning all day. I was able to take naps when Lucas did, if I was tired enough. I didn't have other kids that needed me, and I was able to function with less sleep. I completely understand that other people need their babies to sleep, or have other ways of dealing with their baby, but the way I handled Lucas worked for us. Nothing that anyone could have said would have made me let my infant cry more. I was determined that he needed me, and I got to spend extra time with him. I will never have another first year with Lucas. I won't get to hold him while he naps, or sing him to sleep, or nurse him. But I did that for a year (or part of a year), and while I would have liked more sleep, I wouldn't trade it for 365 nights of 8 hours of straight sleep.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Love Being Lucas's Mama
It seems like my time with Lucas just keeps getting better and better. I have these moments where I am just so happy he is mine I could burst. As he grows, and becomes more independent, sleeps more (finally!), learns new things, and interacts more, he just steals my heart. Then, of course, there are moments when he doesn't get his way, and lets out a banshee scream. Seriously, it is ear piercing, and loud. But the majority of the time I am with him, I am just blown away by the funny little guy that is my son.
He is absolutely in love with Mickey Mouse. If you even say those words, he immediately goes and finds his Mickey and then wants you to put Mickey on the tv or iPad. Ben and I have to refer to MM if we don't want him to watch it at the time, but are talking about Mickey. Of course, we don't always let him watch the show when he wants to. It is normally before a nap or bed, or when I really need a few minutes to put dinner together. But he just loves the show, and mostly the song at the beginning. If he is cranky and about to fall apart in the car or in his stroller during a walk, I can just sing the song and he will calm down. Of course, that means I am walking around our neighborhood singing the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song. But whatever!
It is just crazy to remember how hard everything was when Lucas was first born, and the first few months. It was a constant struggle to meet all his needs, and I was definitely stressed out about making sure everything was perfect. Now, he is happy and healthy, and I am enjoying the way he adds to everything in my life. I love being his mama.
He is absolutely in love with Mickey Mouse. If you even say those words, he immediately goes and finds his Mickey and then wants you to put Mickey on the tv or iPad. Ben and I have to refer to MM if we don't want him to watch it at the time, but are talking about Mickey. Of course, we don't always let him watch the show when he wants to. It is normally before a nap or bed, or when I really need a few minutes to put dinner together. But he just loves the show, and mostly the song at the beginning. If he is cranky and about to fall apart in the car or in his stroller during a walk, I can just sing the song and he will calm down. Of course, that means I am walking around our neighborhood singing the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song. But whatever!
It is just crazy to remember how hard everything was when Lucas was first born, and the first few months. It was a constant struggle to meet all his needs, and I was definitely stressed out about making sure everything was perfect. Now, he is happy and healthy, and I am enjoying the way he adds to everything in my life. I love being his mama.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Lucas the Traveller
This past weekend, we drove to Austin, TX for Ben's friend's wedding. He went to the Academy with Ben and is a great guy. Ben was a groomsman, so we got to be part of the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It was a beautiful wedding of two awesome people who are just perfect together. I'm so glad I got to go be part of it.
That being said, travelling with a one year old, to a formal event, is not the most relaxing thing. The drive was 7.5 hours each way. Luckily, we could drive in one car, unlike our drive to and from San Antonio. Lucas handled the drive down to Austin so well. He never melted down, and only slept about an hour that whole day. He just wasn't interested in napping that afternoon, even though we were in the car. We got to Austin around 5 pm, checked into the hotel, went swimming in the indoor pool, ordered Carabba's to go, and ate in our room. The hotel room was really nice, but it was just a room, not a suite. So we had to sleep in the same room as Lucas. We put his pack and play in the corner and draped the extra duvet and comforter around the sides so he couldn't see out unless he stood up. He slept great! Only woke up once, just like normal.
The next day was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. We went shopping at Target in the morning (yay!) and then went back to the room for Lucas's nap. He slept in the room while Ben and I ate lunch in the hallway. It was a little funny sitting in the hallway, watching a movie on an iPad. The maids probably thought we were crazy. He only slept about 1.5 hours and that was his only nap for the day. Yikes! But we went to the rehearsal, about a 20 minute drive from the hotel. Lucas ran around and explored the courtyard and porch of the historic mansion while Ben was rehearsing. Then, we drove about 45 minutes to the restaurant that the rehearsal dinner was going to be held. It was casual and on a lake, so beautiful views. Lucas had fun playing in the gravel for about an hour. The food wasn't served until around 7, which is a lot later than Little Man is used to eating. But he wasn't too upset by this, and ate some fajitas and enchiladas. We ended up leaving around 8:15, driving 30 minutes back to the hotel, and putting Lucas in the bath and bed. The funniest part of the day was when Ben took Lucas's diaper off for the bath. It was FULL of gravel! It had to have been uncomfortable sitting in his carseat! But he never complained.
Lucas slept great again and the next day was the wedding. Ben got picked up by another groomsman so I could try to get Lucas to take a second nap before going to the wedding, which started at 5:30. He did sleep about 45 minutes, and I was happy with any extra sleep since I knew we would be out much later than normal. The wedding was gorgeous, with so many little details that the bride and groom did themselves. Lucas was great, easily distracted by the snacks I brought, until he saw Daddy up front. Then he wanted to go up there with Daddy. I had to take him to the back because I didn't want him to scream during the vows. But he didn't fuss too much, and was not a distraction during the short ceremony.
The reception immediately followed, and was in a ballroom overlooking the courtyard where the ceremony had taken place. It was pretty hot, even though it was evening at this point, so I let Lucas walk around barefoot. He had a blast wandering around, "talking" to pretty much everyone who saw him. He was definitely a hit, in his little vest and pants outfit, barefoot, and his normal adorable self. Its funny how many people are so open and friendly to my little man. I love that he has this effect on people. We ate a delicious dinner of barbeque, but served beautifully in a buffet, and got to know the other people at our table. They were all Academy guys and their wives. After dinner, the music came on and we danced with the bride and groom. Lucas was, again, a hit. Ben had him on his shoulders at one point, in the middle of everyone dancing. It was so cute, I hope the photographers took a picture.
We partied until 9:15 and I just had to take Lucas home. His normal bedtime is 8:00, and I didn't want the great day to end in a meltdown, when he had been perfect so far. We headed back to the hotel, and went to bed. He never even cried.
The next day we drove home. Lucas was pretty much over the car by about 4 hours into the drive. We stopped at Target in OKC (I'm sensing a trend...) and let him wander around. The last hour and a half in the car wasn't fun, but we made it home.
***End of long story, moral of the story below***
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