As I’m writing this Levi is almost six months. He’s becoming increasingly more social which makes playtime much more fun for us as parents. Levi’s also started laughing and making these hilarious bird-like noises which we mimic back to him much to his delight. He’s losing interest in his swing and keeps trying to pull himself up from his playmate. However, he enjoys his activity center and is fascinated by the trees and the sky. I place him by the window and he just stares out into our backyard. Free entertainment folks.

A couple of weeks ago he started rolling onto his side which made for a bit of a rough week sleep-wise because he would roll over and either get scared or uncomfortable and start to cry. Thankfully it passed, and now we get a kick out of seeing him fall asleep in the most awkward positions (the things that entertain us these days, oye!).

It’s been over two months since I’ve pumped breast milk and given it to Levi in a bottle (I don’t like pumping very much), and I’m getting a little worried he’s going to reject the bottle. I know I have to get on this asap, but I seriously enjoy holding him close to me while nursing him, while also being too lazy to pump. That said, the older he gets the more comfortable I’ll be leaving him for extended periods of time and I’m definitely going to want him to take a bottle of breastmilk or formula when I do.

In about one week we’re going to start offering him pureed food which I’m both nervous and excited for. It’s going to mean more work for mom and a lot more cleaning, but I’m looking forward to getting him started on his culinary journey. Hopefully he’ll be an adventurous eater just like his mommy!

In terms of night sleep, Levi goes to bed between 5-6:30p.m. (depending on when his last nap ends) after a bedtime ritual that includes a bath, feeding, and a lullaby. He sleeps in his sleep sack (I love this one), and has been falling asleep on his own since we did the cry it out method for night sleep at eight weeks. We followed Dr. Marc Weissbluth’s advice in Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. He still wakes up to eat once or twice overnight and then wakes up to start the day between 6-7 a.m. I’m constantly considering eliminating the 4 a.m. feed when he wakes for it, but some nights I truly think he’s hungry at that time. Although we used the cry it out method, it’s still very difficult for me to listen to him cry. In a way, it’s almost easier for me to go in and quickly feed him and then go back to sleep. I may pull off the band-aid around six months, or simply cut out both feeds cold turkey if our pediatrician gives us the go ahead. Every night I say a little prayer hoping he’ll only wake up once or sleep through the night without me having to intentionally eliminate a feed, which is certainly known to happen. The last three nights he’s only eaten once, so here’s hoping.

Nap wise, I’ve seen a major improvement since we began nap training at 16 weeks. We followed the “nap drill” as outlined in Dr. Weissbluth’s book. We also worked with a sleep consultant  to get even more in-depth sleep advice and a custom sleep plan for Levi. I found this to be very helpful, especially for naps which are harder to nail down than night sleep. Most days Levi takes two naps of 1-2 hours each, and sometimes a short third nap of around thirty minutes at the end of the day. Of course there are still days when his midday nap is only thirty minutes, but I’m focusing on the big picture. I have to remind myself that he’s a human and not a little robot and he’s bound to have off days much like us adults. Having a nap schedule helps us make plans, and creates a nice framework for the day. It also means Levi is a happier, less fussy baby, while I have more time for myself which has been absolutely wonderful!

Almost six months in and this parenting thing is starting to feel a bit easier. The three of us are in a good groove, and having a nap schedule and bedtime routine is a major help. This isn’t to say David and I don’t have disagreements, or that there aren’t rough days (there are!), and many mornings I struggle to get out of bed to start the day. I will say though, I’m both surprised and impressed with my ability to function on so little sleep. I can’t even always blame Levi because I simply wake up many times throughout the night on my own which seriously sucks. There are definitely days/moments I feel bored, lonely, misunderstood, or all the above. But lately there have been so many more days/moments where I feel truly happy and so full of love for this incredible tiny human and our little family.

I don’t get out as much, but it doesn’t really phase me. As a freelancer I’m used to being home, and I’m fortunate to live in a safe and lovely neighborhood where Levi and I can go on plenty of walks. Soon it will get very hot here (which I’m dreading), and I’ll have to look into signing us up for mommy and baby classes to get us indoors and to make new friends. What’s nice about Levi’s early bedtime (apart from having a well rested child of course), is I have the evenings to do something for myself like get a massage, go to an exercise class, or have dinner with David or a friend. Things have certainly changed around here, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

XOXO

Val