Four Weeks Old

Four Weeks Old and my fourth post of the night. Go Kristen!

Our Nay Nay (as Alie calls him) is 4 weeks old as of tomorrow. In his short time here, he has endured birth, jaundice, a circumcision, baby rash, a clogged tear duct, and another minor rash, not to mention two older siblings, a dog, and a couple of grandparents. He is learning to smile, and loves to be alert and observant. Our little man has been busy.

We've had the worst time the past few days getting him to sleep on his own. With Natalie, we would lay her in her bassinet or crib and that was it. She'd fall asleep on her own. Granted, we didn't have any family come for a visit, and we only had one other child at the time. That and Alie was a winter baby...staying at home and getting a routine was a lot easier with only one other child and with arctic temperatures outdoors.

Nathan needs some assistance with the 'sleeping on his own' gig. He is the typical third child. Goes everywhere, sleeps wherever. It is not uncommon for him to have one nap in his carseat, one in his baby swing, one in his Snugli, and then another in my arms (at church or somewhere). What do they say..."the third is raised on the ballfield?" Something like that. He definitely liked snuggling in Grandma's arms, and has not gotten the hang of falling asleep by himself. We have the rest of his routine down fairly well. After waking, he'll eat, then play for a bit, then go back to sleep (with help of course). We repeat the cycle over and over, except for night when we skip the play part.

This week is looking like my Baby Boot Camp Week. The plan is to spend at least one day (hopefully a few) only at home. He needs a chance to simply get the hang of falling asleep in the same place. We just realized late last night that he sleeps like a champ on his tummy. My first two were like that as well. I still wanted to have the Baby on Back thing so I could feel like I was doing it right...even though a poll of my parents and pediatrician conclude that tummy sleeping is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

Why am I becoming the naptime Nazi all of a sudden? Because I have been the mom who 'had to' rock my firstborn to sleep every single naptime and night time. It was positively ridiculous in hindsight. In the past five years, I have definitely discovered that I am not an attachement parenting type of person. My kids aren't co-sleeping, they're not nursing every hour, they're not coddled constantly. That's not to pass any judgement on those who subscribe to the attachment parenting theories...it's just not for me. My kids are absolutely and positively loved though and my methods work well for me.