on sleeping through the night...

So a lot of my friends think I'm crazy for trying to keep Little Man on a schedule... They ridicule my "Babywise" philosophies, goodnaturedly of course.

Honestly there are days when I'm trying to maintain his routine (while packing boxes, organizing our final church dinners, attending christmas weddings and December graduations, and spending days househunting in a new city) that I think I must be crazy too!

But when Little Man sleeps through the night two nights in a row at 8 weeks old, naps an hour and a half at a time, and sets himself on a four-hour eating schedule without any outside interference... I'm reminded of how great the payoff is.

Some folks might think I just got lucky and won the easy-baby lottery. But I don't agree.

If you ask me, it's all in the training.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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update on baby schedules...

So some of you wanted to know how the "mommy's schedule instead of baby's" has been going.

I'd have to say it's a good thing. And we've done pretty well at keeping it despite the packing boxes and hunting for a new house.

Little Man sets the schedule, I just help him keep it. That means when he moves from a 2-hour feeding schedule to 3, I make sure his schedule gets reset and he keeps eating on time. He's kind of like clockwork: he knows exactly when it's time to eat and is usually happy right up until then.

Right now he's eating every 3.5 to 4 hours, napping in between and waking up only once at night (around 4 AM).

And he's twelve pounds of chunky monkey, so I think our feeding issues are over.

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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chunkopotamus...

So the day before yesterday we visited the doctor to see just how far we've come.

Little Man was born 7lbs 12oz. Dropped to 6lbs 15oz at two weeks. Didn't start gaining back until 3 weeks. Had us all worried to bits.

And he was really the tiniest, skinniest baby I'd ever seen. People wondered if he was preemie.

Hmmmmm... Not anymore!

This particular chunkopotamus (as christened by Auntie Chacho) now weighs in at 10 pounds, 6.5 ounces.

He also grew another 1.25 inches in length, and a full inch in head circumference - catapulting him from the 19th percentile in weight to the 59th.

As the other lady in the newborn waiting room said, "He's giNORmous!" I guess in comparison to her 3-week old, he was.

Just wait a couple more weeks, lady. It's amazing what 14 days can bring!!

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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on schedules and routines...

So far we know the Little Man likes a routine, since he responded well to me having one even before he was born. For the first couple weeks I've just monitored his natural rhythms.

Now I'm basing a parent-directed routine on those rhythms, and hoping I can stick to it. It's posted on the frig, loaded into my iPhone's daily calendar and everything. Of course that doesn't mean we won't ever deviate, but it gives us a general guideline.

Most of all, I want to make sure that he gets enough feedings a day, with enough time between eating for adequate waketime and naptime. And that he gets a chance to naturally regulate his metabolism by having a daily rhythm where things happen generally at the same time every day.

Yup, it's extra work right now, but I think it'll pay off. Will have to let you know in a few weeks on that!

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

(Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.)

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really can't wait...

So lately I haven't exactly been overwhelmed with things to do every day. Which is good given the fact that I waddle and haven't been getting an ideal ration of sleep. It's definitely a departure from my "normal" daily routine when doing dishes, folding a little laundry, taking a walk, and getting a shower feels like a productive day!

But I really can't wait for this little guy to get here. Can't wait to see what he looks like, get to know his personality, take care of him.

Sometimes I sit and wonder what he'll be like. Will he have hair? Will his eyes be green like my dad's? Who will he look like?

Just a few more days....

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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I'm baaaaack...

Did you miss me?

We are finally unpacked, settled in, and getting real sleep at night. The master of the house is back from his explorations in the Amazon interior, and had a whole new home waiting for him when he returned.

Besides the moving process, the work commitments, and the general efforts to survive pregnancy - wanna see what I've been doing with all my "off-time"?

Check out my recent photography shoots online here. Come back to this post and leave a comment if you like 'em!

© Sarah K. Asaftei, 2009 unless otherwise sourced. Use allowed by express written permission only.

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