Hi All-I'm starting to feel better-actually I think it has something to do with the air conditioning cuz I always feel better outside. That makes sense for the throat part-but not the body aches. This morning I was having trouble lifting her as both my arms and legs wanted to give out.
Josie slept less than 9 hours in a 24 hour period. That's not normal is it? She slept about 8 hours and took 2 30min naps. I haven't slept well since we got her-I think she has bad dreams and I wake up at every whimper. Mom has been great-yesterday she made me nap twice while she watched Josie.
Tonite-it only took 15 minutes of wrestling to get her down. Maybe that's my mother's day present
I am looking forward to getting home and getting in a routine with her. I think she's making up for lost time with all this needy behavior. It's not like she's ever had this much attention before.
Happy Mother's Day to all of you too! Pretty amazing to be part of the club now. Hopefully I will soon figure out how to use the bathroom, shower, and eat without Josie throwing a fit!
Happy Mother's Day Julie!!!! (and to your mom too!)
Hope whatever is making you achy goes away really soon.
Julie - I know NOTHING about how to deal with your situations...the only thing I remember my sister's doctor telling her was no kid every died from crying!! He told my sister to "Take your shower, shut the door, turn the radio up, and let that child cry away....she will survive..." I'm sure there are some moms out here that will give you much better advice....and the reassurance that she will "grow out of it~"
update on Julie's blog:
Well-we had our second interview at the embassy today and will get Josie's visa tomorrow. We've changed our flight out of here (again!) and are leaving the 21st-arriving in Portland on the 22nd.
Mom and I are starting to get better-we feel better when we go out-so we think the air conditioning is making us sick. Then again-a cold or something is not inconcievable with the lack of sleep and stress going on right now.
Josie's doing great-slept 10.5 hours straight the other nite, and 8.5 last nite. And the last couple of nites I've put her in the crib awake and she cries a little of and on-but gets herself to sleep. Cool! Still doesn't really want to nap in the room-she keeps falling asleep in weird places-the highchair in the restaurant, in the snugli, the lounge chair by the pool . . .
We did some shopping today and hope to hit the museum of ethnology tomorrow.
Julie you'll get used to it fairly quickly. Relax and enjoy. Hope you feel better soon. I know you'll perk up when you get home and are back in familiar surroundings.
Julie -- I bet you're feeling crap because of the change in your sleeping schedule. I remember feeling like a bus hit me in the weeks after Cameron arrived. As for sleeping, there are big differences between each baby, but on baby center the general rule of thumb for a 9 month old (is that about where Josie is?) is 11-14 hours sleep per night, plus naps twice a day for 1-2 hours. So anywhere from 12-16 hours a day. She may just be a little over stimulated too; as you mentioned, she's getting a lot more attention now than she used to. For Cameron the answer lay in establishing a routine, which is tough until you are back on home ground, but I think it helps the baby understand that's it's time to relax. Ours goes something like this:
6:45 - Bath
7:00 - Dry off, and put on jammies
7:00 - Read a story with mommy while drinking a bottle
7:15-7:30 Go to bed
We practiced the rule of letting him cry for 5 minutes, then coming in to reassure him, then leaving again and returning 5 minutes later. Some people add 5 minutes each time, but I coudl barely stand to wait out just 5 minutes. It worked well for us. I had to go in about 8 times the first night, and only 4 the second night, and by night 3 it was only twice.
The key for sleeping through the night seems to be creating the same conditions under which the baby fell asleep in the first place. So, for example, if you rock the baby to sleep (which I did for the first 8-9 months!), then it's not surprising that he can't soothe himself back to sleep when he wakes through the night...he wants to be cuddled to sleep again...or to drink a bottle till he falls asleep again. Once we started putting him in, after he finished his bottle, drowsy, that worked for us. It didn't totally stop the night wakings, but it helped reduce them by about half.
Sorry to go on so long, you'll have to figure out what works best for you and Josie, but I wanted to offer this as an option for you. I hope you get some sleep soon!
BTW, if you check out babycenter.com they have a section on sleep for each age group.
Angie - I'm sure Julie welcomes all advice...what Josie is doing today won't necessarily be what she's doing tomorrow....I actually got a little drowsy reading Cameron's routine.....kids don't know how lucky they've got it!
To those that haven't read it, Julie will be home in Oregon in one week!!
I still suck in as much parenting advice as I can. I am sure JM does as well. You get really good at picking out what feels right for you. The only advice I ever had a problem with was those rude people who acted as if I was doing things flat out WRONG, like my EMIL. She always gives her little ideas in a real condescending way.......and she is just plain old mean. Anywhoo, JM won't have to worry about an EMIL, but really, even strangers will try to give you advice, and it's not always in a friendly fashion. Oh well. You get thick skin when you are a mommy. I just can't wait to hear all of the stories when JM gets home!!!!
Heh-it's about 4 am and I'm out here waiting for Josie to go back to sleep. (please, please go back to sleep). She's not really crying-more like protesting a bit every minute or so. The gaps get longer and longer and I think she'll be asleep soon. But I can't go back in there and go to bed until she's completely asleep.
Yeah-I definately feel hit by a bus sometimes. I was falling asleep at the computer last nite while updating the blog at like 8pm or so. So-when she woke up at 3:30 I was like, no way, not again . . Yesterday she got up at 4 for good.
Ooh-it's been at least 2 minutes now-not a peep. fingers crossed.
And I definately appreciate all the advice-I can't wait to get home and really establish a routine. Hopefully she likes the glider rocker, cuz pacing back and forth with her is for the birds.
I just can't wait to hear all of the stories when JM gets home!!!!
