Soaking Him All In

Reed has been having a rough week falling asleep, it has just been impossible to get him down at night and have him fall asleep.  Last night as I stood over him waiting and watching him finally relax and slip into sleep I began to think about all the things you are told to not do or be careful when doing when you have a baby.  Don't let them fall asleep while nursing or with a bottle, don't give them a binkie or a let them suck on their thumb, to name just a few.  Well let me tell you moms as I watched Reed sleep last night he had a binkie in fact he has around 8 binkies in bed with him for fear from mom and dad that if he wakes in the middle of the night and he can't find his binkie he will fully wake up and not get back to sleep so why not have 8 in there with him one is always in arms reach.  He also had a bottle of milk, that is right a bottle he is two and a half and yes he will only drink milk out of a bottle.  So why fight it if that gets him to drink milk and helps him relax at night then so be it. Last I checked Jesse goes to bed every night and doesn't need a bottle or milk; myself to, obviously something we grew out of.  Same with the binkie or for myself a finger sucker I grew out of this when I was ready also and I am sure Reed will as well. So why stress about those little things and  just enjoy watching your little one sleep because one day it just won't be the same to watch them sleep.  Let me tell you moms and dads you are doing great whoever you are and however you are doing things. Google was my best friend when Reed was born as I am sure it is or was for most you, every little hiccup, gassy tummy, to spot I found I googled. And thank God for sisters that are nurses that field you every call with a crazy concern or question, and to even further that thank God for doctors who your sister works for that also field phone calls or text messages from your nurse sister late at night sometimes to answer your crazy concern or question.

Like I said Reed has been having a very rough week falling asleep it happen every couple of months. The first night it happened I was just so concerned to get him down to sleep because I had something I wanted to get done before I went to bed myself.  As I stood there hunched over his crib, oh yes still in crib mom not ready to put the work in to transition him, and he looks to me and asks for me to rub his back I obliged 45 minutes later I was able to put his small little monkey friend on his back to make him think my hand was still there and I sneaked out of the room.   Day two same thing but this time I was going to let him cry it out a little bit, in and out, in and out probably would have been less time if I would of just stuck it out and put the time in.  Day three same thing wants his back rubbed, wants to rock, doesn't want to be put down, an hour and half later I crave I need to lay down also hes coming up to bed with Jesse and I. No sleep for us tonight, Jesse with the fear of rolling on him, me with the lack of ability to fall asleep when he is in bed with us.  1:00 am rolls around I decided in order to try and get some sleep myself I am going to try and transition him to his bed or we will be sleeping on his floor. He transitions fine but wakes enough to ask for his back rubbed but quickly falls back into a deep sleep, again I cautiously creep out of the room.  As I laid in bed watching him on the monitor I couldn't help but fill guilt that I should be savoring the extra snuggles that I don't normally get, I should just sit back and enjoy that he wants his back rubbed and wants to rock just a little bit longer.  So I decide if we have troubles again I am just going to sit back and relax and enjoy my extra time with my boy.  So again last night rolls around and he was extra tired from the lack of sleep the night before but we let him stay up a little longer hoping he would be able to relax and get comfortable quicker. And sure enough we go to rock and pray before bed and he looks to me and ask for his back to be rubbed, so we rocked and snuggled and rubbed his back and I soaked him in and then he laid down fine he wanted me to stay with him but he relaxed and feel asleep just fine eventually. So as I stood there last night I thought about this post I thought about holding my little boy for as long as I could because he won't be little forever and I thought about all the comforts that he wants/needs to have in bed with him to fall asleep and how it is fine that he has those that some day he won't need or want those things any more. So moms and dads out there you are doing great, soak up your babies, don't stress about the "rules", call those nurses or doctors about your silly questions, and appreciate the snuggle time when you get it all the other things that need to get done can wait.

And becuase I can't leave a post with just text in it here are a few recent pictures:

This is what our typical afternoon looks like, outside (we don't dare go inside until bedtime), swimming, and chips

Got a slushy after playing at the park

He wanted a selfie because he had no shirt on and that was funny and because we both had glasses on. 

Rain Rain Go Away and a crazy dance session (don't worry I was not driving)