Tonight Ruby started to get sleepy around 8pm so I got her ready for bed and then let her fall asleep on my lap in the living room while we watched the Canucks game.
By about 8:30pm she was sleeping pretty soundly so I decided to take her to her room and put her in her crib.
When I stood up and started walking towards her room, she fluttered her little eyes open and shut a few times but was still half asleep. Steve smiled lovingly at her as we walked past him on the couch.
She was still half asleep as I gently laid her down in her crib (which is ideal) when I heard this from the living room:
YEAH!!!! SCORE!!!!
BURROWS!!!
YEAH BURROWS!!!!
TARA! BURROWS SCORED!
TARA!? TARA!!!
COME WATCH THIS GOAL THAT BURROWS SCORED!!!
And now he has Ruby on his lap to watch the magnificent goal that Burrows scored.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Night #3 = success again (but less sleep for me)
So just quickly - last night we stayed at my mom's house. Kind of a trial run for those times when I want a night out or a night off and I leave her there overnight.
She has her own room at my mom's, with a playyard for a bed - which she's never slept in before. I was worried it might screw things up with her sleeping in her own room/crib.
In actuality, she slept better than she ever has. Ever.
She fell asleep around 9pm and didn't wake up again until 8 hours later.
Oh yes, this would have been absolutely delightful - if I hadn't been up every hour after 1am checking on her to make sure she was still breathing.
Today, I am completely exhausted and feeling rotten.
So now that we're home again I ask (beg) Ruby for a repeat, and this time I plan on taking full advantage of it and sleeping through the night as well.
She has her own room at my mom's, with a playyard for a bed - which she's never slept in before. I was worried it might screw things up with her sleeping in her own room/crib.
In actuality, she slept better than she ever has. Ever.
She fell asleep around 9pm and didn't wake up again until 8 hours later.
Oh yes, this would have been absolutely delightful - if I hadn't been up every hour after 1am checking on her to make sure she was still breathing.
Today, I am completely exhausted and feeling rotten.
So now that we're home again I ask (beg) Ruby for a repeat, and this time I plan on taking full advantage of it and sleeping through the night as well.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Night #2 = SUCCESS
Just a quick note to say that Ruby is rocking her crib.
Last night I fed her and put her to sleep in her crib at around 9pm. I then sat in my bed watching TV with the volume off, straining with my ear to the monitor, waiting for her to fuss and want mommy... But nothing.
Nothing, in fact, until 3am. (That's 6 hours of sleep!). She was then fed by Steve and put back in her crib by Steve, (we're making great strides here) where I heard her moving around and mumbling for a few minutes until she put herself back to sleep.
Steve got up at 6 and checked in on her and she was apparently laying there awake with her feet up in the air and her thumb in her mouth (did I mention that I think she's going to be a thumb sucker?). I got up at 6:45am and fed and changed her and she fell back asleep.
Right now it's 7:45am and she's sound asleep in the crib still.
Seriously, Ruby? I had all this crib anxiety for nothing?
Could this just be a fluke?
Oh and the other bonus of this - I'm not there to pop the pacifier in her mouth so she's getting less of it during the night. This could be the start of pacifier weening as well. Two birds with one stone?
This seems too good (too easy) to be true.
And as if to tempt fate, tonight we are going to stay the night at Grandma's house (my mom and dad's) for the first time. I wanted to break Ruby in with an overnighter at Grandma's while I was there. And if it works out, she may be spending more nights at Grandma's and I might have a free evening every now and then.
Fingers crossed for continued smooth sailing!
Last night I fed her and put her to sleep in her crib at around 9pm. I then sat in my bed watching TV with the volume off, straining with my ear to the monitor, waiting for her to fuss and want mommy... But nothing.
Nothing, in fact, until 3am. (That's 6 hours of sleep!). She was then fed by Steve and put back in her crib by Steve, (we're making great strides here) where I heard her moving around and mumbling for a few minutes until she put herself back to sleep.
Steve got up at 6 and checked in on her and she was apparently laying there awake with her feet up in the air and her thumb in her mouth (did I mention that I think she's going to be a thumb sucker?). I got up at 6:45am and fed and changed her and she fell back asleep.
Right now it's 7:45am and she's sound asleep in the crib still.
Seriously, Ruby? I had all this crib anxiety for nothing?
Could this just be a fluke?
Oh and the other bonus of this - I'm not there to pop the pacifier in her mouth so she's getting less of it during the night. This could be the start of pacifier weening as well. Two birds with one stone?
This seems too good (too easy) to be true.
And as if to tempt fate, tonight we are going to stay the night at Grandma's house (my mom and dad's) for the first time. I wanted to break Ruby in with an overnighter at Grandma's while I was there. And if it works out, she may be spending more nights at Grandma's and I might have a free evening every now and then.
Fingers crossed for continued smooth sailing!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Stepping out of the comfort zone
Last night was a big night for us.
Firstly - I got out of the house and went downtown Vancouver to get my hair cut. And after my haircut I went to the pub down the street and met a girlfriend for a beer (ok, two). And where was Ruby? Why she was at home with her daddy! It was our first night trying such a feat and it actually worked out pretty darn well.
I expected to come home to a screaming baby, things burnt on the stove, dog pee on the floor and Steve dialing my mother's number asking what he should do.
But actually the only thing I could find to nit-pick about when I got home was that he had Ruby in a 6-9 month sleeper which was too long for her. Oh, and she was still awake and should have been in bed sleeping (10pm). Overall though, not bad at all.
For me it felt good to have a couple hours of freedom. To actually tote a purse and not a giant diaper bag, car seat, and breast pump. To sit in a loud pub and listen to live music and eat dry ribs, sip draft beer and talk to a girlfriend about her latest man toy. And my cell phone didn't ring once.
(Of course nothing comes for free. He's now "mentioned" that he'd like to go for drinks with some friends from work tonight. )
And then... I'm not sure if it was the courage bestowed upon me from drinking two glasses of beer, but I decided to try letting Ruby sleep in her own room, in her crib last night.
It wasn't easy, I had to fuss with Steve about it. He didn't want her in another room. As it turns out HE'S not ready for that yet either. So not only did I have to deal with my own Ruby-separation-anxiety but I had to deal with his as well (which made it way worse). Ruby, on the other hand? She was cool with it. She snoozed til 2am - which is around her usual feeding time anyways (although I did get up at 1am to check on her). Steve fed her then and I slept - but when I woke up, there was Ruby in her bassinet next to me. He couldn't stand to put her back in her crib. So when I got up to do the 5:30am feed/pump, I put her back in her crib again when we were done.
I woke up again at 8am to the sounds of her moving around and talking to herself in her crib. (Well actually I woke up at 7 when Steve was getting ready for work and woke me to ask if he should bring Ruby into our bed since he was up - answer, no!) She stayed there for another half an hour, awake and content. Of course I didn't sleep during this time because the kid is a jabber mouth and I still didn't want to shut the monitor off. It was also pretty cute and kinda funny to listen to her babble.
So all in all, I think it was relatively successful and I will probably try it again tonight - although this time I will ply Steve with some alcohol first so he is a little more carefree when it comes to putting Ruby in her own room and in turn, maybe I can maybe sleep a little better myself.
Firstly - I got out of the house and went downtown Vancouver to get my hair cut. And after my haircut I went to the pub down the street and met a girlfriend for a beer (ok, two). And where was Ruby? Why she was at home with her daddy! It was our first night trying such a feat and it actually worked out pretty darn well.
I expected to come home to a screaming baby, things burnt on the stove, dog pee on the floor and Steve dialing my mother's number asking what he should do.
But actually the only thing I could find to nit-pick about when I got home was that he had Ruby in a 6-9 month sleeper which was too long for her. Oh, and she was still awake and should have been in bed sleeping (10pm). Overall though, not bad at all.
For me it felt good to have a couple hours of freedom. To actually tote a purse and not a giant diaper bag, car seat, and breast pump. To sit in a loud pub and listen to live music and eat dry ribs, sip draft beer and talk to a girlfriend about her latest man toy. And my cell phone didn't ring once.
(Of course nothing comes for free. He's now "mentioned" that he'd like to go for drinks with some friends from work tonight. )
And then... I'm not sure if it was the courage bestowed upon me from drinking two glasses of beer, but I decided to try letting Ruby sleep in her own room, in her crib last night.
It wasn't easy, I had to fuss with Steve about it. He didn't want her in another room. As it turns out HE'S not ready for that yet either. So not only did I have to deal with my own Ruby-separation-anxiety but I had to deal with his as well (which made it way worse). Ruby, on the other hand? She was cool with it. She snoozed til 2am - which is around her usual feeding time anyways (although I did get up at 1am to check on her). Steve fed her then and I slept - but when I woke up, there was Ruby in her bassinet next to me. He couldn't stand to put her back in her crib. So when I got up to do the 5:30am feed/pump, I put her back in her crib again when we were done.
I woke up again at 8am to the sounds of her moving around and talking to herself in her crib. (Well actually I woke up at 7 when Steve was getting ready for work and woke me to ask if he should bring Ruby into our bed since he was up - answer, no!) She stayed there for another half an hour, awake and content. Of course I didn't sleep during this time because the kid is a jabber mouth and I still didn't want to shut the monitor off. It was also pretty cute and kinda funny to listen to her babble.
So all in all, I think it was relatively successful and I will probably try it again tonight - although this time I will ply Steve with some alcohol first so he is a little more carefree when it comes to putting Ruby in her own room and in turn, maybe I can maybe sleep a little better myself.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Daddy's girl
I'm in another room listening to Steve talk to Ruby while he warms up a bottle for her.
He just told her that if she wants to grow up to be a championship beer chugger like him, she should start taking her bottles with a faster nipple.
He just told her that if she wants to grow up to be a championship beer chugger like him, she should start taking her bottles with a faster nipple.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Soft as a baby's....
I just wanted to write a quick post about Aveeno Baby - Soothing Relief Moisture Cream.
This stuff is AMAZING.
Ruby has had sandpaper-like, dry skin on her forehead around her hairline, partly due to some cradle cap and also perhaps from a little bit of eczema. I was trying to let it run it's own course but I think it was starting to bother her as she was starting to rub at it and make it red and irritated. I had tried applying olive oil to it but that just wasn't helping it anymore (not to mention the greasiness). I remember my midwife mentioning the Aveeno cream so I grabbed a bottle of it at the pharmacy while I was there getting my baby crack.
I had no idea it would actually work so well. Ruby's forehead is now soft and the dry patches around her ears and eyebrows are almost totally gone. It makes her skin feels fantastic. No more redness, no more sandpaper. And there was a noticeable difference after just one application.
Before now, I would have told you that one cream is probably just as good as the next. But now I'm all about the Aveeno Baby, baby.
This stuff is AMAZING.
Ruby has had sandpaper-like, dry skin on her forehead around her hairline, partly due to some cradle cap and also perhaps from a little bit of eczema. I was trying to let it run it's own course but I think it was starting to bother her as she was starting to rub at it and make it red and irritated. I had tried applying olive oil to it but that just wasn't helping it anymore (not to mention the greasiness). I remember my midwife mentioning the Aveeno cream so I grabbed a bottle of it at the pharmacy while I was there getting my baby crack.
I had no idea it would actually work so well. Ruby's forehead is now soft and the dry patches around her ears and eyebrows are almost totally gone. It makes her skin feels fantastic. No more redness, no more sandpaper. And there was a noticeable difference after just one application.
Before now, I would have told you that one cream is probably just as good as the next. But now I'm all about the Aveeno Baby, baby.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Griping
Ruby wasn't feeling well for a couple of days. She was really fussy (not like her), she kept crying out (not like her), and she was throwing up a lot of clear fluid (not like her) and her movements were sometimes jerky like she was hurting (not like her).
I made the decision yesterday evening to buy a bottle of Gripe water and give it a try.
I picked it up on our way to some friends' house for dinner. Except I realized that I had no way to administer the 1 teaspoon of gripe water that is suggested for Ruby's age. So I called the nurse hotline to ask if I could put it in her bottle. Big mistake.
I explained to the nurse that I needed to give my baby some gripe water and wondered if I could put it in with my breastmilk in her bottle. Simple question, no?
Well. Nurse told me that gripe water is MEDICATION and that they can't dispense advice on medication. Why do I want to give my baby gripe water anyways? Did my doctor tell me to give her gripe water? No? Then why would I do it? And what makes me think she has a tummy ache?
Because I'm her fucking mother and I know - is what I wish I said, but instead I explained Ruby's fussiness, her spitting up so much clear fluid, her crying, her seeming to be uncomfortable.
Nurse then launches into a diatribe about how I should apparently be feeding Ruby... She says that Ruby is throwing up because babies tummys are so small and I'm obviously feeding her too much. If she's throwing up, it's because it won't fit in her tummy. (But it's clear fluid, not milky and it's an hour or two AFTER she's eaten). No, I'm definitely feeding her too much. I should feed her less food more often even if that's not what Ruby wants. Because Ruby isn't smart enough to know when she's full (oh yes she is). And why am I not breastfeeding her anyways? Because I should breastfeed her more and bottle feed her less because the milk comes out slower from the breast than it does from a bottle so Ruby will realize she's full faster if she's on the breast and it will stop her from overeating. (But everything has been perfect up until now with the way I am doing things) Well the composition of my milk is "probably" changing right now and it might be getting more fatty so Ruby should be eating less and should be on the breast more than on the bottle for sure.
Oh, and about the crying. Did I not receive a DVD from the hospital about crying? (Yes I did) Have I watched it? No?? Why not? (Because I've never had a need to because Ruby is not a crying kind of baby). Well maybe I should sit down this evening and watch the DVD because it would explain a lot about my baby that I don't know. (Because clearly I don't have a clue about my 11 week old baby) It will explain to me why she is crying lately. It's because baby's crying peaks between 2-5 months and that is clearly what's happening right now. Yes, even if up until this point Ruby only cries when she needs something.
Ok so lets see if I have this right... the crying just coincidentally started in the past two days at the same time that she started spitting up clear fluid, and started being unhappy and fussy, and got jerky little movements and then cries out? And my milk composition is changing right at the very same time? And it's also at the very same time that I'm suddenly feeding her too much?
And you can diagnose all of that shit right over the phone????
Wow. I'm sure glad our tax dollars are going to such a helpful and worthy service.
FUMING. MAD.
And so silly little rookie mom me, who apparently knows nothing about my own baby - I went ahead and dipped Ruby's pacifier into the gripe water and gave it to her that way. And this miraculously stopped Ruby's fussing, her crying, her puking and she was able to get some sleep. And she woke up this morning smiling and laughing again.
But what do I know?
Funny how mothers intuition works. Better than any know-it-all nurse from a hotline.
I made the decision yesterday evening to buy a bottle of Gripe water and give it a try.
I picked it up on our way to some friends' house for dinner. Except I realized that I had no way to administer the 1 teaspoon of gripe water that is suggested for Ruby's age. So I called the nurse hotline to ask if I could put it in her bottle. Big mistake.
I explained to the nurse that I needed to give my baby some gripe water and wondered if I could put it in with my breastmilk in her bottle. Simple question, no?
Well. Nurse told me that gripe water is MEDICATION and that they can't dispense advice on medication. Why do I want to give my baby gripe water anyways? Did my doctor tell me to give her gripe water? No? Then why would I do it? And what makes me think she has a tummy ache?
Because I'm her fucking mother and I know - is what I wish I said, but instead I explained Ruby's fussiness, her spitting up so much clear fluid, her crying, her seeming to be uncomfortable.
Nurse then launches into a diatribe about how I should apparently be feeding Ruby... She says that Ruby is throwing up because babies tummys are so small and I'm obviously feeding her too much. If she's throwing up, it's because it won't fit in her tummy. (But it's clear fluid, not milky and it's an hour or two AFTER she's eaten). No, I'm definitely feeding her too much. I should feed her less food more often even if that's not what Ruby wants. Because Ruby isn't smart enough to know when she's full (oh yes she is). And why am I not breastfeeding her anyways? Because I should breastfeed her more and bottle feed her less because the milk comes out slower from the breast than it does from a bottle so Ruby will realize she's full faster if she's on the breast and it will stop her from overeating. (But everything has been perfect up until now with the way I am doing things) Well the composition of my milk is "probably" changing right now and it might be getting more fatty so Ruby should be eating less and should be on the breast more than on the bottle for sure.
Oh, and about the crying. Did I not receive a DVD from the hospital about crying? (Yes I did) Have I watched it? No?? Why not? (Because I've never had a need to because Ruby is not a crying kind of baby). Well maybe I should sit down this evening and watch the DVD because it would explain a lot about my baby that I don't know. (Because clearly I don't have a clue about my 11 week old baby) It will explain to me why she is crying lately. It's because baby's crying peaks between 2-5 months and that is clearly what's happening right now. Yes, even if up until this point Ruby only cries when she needs something.
Ok so lets see if I have this right... the crying just coincidentally started in the past two days at the same time that she started spitting up clear fluid, and started being unhappy and fussy, and got jerky little movements and then cries out? And my milk composition is changing right at the very same time? And it's also at the very same time that I'm suddenly feeding her too much?
And you can diagnose all of that shit right over the phone????
Wow. I'm sure glad our tax dollars are going to such a helpful and worthy service.
FUMING. MAD.
And so silly little rookie mom me, who apparently knows nothing about my own baby - I went ahead and dipped Ruby's pacifier into the gripe water and gave it to her that way. And this miraculously stopped Ruby's fussing, her crying, her puking and she was able to get some sleep. And she woke up this morning smiling and laughing again.
But what do I know?
Funny how mothers intuition works. Better than any know-it-all nurse from a hotline.
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