sleep: We are doing "nap training" now (not fun) so I am swaddling him, putting on his white noise, holding him and cuddling him for a few minutes, and then putting him in the PNP (still in our room since his room is so far away in our house). I go in the first time after 10 minutes, then it is every 15. I only give it an hour, and if he is not asleep, I get him up, feed him, play a little, and then try again. We started it on Thursday and so far he has taken at least one nap that way each day (the first few days it was just one and the others he would fall asleep while eating since he was so worn out). Yesterday he fell asleep that way 3 times! So we are making progress. I am sort of sad to have to do this because I hate to hear him cry and I would so prefer to cuddle with him and hold him a lot, but with another child to care for, it just isn't reasonable. This will be better for everyone in the long run - that's what I have to keep telling myself! He takes 3-4 naps per day, depending on how long they are.
Night sleep is decent. He falls asleep in our arms at about 6:30-7PM after 5-10 minutes of holding (it used to take so much longer). We will do sleep training for nights once days are good, and it should be a breeze compared to day sleep training. Anyway, sometimes he wakes a time or two early in the evening and needs a paci, but we usually don't pick him up. Then he eats 1-2 times per night and gets up around 7:30AM.
eating: He is still exclusively nursing. Well, I guess not completely - I gave him rice cereal mixed with milk 2 times so far. He likes it OK. I hope to get him to take a 50/50 bottle of milk and formula at bedtime soon to maybe hold him over longer at night because the 2X per night is a lot! I would also feel better if he was OK with the taste of formula because then I wouldn't get so nervous about going out with Grady alone. I hope to get him eating rice cereal basically every day now. We will start purees (which I will be making with my new machine!) at about 6 months.
development: He has super strong legs and can support all of his weight on them (has been able to for months). He loves to try to sit, and is able to sort of sit for a few seconds before folding in half :) He always wants to hold hands, which is really nice. When he is nursing or when someone is talking to him, he reaches for their finger and wants to hold it. He is VERY smiley and has laughed a bunch of times, but doesn't laugh a lot yet. I think he's just new to it. Grady didn't laugh a lot at first either - it was like he didn't quite know how to. He coos a lot still, but I wouldn't call it "babbling" yet. He really enjoys his playmat now and will grab at all of the toys. He has also started using his Exersaucer, though he is still a little wobbly in it. He loves all of the little songs I do with him and also adores "Superbaby".
personality: though it is obviously too early to see TOO much of his personality, I can tell he is very mellow (way more so than G). He is content to sit pretty much wherever you put him, and is not unhappy with playing alone for periods of time (not that he gets to too often, since G adores him). He isn't fussy at all, unless he is gassy or his teeth are particularly bothering him. Normally he just goes with the flow.
nicknames: Just for fun, some are: Diaper Dan, Chubs, my little porkchop, Fatteus Thighman (I'm insane like that), Baby A, The Ansonian, Antsy, and Antson in the Pantson
Here are a few pictures from today...
and one with his best friend from the other morning...
We love you baby A!
