Desmond's First Set of Wheels

What's that? Oh this is just my new ride. 

Figured I'd take it out for a spin. 

Just rollin' rollin' rollin'. 

Let's see what kinda speed this bad boy can get!

Woah!!

Yeaaaaaah!!! 

*Special thanks to Jeff Rosen for his awesome gift basket! 

Two Months Old!

Time flies when you're having fun...or not sleeping, whichever! I can't believe it, but our little bub is two months already. He's changed so much since we brought him home.

Most recently his favorite things are:

• Taking baths! This is a change from last month where he thought bath time was right up there with attempted murder.  
• Eating his fingers! Someone's found his hands and they are apparently quite tasty, lol. 
• Playtime on the activity mat! Last month he'd cry almost as soon as you set him down. Now he's discovered that there is a handsome little guy living in the mirror that keeps him entertained while he's down there.
• Bouncing! This is best done while mom or dad hold him and bounce on the exercise ball. We cannot wait until he is old enough to use a bouncer on his own!
• Sleeping while being held! Another one we can't wait for him to outgrow, this sleep deprivation is getting to me.

And his recent dislikes are:

• Getting out of the bath. This and pretty much anything that makes him chilly. Once we took a hair dryer to his towel before wrapping him in it and it seemed to help, but I'm not ready to get Sir Desmond spoiled into thinking this treatment is to be the norm or I can see him at 5 yrs old still asking for it, lol!
• Sitting still. See his love for bouncing above.
• Waking up. Whether it be from a short nap and he just ate, or while at night and he is hungry, this kid just doesn't like leaving dreamland. This baffles me considering how hard he fights actually going to sleep!
• Sleeping without someone holding him. Again, whether it be naps or night time, this kid has a radar in his dreamland alerting him to the fact he's been set down. REALLY need this phase to be outgrown STAT.

Other achievements we've seen in the past month include:

• Social smiles!!

          

• Sleeping in the crib/Pack-n-Play (When he sleeps that is)
• Recognizing mommy! Or so it seems when he cries when I'm out of sight and calms when I come back. 
• And best of all - Being a super baby!!

          

First Beach Trip

Desmond finally made it to the beach today! This was an impromptu visit as there was an unexpected power outage on campus. We decided to go get breakfast and since little man was still up after we ate, we hopped over to see what he thought of the sun and sand. Here's his reaction:

Great right? I think he'll be begging to come back tomorrow, lol!

As long as he was in arms and sand free he did much better.

We'll try again when it's warmer and he's not on the verge of really needing a nap. I think the sound of the ocean - the ULTIMATE white noise - was too much for him and it knocked out in about 5 minutes. We've got to squeeze in as much beach time as we can in case Mark gets a job that takes us away from sunny SoCal.

Day Two: Sleep Training

Verdict from last night, umm let's call it a draw. Desmond slept from 9:30 to 2:30!! That was a great 5 hrs, even if I kept poking my head over the edge of the crib to check on him with his every grunt. Mark eventually took my shoulder, laid me back down and actually scolded me! He told me to go to sleep and stop worrying because we both know Des would let us know - loudly - when he woke up and I'd better take advantage of this long stretch to get some real rest. 

Well wake me he did! I was pleasantly surprised by how fast he ate and went back down. Two and a half hours later though he decided he'd had enough of the crib and after many attempts to calm him and put him back down, Desmond won and made it into our bed. BUT he did sleep until 8:30! 

This is definitely progress so I'm calling it a draw since he still made it into our bed. With the 5 hrs I got last night I may even extend this 3 day experiment to a 4th! I know this long sleep stretch can be a tease like when he slept through the night a few weeks ago, but I'm going to stay hopeful/delusional, lol. 

Other changes on the way, little man will be moving his pack n play from our room to his nursery tonight. The hope is that this momma can hopefully get a bit of sleep when he is down and stop cracking an eye open with every grunt or other noise he makes - which is pretty much a near constant serenade. 

Here's hoping tonight goes just as well, if not better! 

I think a photo is the best way to end this post. This was waking up from nap time since it was still too dark for a pic, and he was kinda pissed, when he woke up to get out of the crib this morning. 

Sleep Training is Tiring

Desmond has a preference, like most babies, of sleeping on someone rather than being out down. The next best thing being sleeping in one of his seats at an incline. He's also, I believe, started to learn that crying gets him attention. This is a very bad combination when you are trying to train your baby to sleep in his 'crib'. (We have a Pack n play instead of a crib since we'll be moving sooner than later.)

Last night was the first night in our 3-day trial experiment of transitioning the bub from his Rock n Play or Bouncer seat to his crib. Why 3 days? Because if we fail, I don't think I'll be functioning very well after 3 sleepless nights and I'm willing to fold for a good night sleep. Can always try again, right! 

It was a sleepless night to say the least...for both of us. He'd go down for 10-30 mins, realize he's no longer being held and wail. Pick him up, and he'd settle down near immediately. Rinse and repeat. Now he's so tired he can't even nap. 

He does look so adorable before he wakes up though!

Wish us luck (and energy)! So far the score is Desmond 1, parents 0.