Baby Travels

A week ago today Desmond and I headed to the airport to visit Ohio. Leading up to the trip I'd worked myself into such a mess I had a stomach ache! What if I forgot something, what if he had a meltdown on the plane, what if east coast time screwed up whatever little schedule we'd managed to get him on, what if...what if...what if. I wish I could've stopped myself from getting into such a state, as it was not all that bad!

This isn't to say the trip was completely smooth sailing. Tuesday morning we gave ourselves an hour and a half to get dressed and out of the house. Lesson learned, this is NOT enough time when dealing with a newborn. Somehow we were running a bit behind still. Then, when we got to the airport, United didn't have anyone manning the curbside check and there was a huge line in front of the check-in counters. I tried not to panic and got in line. It didn't move at all! I started panicking that I'd miss the cut off to check my bag and was commiserating with the woman in front of me when she let me know that that line was for canceled flights! So I'd wasted all this time in the wrong line! I ran up to an agent (crying at this point - damn hormones and sleep deprivation!!) and explained my mistake but it was no good, it was 5min past the cut off. She sent me back to the canceled flight line so get help. 

Long story short, another agent came and pulled me out of line ("You shouldn't wait here with that baby!") and helped me get on a new set of flights and apologized that they were so swamped no one was available to catch me before I got stuck in the wrong line. This flight would get me into Cleveland at 11pm instead of 5. Mind you Desmond normally starts his fussy beyond consolation period around 6, so I was worrying this would mean I'd have one loud angry baby on the second flight. 

Mark came to get us so we could wait for the new flight at home instead of at the airport, and Des and I both got naps. I think this made ALL the difference. When we got back the airport Desmond decided he should keep the drama of our travel day going by doing a MASSIVE blow out which somehow managed to shoot all the way up his back avoiding his pants and - now this is the crazy part - missed his jacket too! So I found myself in the bathroom with a naked baby giving him a wipe bath (meanwhile he was all bright eyed and smiling at the lady washing her hands) trying to figure out if I should wash out his onesie or just pitch it. It got pitched, lol. Luckily I did think to pack extra onesies, I thought incase he puked but this worked too. 

After little man got dressed again and back in the wrap he passed out...for most of the first flight! *insert mommy happy dance!* But then he woke up and did another poo-splosion, le sigh. I discovered that there are changing tables in the airplane lav's though!! It was actually a more useful station than the one in the airport bathroom! 

The rest of that flight was thankfully uneventful, he just played with his monkey lovie. Before we got off the plane though, thanks to my friend Michelle's suggestion, I asked if Des could get a photo with the pilot and wings since this was his first flight. The pilot had already left but the flight attendant let us take a picture in the captains chair!! 

The second flight was as smooth as it could possibly be with a bub that was sick of being confined to tight spaces. This kid loves to kick and there was just no room! 

There was a lovely elderly couple that were so nice and helpful - from offering their tray table to carrying my bag for me when I went to change his diaper (regular, no poo for once lol). It definitely made things go by faster. I was kind of nervous about nursing in such tight spaces, even if the grandfatherly guy next to me was as friendly as could be, but my wrap gave plenty of privacy :) 

I was so ready to get off the plane even though it wasn't a bad trip. Plus I knew Tita Maya and Grammy were probably about two inches from the baggage claim escalators waiting to see the Des...well and me. Lol. Sure enough, Maya was leaning down to look up the escalator and get the first view of us. They engulfed us in hugs and coos all over Desmond. I did get love after the initial baby smooches were given :)

Desmond was SO not loving the cold and the need for a coat!! I thought he was a down right adorable blue hooded teddy bear, he was probably wondering what the fussy beast was that was eating him whole! 

It's taken most of my visit just to write the travel portion of our story so I'll leave the summary of our stay for another post. Suffice it to say for now that Desmond is one extremely loved little man who got to meet a lot of the people who care so much for him. 

The Beach Revisited

We've been very excited to spend this weekend with Desmond's godmommy,  Katelin. She's been looking forward to meeting the bub and they have been getting along great, he hasn't even peed on her during diaper changes! Must be love, lol!

Since this weekend's been so warm, and since Katelin is loving the break from the polar vortex going on back east, we decided to have Desmond revisit his beach aversion. He seemed to really like it (or at least not mind it) this time around! 

There were no tears when his feet hit the sand! 

He didn't seem to mind his hat either. 

He got in lots of godmommy snuggles! 

And we finally got some photos with all three of us together! All and all a great beach trip for us and the bub! We can't wait until it's warm enough to have Desmond test out the water!

It was awesome having Katelin around again We miss her already and can't wait for our next visit!

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.