thanks

I appreciate everyone's responses to my post about Evan's nap problems and all the suggestions.  After 3 days of letting him "cry it out" to try and go back to sleep, we are giving up.  For whatever reason, I just don't think he is ready to consolidate his sleep yet.  And a wise friend encouraged me to not place expectations on him and to try as best as I can to go with the flow . ..  that is one of the biggest differences for me between having only one child and having two.  With Luke I had the time and energy to be much more purposeful and planned with his daily schedule, and now with Evan I generally just have to do my best and pray for a blessed day :)  I think also that he is continuing to have some unresolved tummy/reflux issues that are keeping him from resting well. We have tried every medicine you can, and even tried him on some different formula over the weekend, all in attempt to kick this reflux thing to the curb, but with no luck. I think that like his napping, we are just gonna have to wait it out until his little system grows and matures more.  Thankfully, all of his eating issues have not affected his ability to gain weight and develop well.  I am hopeful that in the next 2-3 months everything will just fall into place with him and his days will start to regulate out more. 

On a different note, he is now rolling over!  He can go from tummy to back and about halfway from back to tummy.  He started about a week ago.  I am pretty impressed with the little guy, because with his corrected age he still isn't even 3 months old! I thought he wouldn't be rolling over for another month or so.  And he's grabbing toys and really cooing as well.  I am just amazed that already he seems to have caught up to almost normal on his development.  Way to go Evan!  He is a fighter!

Brad took some super cute pictures of him smiling today, but our computer is messed up, so I can't post them now.  But soon, I promise!  Thanks again for your suggestions. Here's to a good night's sleep!

any suggestions?

Ok moms, here is your chance to share your best tricks of the trade, the naptime trade that is.  I have really been having some battles with Evan over naptime, and I am at a total loss.  He is such a great baby, and literally the only time he cries all day long is when he is trying to nap.  It is getting a little tiring . . . I feel like I have tried everything and that we put him to sleep the "right" way, but nothing seems to be making a difference.  He is great at falling asleep and he sleeps wonderfully during the night, but for some reason he just can't seem to make it through that deep sleep transition during the day time.  He wakes up after 30-40 minutes, every single time he takes a nap. And 90% of the time, he doesn't go back to sleep.  I gave him some grace early on and used to go in and hold him until he fell back asleep, or just get him up, but as he approaches 5 months old, I think it is time for the little guy to stabilize some in his naps and daily schedule. 

We put him down awake, and he currently sleeps on his tummy (I know, don't judge me, with all of his spit-up issues, he really did gag when he slept on his back).  He generally falls asleep on his own very peacefully, usually within 5-10 minutes.  And the wierd thing is once it hits 7:00 pm, he is out until about 4:00 in the morning.  I hear him during the night wake up and move some, and he always falls back asleep then. But during the day, it is another story.

I have started to let him cry (been working on it for about 2 weeks now), and he is just wearing me out.  I go in , shoosh him, pat him on the back, give him his passy, at about 5 minutes intervals.  Sometimes he gets quiet and  I think he is back asleep, but then he will start crying again. Yesterday afternoon and this morning he cried on and off for an hour, after sleeping a grand total of 30 minutes each time.  I know he's not hungry, because I have tried getting him up and feeding him, but he doesn't eat.  And I don't think it's that his tummy hurts, because it happens every single time he sleeps during the day, and never at night.  And I don't think its that he's overtired or overstimulated.  He is usually only awake for about an hour and a half at a time, and he just plays with normal baby toys, no videos or anything yet.  We do the background white noise thing too, and it isn't that he gets woken up by Luke or other noises, because it will happen in the middle of the afternoon while Luke is asleep and it is completely quiet.  Help!  What else can I do?

Any ideas?  Anybody have a baby who had similar problems?  Can sometime give me any hope that he will eventually nap?  The days are getting long around here . . . and it just breaks my heart to see him tired and to listen to him cry.

Any suggestions are appreciated :)

Currently The Toddlers Busy Book By Trish Kuffner see related

Hey everybody!  Thoughts I would give out a quick update on what has been going on with the Alexanders lately.  Classes started back for Brad, which means life has gotten a little bit more hectic for all of us.  This semester, Brad has class mornings, Tuesday through Friday, and then works during the afternoons at either our church or his new job, Jimmy Johns Sub Shop :)  The lawnmowing job that he had last semester didn't fit with his schedule this time around, so he found something else.  Thank God for continued provision in these random jobs we have!  It's like every few months we just piece together enough income to keep us afloat, and so far, it has worked.  Brad was hired as a delivery driver (which means he gets tips!), but he also works some at the shop as the "Sandwhich Wrapper" at the end of the line.  So far he really enjoys the work, mainly because of the ministry opportunity that is there.  He said on his first day or work he heard the "f" word probably 500 times . . . being in seminary full time can isolate you a little bit, so it's helpful to be thrown back into the world sometime.

The boys and I have been spening lots of time at home . . . too much!  I have been working on getting Evan on a good nap/feeding routine, which means we just have to hang around here most of the time. He isn't a very good public sleeper, so I can't ever count on him to take his nap at Target, or wherever. To compensate for not being able to get Luke out much, I am trying to get more creative and plan some fun activities for us to do during the day together. I bought a great book, called "The Toddler Busy Book" and Borders the other day that is full of great, simple ideas.  It has been really helpful, because I am just at a loss for creative crafts and things to do.  We decided to enroll him in a 1 day a week Mother's Day Out come September at a local church here, so he can work on his social skills and get some "out of the apartment" time each week.  It was one of those things where the $ for it is a pretty good stretch for us, but we see it as an investment in his future, so we're willing to make the sacrifice somewhere else in our budget.  Also, his speech therapist really recommended it as a great way for Luke to see and hear other kids talk and learn how to better hold conversations.

Speaking of talking, he is saying all sorts of stuff now. I think he is even saying "I love you mommy!"  I always tell him I love him when I put him down at night, or for his nap, and last night and today he has repeated back to me something very similar . . . I am so amazed at how far he has come in just a few months. When Evan was born he only had like 5 words.  Now he says just about everything.  I am so happy to finally hear what is going on inside his little head.

Evan is now 4 months old and getting big.  At his check-up last week he weighed 11 lbs. 1 oz.  He continues to battle with his reflux, but over all it is much better.  He is getting really strong and can hold his head up well.  He rolled over from his tummy to his back today, twice!  My pediatrician said to me at his check up, "you really have done a great job with him!"  It was so good to hear that.  He has been challenging and making sure that he is getting everything he needs to gain weight and stay healthy, with a 2 year old running around in the background, has been hard.  So to hear his doctor say he looks great and that we've done a good job was just really encouraging.

He really is a sweet kid.  He rarely cries and smiles at anything and anyone.  He has a much more laid back personality than Luke.  If I could just get the kid to nap, he would be a dream baby :)  For the life of me, I can't get him on a good nap routine.  He sleeps pretty well at night (still wakes up to eat once), but during the day, his sleep just stinks.  Every time I start to get frustrated though and I go in to get him, when he sees me and flashes that big grin at me, it just melts away.  I am so thankful that despite all his reflux issues and prematurity issues, he is growing well and turning into a happy little boy.

We are headed to Memphis tomorrow for 5 days to see my family.  It will be around a 9 hour drive.  Ughh.  Gotta do what you gotta do though! It will be nice to get out of Texas for a bit, not that it isn't great here, but just nice to have a change of scenery. 

Here are a few more recent pics :

This was taken about a month ago

like I said, always smiling

big brother and his favorite activity--bathtime!

Thanks for keeping up with us and hope you all have a blessed week!

Currently Wedding Cakes You Can Make: Designing, Baking, and Decorating the Perfect Wedding Cake By Dede Wilson see related

Thanks for praying for my kiddos.  They are both feeling better. Evan actually slept 4 hours last night, which was the first real chunk of sleep he has had in many nights.  And no RSV!  Yay!  Just a simple little cold. Unfortunately, cold round #2 has hit me as of yesterday . . . I tell ya, this crazy Texas weather has my sinuses up in arms. 

I'm gonna try and have a good week.  I want to accomplish some simple tasks this week and most of all, just be a good mom and wife.  I want to play with my kids, be content with my days, and love on my husband.  Here's to a good week, both for us and for you :)

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