Routine

Today I started a new routine plan with Alexander. I have written down when he is fussy, when he is awake and in good spirits and when he has slept. My hopes is to find a routine that will work for him and for me during the day and for the 3 of us at night. Tonight we gave him a bath right before he was screaming hungry (in hindsight we probably should have given him the bath 30 minutes earlier), fed him and then I read him a book and put him in his bassinet. The lights have been low, the sound machine is on, the tv is on mute and I have been quietly paying bills and getting some quiet time on the laptop. I read that routine is very helpful to babies. It is also very helpful for us parents. So, I am going to work to stay on a routine for this entire week. The goal is to get him to differentiate between day and night (he is still totally screwed up on this) and to create a safe and secure environment for him in which he knows what to expect of his surroundings (for the most part and until the routine changes again to meet his needs). I understand that what ever routine I come up with today, could easily change 8 days from now. However, I think starting a routine is a good idea for all of us. It will also be beneficial for Aunt Leisa who will be watching him starting next week when I return to work (that topic will take pages and pages to anguish over, so I'll save that for later).

To compare this to the girls (which by the way I hardly ever do anymore because it's totally NOT the same thing AT ALL). But, for example, I get up at 7/7:15 daily and feed the girls. When dad gets home from work I walk the girls, they get an after walk treat and then I feed the girls again around 6/7. Then after they eat their dinner, they get their glucosamine vitamins. They have a pretty set routine and are quite used to it. In fact, when dad gets home they start staring me down until I start putting on the tennis shoes and they start running around and whining. The girls have a pretty regular routine and like it but I know that Alex won't have it so regular, but at least we're starting somewhere.

As of right now, it's 8pm CST. He has been in his bassinet since 6:30pm CST. He slept quietly for the first 40 minutes. Since then he has grunted and cried (for less than 10 seconds at a time!) and made his usual sounds but nothing that warrants the mom in me to pick him up and hold him (which I do more often than some say I should - poo on them). This is a definite first for us. The last time I put him in his bed and let him groan it out was the first week he was home in late January and that did not go over well. None of us got any sleep for days. That sucked.

It has now been 2 hours since his last feeding. Which means that he'll be hungry in an hour to 2 hours. I will do my best to continue with this process throughout the night. I'll tell you now though, I'm sure it will be difficult for me to sleep in this chair or on the couch without holding him. I have grown very accustomed to holding my boy almost all day and all night long. He's sleeping quietly again now that it's 8:10pm CST. As for how well I do, we'll have to wait and see.