Busy Weekend

We had a lot of activities planned this weekend and took Calvin along with us to everyone.  We could have gotten a sitter for one of the evenings, but all of our events were family friendly and we decided to take advantage of Calvin's relative portability.

Thursday night we went to a free concert downtown.  Despite what you may have seen on Facebook, Calvin had a great time - translated as he slept during the show.

The Shins were so quiet the ear muffs weren't
really needed, but they are cute!

Then on Friday night we took him to his first hockey game.  This didn't go as well since I was sitting.  Calvin doesn't like sitting.  I also think all of the lights and noise were a bit too stimulating after he got tired, but before he got cranky he liked watching the guys skate back and forth.

It's a hockey night in Cedar Park

and the fun didn't stop there.  We insisted on taking the little guy out for a few SXSW days shows on Saturday.  The weather was perfect and a fun time was had by all after I got a little food.

tuff guys

little man can't hang

Sunday we rested like god intended.  Calvin went to bed late every night and got up late every morning and went back on schedule last night with little difficulty.  More on sleeping in a different post.  

I like that we were able to incorporate Calvin into our lives instead of being ruled by his.  We don't leave the house often (we're hermits you know), but it's nice to know that we can if we want.  We just need to take along a little more gear than usual.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Night Time Blues

Calvin is not sleeping.  He's had a rough couple of nights followed by a rough couple of days.  This on the tail of what was some serious sleepy-time progress. He was going down easy and just recently dropped the 1st nighttime feeding so between bedtime and 1st feeding was 5-6 hours and technically sleeping through the night (too bad I wasn't sleeping that whole time too.  It would be heaven).  I was pleased with these new developments.  I thought they were here to stay.

But then, just like every time I get too smug and ambitious, the universe slaps me back down.  This kid will not sleep and when he does it is fitful at best.  I've found him with his head up against the edge of the crib every time I went in to him last night (after starting out in the middle) and I went in a lot.


I've just finished with a 1 1/2 hour stint of trying to get him to sleep only to be rewarded with open peepers when I put him down.  And this after he cried like we were pulling his nails out from 6-7.  I've never needed a glass of wine worse on a Monday.  and my box only had 1/2 a glass left.

Chris is with him now.  I know he didn't want to go, but that kiddo can smell milk from across the room and I've already tried the nurse to sleep trick for too long this evening.

Why is this happening?  Is he teething early?  Did DST (the most useless thing our government has ever done for us) mess him up this badly?  Does my baby hate me?  I have no clue.  All I know is that I will tolerate it because I have no choice.  and 5 minutes removed from it, it won't seem so bad.

because I'm crazy?  No, because of this little face...

13Mar12 Update: last night he slept great and only woke up twice (I'm not counting the fact that I found him awake and talking at 6:45 since I don't think he ever got back to sleep).  Maybe it was DST after all.  Or maybe he's just a baby and every day is a new adventure.

Our Typical Day

I've been back at work for a couple of weeks now and some things are starting to fall into place, but it's a bit crazy.  After working all day, I want to spend some time with Calvin before bed and give Chris a little break.  Then it's bedtime routine, dinner and beddy bye for myself.  That doesn't leave much time for anything else.  I think new parents should get an extra 3 hours per day when their little one arrives.

Our typical day goes a little like this (though it changes constantly):

Calvin likes to eat at 3 and 5/6 am (or every 2 hours if I'm really unlucky).  After the 5/6 am feeding he happily goes back to sleep and and I get up to start my day or go back to sleep depending on how the night went.  I should always get up.  It's the only time available to me for a little exercise, but sometimes sleep seems more important.  That is until a whole week goes by and I didn't manage 30 minutes of anything but baby dancing.  Calvin is usually up a 7:30 so Chris gets up shortly after.

It's 8:00 am:  I'm at my desk, Chris is getting coffee and Calvin is in deep discussion with the toucan and monkey on his mat.

I've decided to breast feed instead of pump which has been working out fine.  It doesn't take much more total time than a normal lunch break, which I usually didn't take anyway.  I feed him and Chris takes him back to burp and change.  It's working out well.

So things are falling into place.  Chris has worked out a pattern of nap, tummy time, bumbo time that seems to keep Calvin entertained and I am managing to get all of my work done without having to retreat to the corporate office and I can usually get done by 5 to be with my little family again.

Calvin has started grabbing for toys when he is in the bumbo, but is content to just look around or check out his handsome mug in the mirror when he's on his tum-tum.

our future rock star