We put it on because he enjoys the sound of it. It's always on because I need background nosie. But it's not like I put him in front of it. I put him in his bouncer so I can feed him and take care of the dogs. He's more of a music boy so I'll watch videos from disney movies and country music videos with him. He loves to see it.
I live for my weekends. I love when Saturday rolls around and I get to spend lazy days with L and my husband. H only gets to see out LO for maybe an hour and half before its bedtime, so I know how much he looks forward to our weekends too. The time is going by so quickly and I just want to soak up every minute that I can.
Has anyone experienced a 5 month sleep regression? We sailed by the 4 month mark with little problem, sleep trained shortly after and for the past week DD has been waking up at 3 a.m. and attacks me to eat. Last night she woke up at 12:40 and 4:15. She was sleeping through the night prior to this Maybe it's teeth? Or a growth spurt? I mostly just want to go back to sleeping through the night, because that was magical.
I'm with you. DD has never slept through the night. But she was down to one motn feeding. She turned 5 months on Thursday and she's like a little monster since that day. Last night we were up so many times I lost count. I really hope this is just a short phase (for both of us).
we did a trip from Phoenix to Orlando, then Orlando to Hawaii, then Hawaii back to Phoenix and we survived. I had the baby in her Ktan wrap, or in my arms swaddled, and she slept most of the time.
Just recently we traveled from Phoenix to Boston. Landed in Boston at 6am. That was rough.
Sometimes I can't wait until my baby is 10yrs old and I can send her to her room to read a book, play a video game, or do whatever kids her age will be doing then, just so I can enjoy a cup of coffee in peace while it's still hot.
Sometimes I can't wait until my baby is 10yrs old and I can send her to her room to read a book, play a video game, or do whatever kids her age will be doing then, just so I can enjoy a cup of coffee in peace while it's still hot.
That probably should've been a FFFC
Oh I know exactly what you mean. My 7 (almost 8) year old is so easy. She's pretty self sufficient, entertains herself for the most part, and even tries to help me with the baby. I'm not trying to wish time away, but I am looking forward to it in a small way.
@dancingsphinx22 and @redselig you girls are amazing! I am nervous to take my baby to the grocery store or the post office without worrying about a freak out lol. I'm so impressed!
Has anyone experienced a 5 month sleep regression? We sailed by the 4 month mark with little problem, sleep trained shortly after and for the past week DD has been waking up at 3 a.m. and attacks me to eat. Last night she woke up at 12:40 and 4:15. She was sleeping through the night prior to this Maybe it's teeth? Or a growth spurt? I mostly just want to go back to sleeping through the night, because that was magical.
Yes! Totally us, DD has been sleeping through the night for a while (like 2 months old) and we have been so grateful for that. Recently she started getting up for the day early like 5 ish, then it was 4ish and then last night 330!! She was just totally awake, nothing would get her back to sleep. She wasn't crying at all just happy talking in her crib. Not sure if I should just leave her when she is doing that or try and get her back to slee?!
Has anyone experienced a 5 month sleep regression? We sailed by the 4 month mark with little problem, sleep trained shortly after and for the past week DD has been waking up at 3 a.m. and attacks me to eat. Last night she woke up at 12:40 and 4:15. She was sleeping through the night prior to this Maybe it's teeth? Or a growth spurt? I mostly just want to go back to sleeping through the night, because that was magical.
Yes! Totally us, DD has been sleeping through the night for a while (like 2 months old) and we have been so grateful for that. Recently she started getting up for the day early like 5 ish, then it was 4ish and then last night 330!! She was just totally awake, nothing would get her back to sleep. She wasn't crying at all just happy talking in her crib. Not sure if I should just leave her when she is doing that or try and get her back to slee?!
I'm no expert, but I would leave her as long as she's content/babbling and hope she goes back to sleep on her own... especially if your efforts to put her back to sleep aren't working anyways.
LO decided to roll from back to belly yesterday! Super exciting, BUT I can't use the swaddle anymore. I had to start swaddling him again when the sleep regression started. Last night was rough. He would wake up SCREAMING! I don't think he's ever screamed like that except during his shots. I was up and down a lot until about 1:30 then he was fine until 5 this morning. Yay for rolling, but super sad we can't swaddle anymore!
Our baby has been busting out of swaddles since she was itty bitty. She flails a lot. We've had to learn how to keep her comfy, swaddled, and SAFE. Here's what's worked for us.
We keep swaddling her even though she rolls, otherwise she has a hard time falling and staying asleep. What we do is swaddle her with a THIN, BREATHABLE blanket, but don't wrap it super tight around her body. Just enough so she's snug. Once she's asleep, we unwrap the swaddle and she's good to go.
Another option is to use a swaddle pod with velcro. We wrap our baby in that and she falls asleep. During the night she kicks, undoes the velcro, and pulls her arms out. By morning, she's out of the swaddle pod and free to move. Ours is from Blankets and Beyond. I can verify that the Velcro does not hold well.
The last option is a swaddle sack. We use these from carter's. Their arms are free, but it's still snuggly and cozy.
I want to to add that you know your baby best. I know my baby is strong and has good head and neck control. I don't think she'll suffocate, but I still take precautions and watch her like a hawk. Especially since her favorite thing to do is take blankets (or anything) and smother her face with it. I have to make sure she can't actually smother herself. so these suggestions may or may not work for you. Just do what you feel is safe for your baby.
thanks for for the encouragement. I was anxious but LO did great! I was seated in a baby row with six other babies so that relieved a lot of the pressure - all of our babies could cry in unison! Luckily LO didn't cry once and slept in the Ergo and in my arms intermittently throughout the flight. The bassinet they provided was useless for sleep but it was great spot for storing all the stuff I needed for the flight. One thing I did learn is that I probably will refrain from taking a flight when LO is 2 years old. There was a courageous mom who had a two year old and a 5 month old in tow. The toddler fussed throughout the whole flight and ended up screaming towards the very end. I had to cover LO's ears! The toddler was simultaneously wound up and tired from not being able to move around and have a nap. Yikes!
I dread taking our baby on a flight as she gets older. Even now was a little harder than when she was just 2 months. I can't imagine taking a toddler on a long flight. *shudders*
Mine has, from dark slate, to lighter grey-blue, to a brownish-olive green hazel. Still waiting to see if they will stay that color or change to golden brown like Daddy or green-ish hazel like Mommy!
Sometimes I can't wait until my baby is 10yrs old and I can send her to her room to read a book, play a video game, or do whatever kids her age will be doing then, just so I can enjoy a cup of coffee in peace while it's still hot.
That probably should've been a FFFC
Start independent play now! My kids have been able to do at least 20-30 min alone in their crib playing by 6 months, which means a guaranteed shower for me every morning.
So I'm going to regret this trip to Ireland I'm planning for next September then?
You're going to Ireland?! Even if your baby cries the whole way, i don't think you'll regret going on that trip to Ireland
For me, I don't have a lot of patience and I get tired easily. It wouldn't be easy or enjoyable to me to have to entertain a toddler on a long flight. Then again, I've never had my own toddler before, so who knows. Maybe I would find it enjoyable because she's mine.
Sometimes I can't wait until my baby is 10yrs old and I can send her to her room to read a book, play a video game, or do whatever kids her age will be doing then, just so I can enjoy a cup of coffee in peace while it's still hot.
That probably should've been a FFFC
Start independent play now! My kids have been able to do at least 20-30 min alone in their crib playing by 6 months, which means a guaranteed shower for me every morning.
This! I started DS with 4-5 minutes of alone time when he was a few weeks old, and at 5 months he can easily do 30. I don't consistently need him to entertain himself for 30 minutes at a time (we typically do 15-ish as he's only awake for less than two hours at a time) but it's nice that he is able.
We have changed slightly from slate grey to a lighter shade of grey with light brown flecks. Daddy's eyes are grey with brown flecks so I am wondering if they'll stay. My eyes are almost black they're such a dark brown so I'm sure she will end up with brown.
So I'm going to regret this trip to Ireland I'm planning for next September then?
The woman with the screaming toddler said the earlier the better. There were six babies seated in the same row and half of them cried and fussed and the other half didn't. Just hope for the best and expect the worst.
Is anyone currently homeschooling or thinking about it? I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
One of my clients is a supplementary center for home schooled students. They do the standardized testing (and test prep), offer camps and social activities, and tutoring whenever a student is falling behind in a home school environment. One thing that they really harp on as part of their marketing is how excellent the colleges are that these students get in to. Because the home schoolers life is usually so full of extra curriculars (since parents recognize the need for socialization), colleges see a really well-rounded student who has usually never let their grades drop. This ends up qualifying them for scholarships, and Ivy League schools. I have no firsthand experience, but I have seen the graduating home schoolers at high school level continue to go to great colleges year after year. So that's a good thing!
Is anyone currently homeschooling or thinking about it? I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
Yes, but my oldest is only 5.5. We have an amazing Montessori preschool less than a block away, so our 2 oldest go there for 2 and 3 days a week. In addition, we're doing kinder curriculum with DD1 at home (and did preschool at home when she turned 3). She's reading at a fifth grade level, so It's more the math that I'm hoping to get through this year. We were supposed to start this week, but I threw my back out, so I'm out of commission for anything this week. I'm not a fan of common core, nor do I think kindergarten should be full day. After this year, we'll reassess what would be best for DD1, but, in general, I like being able to teach her what I want, how I want, and at the speed she needs (accelerated in reading, slower in math).
Is anyone currently homeschooling or thinking about it? I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
No. I was homeschooled and I would NEVER inflict that on anyone.
Can I assume that you weren't given a choice? My oldest much prefers learning at home right now. We'll address it yearly to see what she would prefer to do.
Is anyone currently homeschooling or thinking about it? I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
No. I was homeschooled and I would NEVER inflict that on anyone.
Can I assume that you weren't given a choice? My oldest much prefers learning at home right now. We'll address it yearly to see what she would prefer to do.
Partially that. I was also with my parents every single day without a break. They didn't provide me with an adequate education and it's taken me years to overcome the severe lack of social skills I feel I would have developed better attending school.
My parent's reasoning for homeschooling was to inflict their religious principles onto us. I literally begged to go back to school after the second year because I missed learning with other kids so badly. We spent more time taking care of younger siblings and cooking or cleaning and doing bible study than anything actually school related. As an adult my mother blames me for not having a full education because I was "lazy."
I don't know any adults who were homeschooled that don't act differently. I can usually pick out of a line up who the homeschooled kid is based on their inability to read social cues or bizarre choice of subject within a conversation.
I don't necessarily have an issue with homeschooling for other people, with all of that being said. There are a lot more people doing it than when I was in school, so there are a great many more accessible resources to use. My advice is to choice a strong curriculum, adhere to an actual schedule, and make a point to socialize with other children. (Not just other homeschooled kids, and dance/karate classes where kids are not supposed to talk for hours at a time are not good enough)
Is anyone currently homeschooling or thinking about it? I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
No. I was homeschooled and I would NEVER inflict that on anyone.
Same. I have no intention of homeschooling my LO! The studies may show many homeschoolers as scoring high on tests and doing exceptionally well at the university level, but I have seen so very few real life examples of this. Many of the homeschoolers that I know (and most of the people that I know were homeschooled) truly are lacking in social skills and are unprepared for college and real life (if they attempt college at all). Now, it could be more of a regional thing. My state has very lenient guidelines (if you can call them that) for what can pass as homeschooling. IMO these should be much, much stricter.
I know this has not been everyone's experience and that there will be plenty of positive stories, but I personally cannot support homeschooling.
ETA that the most successful homeschooling mamas that I know do a sort of collaborative classical approach similar to what @kielpinskim mentioned. I think this method strikes a good balance.
Is anyone currently homeschooling or thinking about it? I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
I was homeschooled, Christian schooled, and public schooled. Homeschooling worked best for us though. My brother was a bit behind and I was a bit ahead so my mother could slow it down for my brother and speed it up for me. I live in a big city with tons of opportunities for homeschoolers. We even had a homeschool parliamentary debate league of two hundred teens in just our city!! We did drama though a local theatre. My brother played football and baseball for a local high school. I started college at 15. I guess the pros are that if you do it right, the child can learn at their own pace, have a wider range of socialization (not just kids your own age, but literally everyone!!), flexibility (vacation during the off seasons of fall and spring to usually busy places like national parks or Hawaii for "field trips"... The down side is you have to bring your home work with you...), you get to raise your child and not some stranger... Child most likely will be able to get into any college of their choosing. Cons... It's hard work. It requires teaching the child to be self motivated, and critical thinking, and you to figure out how to find help or a place to teach the kids subjects you don't know. Depending on how it's done, it can cause the kid to grow up too fast. I can't imagine it could be done well in a small town... However my husband is from a small town with a thriving homeschool community. He and all his siblings were homeschooled. His little brother is finishing up his doctorate at age 25...
I guess I should mention that my father hadn't finished his college degree (although he did earn his associates just last year and I am uber proud of him!!) and my mother went to cosmetology school and cheated her way through high school algebra... Despite this, Math was always my strongest subject (I even got 103% in college algebra.) and never got anything less than a B on a paper in college. I also had a very high GPA. I say this not to brag, but as an example that even if the parents aren't well educated, if you teach your child the principles of learning (self motivation and critical thinking), the child can figure it out on their own with guidance. I will also say that my spelling never progressed much past where I left off in grade school... Which is embarrassing... So that can be a down side...
Re: Everything Random - September
we did a trip from Phoenix to Orlando, then Orlando to Hawaii, then Hawaii back to Phoenix and we survived. I had the baby in her Ktan wrap, or in my arms swaddled, and she slept most of the time.
Just recently we traveled from Phoenix to Boston. Landed in Boston at 6am. That was rough.
If we can do it, you can do it!
and I can send her to her room to read a book, play a video game, or do whatever kids her age will be doing then, just so I can enjoy a cup of coffee in peace while it's still hot.
That probably should've been a FFFC
We keep swaddling her even though she rolls, otherwise she has a hard time falling and staying asleep. What we do is swaddle her with a THIN, BREATHABLE blanket, but don't wrap it super tight around her body. Just enough so she's snug. Once she's asleep, we unwrap the swaddle and she's good to go.
Another option is to use a swaddle pod with velcro. We wrap our baby in that and she falls asleep. During the night she kicks, undoes the velcro, and pulls her arms out. By morning, she's out of the swaddle pod and free to move. Ours is from Blankets and Beyond. I can verify that the Velcro does not hold well.
The last option is a swaddle sack. We use these from carter's. Their arms are free, but it's still snuggly and cozy.
I want to to add that you know your baby best. I know my baby is strong and has good head and neck control. I don't think she'll suffocate, but I still take precautions and watch her like a hawk. Especially since her favorite thing to do is take blankets (or anything) and smother her face with it. I have to make sure she can't actually smother herself. so these suggestions may or may not work for you. Just do what you feel is safe for your baby.
thanks for for the encouragement. I was anxious but LO did great! I was seated in a baby row with six other babies so that relieved a lot of the pressure - all of our babies could cry in unison! Luckily LO didn't cry once and slept in the Ergo and in my arms intermittently throughout the flight. The bassinet they provided was useless for sleep but it was great spot for storing all the stuff I needed for the flight. One thing I did learn is that I probably will refrain from taking a flight when LO is 2 years old. There was a courageous mom who had a two year old and a 5 month old in tow. The toddler fussed throughout the whole flight and ended up screaming towards the very end. I had to cover LO's ears! The toddler was simultaneously wound up and tired from not being able to move around and have a nap. Yikes!
For me, I don't have a lot of patience and I get tired easily. It wouldn't be easy or enjoyable to me to have to entertain a toddler on a long flight. Then again, I've never had my own toddler before, so who knows. Maybe I would find it enjoyable because she's mine.
I hope I didn't offend you @WBORDERS!!
I've been doing my some research all week and I want to hear personal stories/pros and cons...
My parent's reasoning for homeschooling was to inflict their religious principles onto us. I literally begged to go back to school after the second year because I missed learning with other kids so badly. We spent more time taking care of younger siblings and cooking or cleaning and doing bible study than anything actually school related. As an adult my mother blames me for not having a full education because I was "lazy."
I don't know any adults who were homeschooled that don't act differently. I can usually pick out of a line up who the homeschooled kid is based on their inability to read social cues or bizarre choice of subject within a conversation.
I don't necessarily have an issue with homeschooling for other people, with all of that being said. There are a lot more people doing it than when I was in school, so there are a great many more accessible resources to use. My advice is to choice a strong curriculum, adhere to an actual schedule, and make a point to socialize with other children. (Not just other homeschooled kids, and dance/karate classes where kids are not supposed to talk for hours at a time are not good enough)
The studies may show many homeschoolers as scoring high on tests and doing exceptionally well at the university level, but I have seen so very few real life examples of this. Many of the homeschoolers that I know (and most of the people that I know were homeschooled) truly are lacking in social skills and are unprepared for college and real life (if they attempt college at all). Now, it could be more of a regional thing. My state has very lenient guidelines (if you can call them that) for what can pass as homeschooling. IMO these should be much, much stricter.
I know this has not been everyone's experience and that there will be plenty of positive stories, but I personally cannot support homeschooling.
ETA that the most successful homeschooling mamas that I know do a sort of collaborative classical approach similar to what @kielpinskim mentioned. I think this method strikes a good balance.
I guess the pros are that if you do it right, the child can learn at their own pace, have a wider range of socialization (not just kids your own age, but literally everyone!!), flexibility (vacation during the off seasons of fall and spring to usually busy places like national parks or Hawaii for "field trips"... The down side is you have to bring your home work with you...), you get to raise your child and not some stranger... Child most likely will be able to get into any college of their choosing.
Cons... It's hard work. It requires teaching the child to be self motivated, and critical thinking, and you to figure out how to find help or a place to teach the kids subjects you don't know. Depending on how it's done, it can cause the kid to grow up too fast.
I can't imagine it could be done well in a small town... However my husband is from a small town with a thriving homeschool community. He and all his siblings were homeschooled. His little brother is finishing up his doctorate at age 25...
I will also say that my spelling never progressed much past where I left off in grade school... Which is embarrassing... So that can be a down side...