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Now that I've read both Secrets of a Baby Whisperer and The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, I feel like I have a variety of knowledge and tools to help me when sleepy times get tough. I would recommend that any new parent read them and if at all possible, read them while you are pregnant and try to have a plan in place before your baby comes. Baby training may not be for everyone but I personally thrive on predictability.  Following the Baby Whisperer's advice has given me as much predictability as you can possibly have when dealing with a little being who has free will yet no ability to reason.  That can be a tricky combination... When I first read The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, it actually really did answer a lot of the questions I found myself asking after reading the first book, one of which being, "How long will he stay on a 3 hour EASY cycle?" The answer that I found was her 4/4 rule.  A baby should transition to a 4 hour feeding schedule around 4 months old. 

Now, Ayden is a little small for his age and it is important to remember that weight is a more important factor than age when it comes to feeding requirements.  So around 4 and a half months, I started trying to extend times between feedings and for the first time today, he ate every 4 hours.   Once his little body adjusts and he is doing this consistently, it should help us add even more time to his nighttime sleeping.  If you think about it, when a baby is on a 3 hour feeding schedule, going say 6 hours at night is a lot.  Some babies do it but the average baby would be famished after going twice as long as they are used to going all day.  When Ayden was on his 3 hour feeding routine, he would go 4 sometimes 5 hours at night (if he wasn't wanting to eat every 3 hours round the clock) so once he is used to eating every 4 hours during the day we should be able to work towards 5-6 hour stretches without him getting too hungry in the meantime.  And that's not even considering that we'll be adding solids before you know it.  I'm thinking positively and see much more sleep in my future!

Speaking of sleep, Ayden still didn't have the best nap day today.  At least instead of fussing he was being so stinkin' cute that I couldn't be bothered by it!

If that becomes his new "fighting" sleep routine, I'll take it!!

We had a great day today.  He is still chomping on his little hands and drooling a bit but the pain of teething seems to have subsided for now so he barely fussed at all all day. 

It's so fun that he's sitting up so well now!  He can't get there by himself and still falls pretty often but playtime has taken on a whole new level of fun for us all!  Today, Little Miss, Ayden and I sat together on the kitchen floor and worked puzzles.  Well, Little Miss and I worked puzzles while Ayden tried to eat all the pieces. :)

Ayden has also stated to do "the plank" in preparation for CRAWLING!  I can't believe we'll have a mobile baby within the next couple of months.  Man, it really does feel like we just brought him home...

 

 

Work that core, Ayden!

Here is a video of it that David took when he got home from work today:

In other news, the schedule changes that I made with Little Miss have been working out perfectly for me!  Now that I'm not teaching dance I am even considering picking up Fridays with her.  This sounds strange but I think as Ayden starts to become more active, having them both will be a little easier on me.  When Ayden can sit independently and play with us, as apposed to me having to hold/wear him and juggle whatever Little Miss is needing from me.  I'm sure it will add a new element of fun.  

Now I shall leave you with yet another video of cuteness...

~Sarah