Lovey oh lovey...

Reading through my parenting magazine last night, I thoroughly read an article on sleep. In hopes that I will find the solution to our nighttime mayhem, I thought I would find good information. The only advice that I wasn't following to the tee was for your child to have a lovey. Makes sense- Ryker uses me as a lovey- placing his hand on my neck just before bed.
So my questions for you parents out there- does your baby have a lovey? What do they use as a lovey? Is it possible to introduce a lovey since he is so old- and how exactally do you do that?
So many questions about one little thing- but I am hoping that by the time he is like 16 he will sleep through the night and that lovey may just help!

"The Club"

Ryker and I have joined "the club"....the all-nighter club! Ryker has slept through the night for 5 straight nights! (I know, finally after 8 months!) He puts himself to sleep at 8, wakes up once and cries for like 2 minutes, but then it's quiet until 6! I get a full 8 hours of sleep and then he comes into my bed until 9...I think I have died and gone to heaven.
The reason for all this? ZANTAC...I love you Zantac! After adding this to his medicine regiman he is a different sleeper! I am also a much happier mommy :)
I just had to update and brag a bit about my little man.
In other news, I now have a new toy that I need...a Dyson PINK vacuum (how fun would cleaning be when you are using a pink vacuum?!?!) I am on strike from vacuuming until I get a new one...the other night I cleaned the front room and Ryker came right after me, picking up stuff and putting it in his mouth. Why bother? My current vacuum sucks (well, it really doesnt- that's the problem!)
Dustin inherited a truck- a '65 Ford! :) After a little work, it runs like a champ. Sorry again for the lack of pictures but I have misplaced my camera charger (me? Misplace something? How odd!)
Today and this weekend we are: possibly going to look at houses and/or talk to a loan person, go to the Thalman reunion, going to the doctor with Grandma Joyce (we are praying she hasn't broken her hip), getting Ryker a haircut (mullet mania going on!), going to Brock's wedding, having lunch with my Dad's family, being set apart as compassionate service committee member in church and probably having lunch with Dustin's family on Sunday (wow!)

A Turn Around

I just wanted to update on Ryker's sleeping status...
He is a completely different baby! I think that the reason for the night owl behavior was a mix of acid reflux and just wanting Mommy :)
We have changed his medicine dose again and I will call the doctor today to change it so that we won't have to give him anything in the middle of the night. We also started letting him cry :(
It was really not bad at all. The first night he would fuss for about a minute, every 15 minutes for 3 hours, but no real crying. The second night he slept until 4:30- I gave him his medicine and he fussed for a minute then slept till 6. Last night I kind of messed him up because we went on a fun little trip. He only woke up once to eat at 2:30 then right back to sleep...So, all in all it is 1 million times better than it was and as I type, he is napping and has been for an hour and a half (unheard of in our 30 minute cat napper :) Thanks for all the support, we are going to be alright!

Trouble Yet Again

Everyone who reads my blog knows what a terrible sleeper Ryker is. I have tried and tried and TRIED to fix this. His naps are very rigid- I make him go to sleep at the same time in the same way EVERYDAY. He goes to bed at 8 o'clock sharp EVERYNIGHT with the same routine EVERYNIGHT. Consistency is supposed to be the key, right? WRONG! He also puts himself to sleep at night and I don't pick him up from his crib at night- the 2 things "they" say are supposed to lead to good sleep habits. It has just gotten worse and worse the past month.
We doubled his acid reflux medicine dose, he gets ibuprofen, baby orajel and teething tablets everynight (hopefully you can't overdose him on this stuff!) Even with this, he is staying up from 1-3 hours everynight.
Talked to the doctor today and he said to increase his acid reflux medicine and if that doesn't help then all we can do is let him cry himself back to sleep in the middle of the night and hope that gets us some relief...
So I am left frustrated and completely exhausted. I haven't had a good nights sleep since November 4th...8 months.
If you haven't had a child that doesn't sleep, you really don't know how hard it is to live like this. We are completely exhausted and can't enjoy life like we would like to. I have a suprise for Dustin for our anniversary and we are supposed to go out of town for the night in September, but I am going to have to sell our tickets if this doesn't get better. Things are just plain hard. Endure to the end is taking on a whole new meaning for me because there is no hope in sight...I had a dream last night that I was comforting an 18 year old Ryker in the middle of the night- no joke!
Well, that is what is going on in our lives right now- so not fun and very very hard to find the silver lining. I know I shouldn't whine when there are sick kids out there, but in a way I feel like he is sick because something is so wrong with him. Dustin says I will miss this- yeah right! After 8 months, I have had enough and there is NO WAY I will miss this!

Power Struggle

Hey everyone,
Ryker has gotten quite the little mind of his own lately. He gets so mad when we don't do things the way he wants. Needless to say, it is wearing us out quite quickly.
Me being the pushover I tend to be, I just can't stand to hear him cry. I called the doctor today about something else, but casually mentioned that naptime, bedtime and sleeping has become a power struggle (have I not posted about this about 1 million times?) They said that he really should be able to put himself to sleep at this age and should only wake up maybe once to eat at night. Not happening---well it was about a month ago but then the attitude started. So....
I'm standing my ground. I will have a child that isn't so needy and that can put himself to sleep. He is crying right now, refusing to take a nap. I feel like the worst mom but seriously, if I don't do something I may rip my hair out!
There is my rant for today...this being a mom stuff isn't for wimps!
Ashley

Christmas 2008

Hey everyone,
We had a great Christmas at our house! I got a coat from Dustin, straightener, shirt and watch from my inlaws and mostly money from everyone else. Dustin got candy from us (hard to make it to the store with the little one), fly tying stuff and money. Ryker got a monkey gym, rocking horse and playpen along with clothes and a few small toys.
I have to share his cute picture. He is looking too old!
We are still waiting for the sleep issue to resolve itself. We are grateful that he only wakes up twice per night at about 1-2 and 4-5, but he thinks that he's supposed to be awake for the day at 5 am...I am a sleeper and he is not so it's tough. We are increasing and changing his reflux medicine because he is spitting up like crazy lately and it seems to hurt him.
I start school again on January 5th and am pretty nervous about juggling a baby, housework and school. Dustin is always willing to help along with my mom and wonderful family, so I should be fine.
Dustin has sold his dirtbike and hopefully we will sell his snowmobile this week.
Things are going well for the Nielsen family, hope you are all well also.
Love,
Ashley, Dustin and Ryker

Not For Me

Hey Everyone,
So ignore the last post. I am no longer letting him cry it out because it was not working and was making me a nervous wreck. He is still sick and has a hourse little throat, probably from me letting him cry when it was impossible for him to sleep because he feels icky.
Anyways, last night he slept for three hours at a time and woke up this morning after about 3 quite a bit just because he didn't feel good. We may be going to the doctor yet again because he is starting to bat at his ears.
Crying it out is not for me- yet. I want him to learn to go to sleep on his own but both of us need to be ready and I can't do it out of desperation. For now, we're going to work on a routine and figure out how much sleep he truly needs because I really think he needs less naps than most kids his age. I just want my happy baby that he truly is and yesterday he cried even when I held him- probably a bit traumatized.
Thanks for advice and listening to me groan. This being a mom stuff is not for wimps and I really am beginning to realize there isn't a right answer for everything because every baby is different.
We're happy today- more smiles and less crying. Makes the future a little brighter- even if I am up 3 times a night.
Love,
Ashley, Dustin and Ryker

Sleeping Wars

Hey Everyone,
That's what I feel like we are having at our house- sleeping wars. Ryker has slowly started to sleep worse and worse, and I really don't get it! Getting up 4 times in one night doesn't really seem right when he has gone almost a week with just 2 wakings per night. Anyways, I started feeling really weak and dizzy last night and I think that it is just stress about him sleeping along with exhaustion. With school starting in 3 short weeks-something had to be done.
Today I re-read my "Becoming BabyWise" book and decided that I needed to implement their plan. The BabyWise Plan is basically that you go through feed-wake-nap cycles (in that order) throughout the day so that your baby will sleep better at night. They also suggest laying your baby down when they are drowsy but still awake so they can learn to go to sleep by themselves.
I feel like the worst mom ever because he is crying in the other room right now because I layed him down. I know he is so tired because he has barely slept today and was almost falling asleep in his bounceer, but he just cries. He is fed, changed and not in pain or sick so I feel a little better knowing he is alright. I check on him and calm him down every 5 minutes but it still takes him a while to fall asleep. Anyways, I was just wondering if any of you have any suggestions or went through the same thing. Also, let me know if you know a better way and/or think I am completely mean and heartless- cuz man I feel like it right now!
Love,
Ashley