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JOHNNY IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!

Oh, my word. My little boy has been semi-regularly sleeping for a big chunk of the night! His sleep pattern is all over the clock. I think he’s adjusting. So his go-to-bed times are really bizarre lately, and his wake-up times are weird, too.

But he’s falling asleep at night and I don’t hear from him until after the sun has come up! This is BEAUTIFUL. And amazing! And I never thought it would happen!

Cuz for pete’s sake, he’s 17 months old.

He was extremely needy when it came to sleep as a newborn. Had to be held. Had to be touching me. Had to be in motion. It was a bleary-eyed time.

Then when he was a little older, he fought being put to bed in his crib with such passion. There were nights when it took 3 hours to get him to fall asleep, only to have him wake an hour or two later. Not exaggerating.

Co-sleeping saved my sanity. And I never ever set out to be a co-sleeper. (If you are pregnant and also do not have any interest in co-sleeping, just research how to do it safely anyway. It’s better to do it now than when you are so sleep-deprived and are Googling it at 3 a.m.).

But we don’t really co-sleep anymore. He just climbs around too much and won’t settle down and go to sleep. So the past few months, he’s been in his crib and that’s where he gets his best rest.

It has been a slow progression toward this phase.

I did find comfort in a few moms who told me that their sons didn’t start sleeping through the night until around 16-18 months (or later).

It made me feel normal, like I wasn’t doing something wrong. It made me think that maybe this is a normal age to start sleeping all night — maybe the babies who sleep all night from 6 months or earlier are really the exception!

We put such a strong emphasis on whether our babies are sleeping all night, that I think it can really stress a mother out. It stressed me out.

I was stressed knowing that he would be waking up in a few hours. Not having a full night’s sleep in almost a year and a half can really make a person a weirdo.

But I stopped focusing on whether he was sleeping all night. I stopped trying to make it happen. Because seriously, how in the world do you make it so a baby doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night? Or how do you make it so they can just go back to sleep on their own without waking you?

Yeah, some moms have success with having their baby cry themselves back to sleep.

We had Johnny cry a little but we never ended up doing the full-on CIO. It was just too hard on everyone and it wasn’t going to work for us.

PLUS now that he can get out of his crib, and if he’s crying hard enough and is willing enough, he’s going to climb (ok, fall) out. Don’t need that, thank you. He only did it once, and I don’t want to see if he’ll do it again.

So I gave up trying to make him sleep all night. I figured he would when he was developmentally ready — because many pediatricians and experienced moms say this is a developmental thing, not something that all babies can do at 6 months or whatnot. Ya know?

Just like not all babies get their first tooth at whatever age, or start walking or talking. Some babies just need a bit longer to figure out this sleep thing.

I know that there will still be nights when he wakes up and needs a little help going back to sleep. That’s fine. He’s a little guy. But it’s looking like we’re finally on the road to getting a good night’s sleep most of the time.

Thank you, God! I may just get a few months of decent sleep before I’m sleeping crazy hours once again.

Oh, and if your baby is older than Johnny and is still not sleeping all night, I’m sorry. I really sympathize and I hope your day is coming soon!

Thoughts on LOST

Just so you know, I’m writing about the finale and thoughts from the series in general. If you aren’t caught up, come back and add your thoughts when you have. My post starts below the dots so you don’t accidentally peek at what I’ve written.

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Shane and I started watching Lost right before season 3 started. We watched seasons 1 and 2 online and from borrowed DVDs from the library. We were hooked from the pilot (and really, that is one amazing pilot!).

There were so many bizarre things during that first season and a lot of mystery. The characters were so interesting and it was fascinating to watch the story develop.

Season 2 wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t care for the “tail-ies” people and their story lines. But it was ok. The drama with the Others was good.

There was crazy time-travel (still don’t fully understand that), seeming island mythology, drama, humor, love, and just storytelling like no other.

The show was shot sort of like a movie would be. Beautiful, really.

OK, so the finale.

It was 2.5 hours (with TONS of commercials, ugh!) of intensity. I loved the reunions and when the cast became “island enlightened.” It was just really touching!

When Jin and Sun saw their baby girl on the ultrasound and had their moment, it was so sweet! And Sawyer and Juliette and just everyone else.

This was all taking place in the “flash sideways” reality as we have come to know it. It seemed sort of an alternate reality during earlier episodes, but we later found out what it really was.

Back on the island, Jack was the new island protector and he had to figure out how to kill the smoke monster (who looks like old Locke). Desmond is lowered into the “light” and he moves a huge stone out of the middle, and everything goes bananas.

The light goes out, the earth starts to quake and the light source looks like a firey lava.

But whatever happened, the smoke monster was now vulnerable. Before, he couldn’t be injured. Bullets would just miss him or pass through him with no harm done. Now, when he was punched in the face he actually bled.

Kate shot him and Jack knocked him off the edge of a rocky cliff, where he died.

It’s not clear what would have happened if Smokey survived. The story made it sound like it would be the end of the world as we know it. Hard to say.

Jack is lowered into the light source thing, rescues Desmond, and then covers the hole with that big stone once more. The light comes back on and it seems all is fine.

Hurley is the new island protector (they do a weird initiation where the original protector gives the new one a drink of something and says, “Now you’re like me.” Ooookay?

But Smokey stabbed Jack and it would prove to be fatal.

Jack is able to climb back up, and he walks back into the bamboo forest not far away, and lays down at the spot where the first episode of the first season opens.

Vincent, the yellow lab, runs out of the woods and lays by his side.

Jack sees the airplane fly overhead, which is carrying Lapedis, Richard (first plane ride, I’m guessing!), Kate, Claire and Sawyer. He smiles as he knows they made it out.

Jack’s eye closes, and he dies.

Then we’re back in sideways world. (Or actually, that previous scene might have been at the end — my timeline is mixed up!).

All the former castaways are gathering. They’re all becoming island enlightened — suddenly re-aware of all that happened on the island. They remember. They remember the people that they once knew (and for whatever reason, in some cases had forgotten in the sideways world).

They’re all gathering in a church, where it looks like it might be the funeral for Jack’s father, who is weirdly named Christian Shepherd.

Jack touches the coffin and has his island enlightenment moment. He opens the coffin–empty. His father is standing behind him and speaks.

Jack realizes that he himself has died. Christian explains some key things — and I will need to rewatch it so I can pick up on anything else I may have missed.

But basically, he explains that where they are “now” (and “now” isn’t really a time, anymore) is the meeting place the island caraways have created so they could reunite later and move on together. Some sort of afterlife holding tank?

Christian says that everyone there has died. He says that some of them died before Jack, and some a long time after. So we can assume that some of them went on to live long lives after getting off the island.

Which sorta makes sense, because when I think back to the other scenes during the flash sideways, everyone is a little different. Most are a bit better off in the sideways world. Sawyer is a detective (whereas before, he was a con man). Ben is having a normal life on the mainland and he is influential to his island daughter, Alex.

Weirdly, Juliette and Jack were apparently married at some point and had their son, David. Definitely not how it happened in reality. David had a different mom, and Juliette and Jack never knew each other pre-island.

In a lot of ways, Sideways world mirrors the previous reality. They go through a lot of the same things but there are a few subtle differences.

So back at the “funeral”. Christian does explain that what happened in Jack’s life was real and really happened. So all the craziness that happened on the island? Happened. Just accept it, I guess.

He also explains that the people on the island were the most significant to him during his life, which is why they all wanted to meet up again later.

So Jack goes into the sanctuary and everyone looks so happy and they hug and cry and just look content, happy to be together once again.

Cuz really, some of their deaths were so, so sad (Jin and Sun! Charlie!).

Christian walks out the back door into a bright light.

On some message boards, some people seem confused about how it ended. Again, the island was real. The sideways world was when they were all dead, in the holding area.

So……..part of me was really satisfied with how it all ended, but part of me wishes a few more questions were answered. Lost was famous for leaving a bit of mystery, and I didn’t expect them to answer everything. But just a little more would be nice.

I AM taking issue with some reviewers and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who is saying that there are a lot of parallels with Christianity and other religions.

These people clearly do not have a firm understanding of what Christianity is all about.

Kimmel was saying how in life, you try to do good things and you have to make things right and how that’s similar to Christianity.

Um, no. Yes, you are supposed to follow the 10 Commandments, and follow God’s Word. But Christians believe that they are sinful and NOTHING — not good works, not being kind to people, not by making atonements — will save them for eternity. The only thing that can save us is God’s son, Jesus, who was divine and human and lived a sinless life. His death paid for our sins, and his ressurection showed that He conquered death. Believing in Him is what will get us to Heaven. That’s it.

So I’m really not liking some people comparing the show to Christianity.

Yes, there were some things that seemed spiritual in some ways. But certainly not Christian.

And an afterlife holding tank/purgatory thing? That’s just not how the Bible tells it.

ANYWAY.

It was a complicated show and I think I will need to watch it from beginning to end once more to see if I can make some more sense out of it.

What did you think of the show? Did you come to a different conclusion?

Cloth diapers

So Johnny has been in cloth diapers for oh, going on 11 months, I guess. We have used our fair share of disposables in that time — when we travel overnight somewhere, and recently because he had a pretty awful rash that needed some serious cream.

I think the rash cropped up for two reasons: I tried making my own wipe spray and the formula must have been too harsh for him. ALSO he had taken to pooping during naptime, and it would sit against his bottom for way too long. So that’s just one big recipe for a bad rash!

It’s still sorta there, and I’m hoping that it will finish healing soon. I’m tired of wasting money on all those disposables! I also went ahead and ran my prefolds through the wash with some bleach in case there was anything lingering.

I have a few pocket diapers that I’ll hand wash with some Dawn and then I’ll run them through the wash until the bubbles are gone.

(That’s how I should go about it … right?)

I’d hang them on a line if I had an outdoors one, but alas I do not.

When I set out to buy cloth diapers, I asked all the mamas I knew who used cloth what they suggested. I spent gobs of time reading reviews. And yet, nothing quite helps you know what works until you just try some and test them out!

In the end, Shane and I really do prefer prefolds with covers. We don’t fold the prefold into a diaper and pin or Snappi it around Johnny — that’s just too hard for us. Instead, we trifold it or do a modified newspaper fold thing and lay it in the cover.

Easy, cheap, works.

As far as covers go, Flips are our favorites. For awhile, we liked Thirsties Duos, but the things just don’t hold up. I have four in rotation. They are starting to pill (likely from catching on the velcro tabs — even though they have laundry tabs). The elastic is sort of fraying on some of them. They just aren’t a workhorse type of cover.

And it’s a shame, because the design is nice and the price is good ($12.75).

I’m going to a diaper swapper meetup on Wednesday.

I am hoping to unload two BumGenius one size pockets, a one size FuzziBunz, three GAD semi-fitted pockets, a nighttime weight fleece cover from Dancing Bears, some Snappis, some microfiber towels, 2 Happy Heiny mediums, and maybe a few other things.

I’m hoping to whittle it down to some Flips (we only have 3 covers right now), and 3 Smartipants pockets. Shane really likes that for a pocket diaper and I do, too, but I worry that Johnny will soon outgrow it. I dunno. They’re still in great shape and will work for baby #2 and is an easier diaper to have for babysitters.

For this new baby, I’m hoping to get some newborn and size small covers. I’m thinking Prowraps and Bummis Super Brite. I’m interested in the Super Brite over the other Bummis whisper wrap because it has leg gussets. I have a wet bag with the Super Brite fabric and i think it’s really nice.

Maybe a few other types of covers. As my pal Susan suggested, it’s good to rotate the types of covers so it won’t leave a wear mark on their legs.

I don’t have marks when I use the Flips, but I do with Thirsties.

The Flips are supposed to be good from 8-35 lbs., but when I look at it at its smallest setting, there is just no way it would fit my baby at 8 lbs. I’d like to see pictures of it on a little baby. If baby #2 is built like Johnny was (long, skinny, no fat on his butt…and 6 lbs. 5 oz. at birth) then I’m going to need newborn and small covers for a little while for a better fit. That’s ok — buying diapers is fun!

And seriously — you can resell them later. Love it!

So…that’s what I’m hoping to find at the diaper meetup.

Overall, I am really happy we switched to cloth. When he poops in a disposable, I plop the contents into the toilet anyway — so what’s the real difference? None, anymore. The sticky poo phase at 6 months was horrible and it’s a bad time to start CDing, but whaddya do.

It’s nice not having to coupon and chase drugstore deals or deal with gross blowouts or leaks. The cost savings really is significant.

First ultrasound!

Had my first ultrasound with this baby earlier this week. We have a sweet little heartbeat! 183 bpm, just working hard. The baby is still at the “Hi! I am a baby blob!” stage right now. Next ultrasound the baby will definitely look like a baby and that’s exciting!

They gave me an estimated due date based on the ultrasound and it was within a few days of my own guess. I’m reluctant to even mention the date since the baby is going to come whenever anyway. It’ll be around Johnny’s birthday (Dec. 20) or Christmas or early December or the middle of the month. Counting down days on the calendar is NOT a good way to keep a pregnant lady sane in the last few weeks. So I’m not going to pay attention to my due date. I’m due in December and that’s that.

I still have a few weeks in the first trimester. I think that if I was going to have any morning sickness, it would have started by now. Maybe I’m in the clear? I’ve had a few minor food aversions — like I had points where I didn’t want to look at/think about raw chicken. But that’s gross enough when you’re not pregnant.

And I ate some Wonder bread that seriously gave me the dry heaves. Sorry. But I think it’s just because my body is used to the whole grain stuff.

I don’t have a baby belly yet. Any pudge you may or may not see is bloat and possibly just stuff left over from Johnny . I do sense that my guts are starting to get smooshed out of the way.

Things are good and I’m a lot more mellow about stuff this time around.

He climbed out of his crib!

Well, the little guy decided he was breaking out of his crib last night. He woke up around 5 and started talking to himself a little. He did that the night before and went back to sleep on his own, so I was just listening to see if he would.

I heard a different kind of cry — a really scared one — so I went in to see what was going on.

The dude met me at the door! WHAT! What are you doing up, Johnny!?

He looked really scared and wanted lots of comfort.

I don’t think he hurt himself badly. I don’t know how he did it or how he landed. He seems to be ok.

We had been giving him a pillow to use since the crib mattress is hard as a rock (like it’s supposed to be) but it can’t be comfortable for him.

So I hope that he used the pillow for some extra height — and not just his baby brute strength and large, heavy head.

The pillow is gone. I think I’ll try him in the crib again and I’ll put some pillows around it I guess. I hope he doesn’t climb out again, but I am really not ready to convert the crib into a big-boy bed!

I was hoping he’d use the crib until well after the baby got here. That’s not too likely now.

Anyone know if Pack N Play walls are higher than cribs? Maybe I’ll put him in that.