Sleeping, Eating and Drinking

I am SO ready to sleep through the night. I started turning Cole's baby monitor off so I would only hear him if he were REALLY crying ... okay, screaming. It worked. He's sleeping 11 hours most every night. The problem(s)?

1. I still wake up during the night at least once or twice. Grr!!!!!! Sometimes it's around 5AM and I'll hear Cole squirming or whining trying to fall back asleep so I'll go in and nurse him (since I can't sleep either and it helps solve problem #2).

2. He really needs 12 hours of sleep in order to make it a good 2-3 hours before another nap. But he can only make it 11 before starving for food. So I deal with a pretty tired baby in the morning.

I've also decided since the babe can only go 11 hours, going to bed at 7pm and getting up at 6am was not satisfactory for mommy. So I pushed bedtime to 8pm. It fixes the morning problem but adjusting his naps so he can make it until 8pm is still in the works. He really fights a 3rd nap now so I'm trying to delay the morning nap until 10am (have yet to make that one) and then a 2nd nap at 3pm. Right now we're struggling to even make it to 9am and 2pm. But we'll get there!

The best part about Cole staying up later is we've gotten more time with Daddy and he has decided it is SUPER funny when dad turns his back on him and walks away. I thought maybe it was just the after 7pm bewitching hour, but he was laughing at him this morning too since Rick didn't go into work until later. Cole has definitely figured out that Dad is the funny one. I've got a little on video but I'll try to get more.

(Note his look towards me for approval after standing...funny boy.)

We bought some blocks for Cole this week and he loves them. Well, he loves mommy to build them up so he can knock them down. Such a boy.

He is eating more baby food and actually eating fruit by itself without having to be mixed with rice cereal. He loves Cheerios but I have to watch him close because every once in a while he won't chew it enough and he coughs. He also doesn't have the the coordination to put them in his mouth. They are simply too small for his manly hands!

I'm desperate to get Cole to drink from a bottle, a sippy cup, a cup, anything! I'm just ready for him to not be so utterly needy for mom. Rick and I are going to San Antonio in a couple of weeks for a weekend stay at a fancy-smancy resort. He has to go for a business conference so why not enjoy it?! Now as it is getting nearer and nearer I am dying to go alone without baby! I hope that doesn't sound awful. I just think it would be more fun. But without Cole being able to drink enough from any of the above options, it's impossible. He will nibble on bottles and silicone sippy cups. He will drink a little from less secure sippy cups that just drip out when you tilt them. He will drink from a little cup too but not enough for a full dose of milk that he wants and it would certainly be messy in the end. I'm not saying I don't want to nurse anymore, I'm just saying I want other options too! I'm thinking he's too old to get him to take a bottle but if that's what will work, then I'll buy 30 brands if needed to find the one he will take. Same for sippy cups, etc. Any ideas?

Oh yes, and the first baby tooth popped up. It's just barely above the gums but the other is close behind as well!

In other news...

Cole and I went to College Station last weekend with Grandma and Grandpa to spend time with my Uncle Lynn and Aunt Barbara's family. Okay, and their new pool too. It was the first overnight stay for Cole anywhere. He didn't sleep too well in the Pack 'N Play but I think he would have done better if we'd stayed another night. I figured out too late it wasn't really where he was sleeping so much as it was too DARK where he was sleeping. I forgot he has a nightlight in his room. Here he is being so patriotic like his daddy.


It is hot, Hot, HOT here! Cole takes it pretty well though. Give him a cracker, a hat and some shade and he's content.