So there is this funny app on Kevin's droid phone called "Talking Tom." (I'm sure it's on the iphone and ipod touch too.) You can speak into the phone and he will repeat back what you said--but at a much higher pitch. Olive loves this. Kevin will sing into it and she will just kick those legs as it sings back to her in its funny little voice.
Well, she finally figured out that it will copy what she does. She really goes to town. What a silly girl.
We went to Olive's six-month appointment on Monday. She's looking good; she falls into the 75-90% for her age in weight and height. My most pressing question for the doctor was regarding her sleeping habits. (When she was one-month old, she was sleeping ten hours every night without any feedings. She kept this lovely habit up until about four-months old. Then she started waking up in the middle of the night. THEN we went on vacation and it turned into several times a night. EEK! I was wondering how I could get back to the lovely ten-hour nights!)
The doctor's first question was what I was doing when she woke up in the middle of the night. I told him I was feeding her. Even as I was saying it, I knew it was the problem. He said that we have basically taught her that she can't go to sleep or go back to sleep unless she's fed. I have totally known this (since we usually have to feed her into the coma). But I was avoiding it, I guess. After all, she won't take a pacifier, doesn't suck on her thumb--nothing to self-pacify. I told him that we have tried to let her scream it out a couple of times, but after 15 minutes she is usually in a rage and sometimes spits up and chokes. I have had to sit her up a couple of times and whack her on the back. He said she needs to concentrate on something to help get herself to sleep. A mobile, a night light, a shadow on the wall, something. And of course, check on her if she spits up and chokes, but other than that, tough it out.
I decided to give her a blankie and Pooh bear since she likes to chew on her blankets. We also put some soft classical music on.
Monday: screamed an hour before nap, an hour before bed, an hour in the middle of the night. Good grief!
Tuesday: screamed forty-five minutes before naptime, an hour before bed, didn't wake up in the middle of the night. YES!!
Wednesday: repeat.
Thursday: repeat, except she woke up at 5:30 a.m. instead of her normal 7:00 a.m. :(
Friday: repeat, but he screaming times are getting shorter.
Saturday: fussed five minutes before nap, 10 minutes before bed.
So that's where we're at. I don't think I have as hard of a time letting her cry as some people do (Kevin), mostly because I'm glad I don't have to jog around the house anymore. Wish us luck for an even better week!
Do I really have a six-month old? And will I ever want to stop squeezing her? (Maybe teenage years?) This week, Olive has enjoyed being propped up against things so she can stand. I am convinced that she will be walking in a few months. Kevin thinks she will skip crawling altogether.
Oh, and she loves music, though you can hardly blame her since Kevin and I are always crooning around the house. Kevin decided to give her a first singing lesson.
I have been working on my craft blog and have learned lots of boring computer babble. Please feel free to take a sneak peak here at the layout and let me know what you think so far. I hope to post the first project this week!Oh, and I COULDN'T be happier about my workroom transformation. First, you must understand what a vile state it was in before. Imagine a wall lined with plastic tubs and cardboard boxes, overflowing with fabric, batting, and all other crafting supplies. I should have taken a "before" picture, but it was just too embarrassing. Anyway, here is what a $25 shelf from Walmart did for me. I also took a cute little postal-inspired cubby my mom gave me (I had been using it in Olive's room for bows, socks, shoes, bibs, etc.) and now it helps me organize machine thread, embroidery thread, buttons, ribbon, etc.
