So many things have happened since my last post. Caden had a really rough time there from about week 3-7. Every evening he would cry and fuss and nothing we did would calm him down until he literally passed out. Well, we finally decided we'd had enough and tried to figure out what was going on. After a few hours on Google and Amazon, we concluded that the little guy was just so tired he couldn't keep himself together and our attempts to soothe him only stirred him up more. So, two Fridays ago I committed to keeping him up for only an hour or so at a time, allowing him to sleep two or more hours in his Pack 'n Play. That night, he went to sleep, in his PnP at 7:30pm and didn't wake again until after 11. We fed him, changed him, and he fell right back asleep. He woke one other time during the night for the same routine, and we all slept better than we had in a long, long time.
Then, last Wednesday (5 days into our new "routine") he returned to his old, inconsolable self. It was the hardest day we'd had yet and I was beginning to question my ability to care for this tiny human. He cried or fussed all day long, he wouldn't sleep, he seemed to want to eat every 2 hours (instead of 3+) he wanted to be held constantly, but if I tried to sit still he'd cry. By the end of the day I was exhausted and my back was throbbing. I thought we'd never figure it out. But I did everything I could to give him what he needed, and on Thursday I swear to you he was a different person. His demeanor changed, his posture changed. He's been making eye contact for a while, but now he actually looks at you intently, like he's studying your every feature. And he's making sounds. He plays motor boat with us and likes to say "Oohhh" in response to us. Wednesday night he found his hand while lying on the changing pad. It really is fascinating watching someone learn things like that.
So, for the past week, things have been rather glorious (knock on wood) around here. Caden snoozes a few hours, eats, and then hangs out for 45 minutes to an hour. Then right back to sleep. When he's awake he is pleasant and cheerful, and he sleeps soundly and easily. Ahhh....
Caden's Grampa came for his first visit this past weekend. I was really excited to introduce him to my dad and they seemed to get along pretty well! I look forward to watching their bond grow as Caden becomes a young man.
I had my post-partum checkup last week. It's kind of weird being done with that part of my life. I was pregnant for so long, and then had the baby, and then I was recovering from the delivery. After 12 weeks at home with my baby I will be returning to work on February 23rd. I hate the thought of leaving Caden behind. I can't believe so many women go back to work after just SIX weeks. Crazy. But now it's all over - back to life as normal. Of course, now we have to think about the next one!
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