Sunday, March 27, 2011

First Solo Flight Is On The Horizon


Just a quick note to say that my husbands first solo flight completely by himself is on Tuesday. Mariah and I are planning to go watch him and take pictures. We are so excited. Successful completion of his solo flight marks the end of Phase 1 of training. Then, we'll take a vacation to Houston for a week or so. He's slated to start Phase 2 mid-April. Wooohoo!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Babywise Update: How's It Going (Week 8)


Hey there folks. I want to be sure to update my blog as often as possible. I have so many things to share, mommiehood, being a military wife, and what's going on with Mariah. I'll also try to dedicate a few posts to Babywise, the parent directed feeding method Michael and I are using. Mariah has started her OWN blog to keep you all updated on what she's up to. Be sure to sign up to FOLLOW her blog.

Babywise weeks 7-9 is the time period all mommies secretly can't wait to get to. Why? Because that's when the middle of the night feeding should drop off. If following the Feed --> Wake --> Sleep routine on a 2 1/2 - 3 hr schedule prior to week 7, baby should sleep at least 7 to 8 hours through the night by week 9. I'm happy to say we've hit that mark! How did we get here? Now that's what makes this an entertaining post! It's been constant flexibility and persistence on our part. We've had to work very hard at feeding her on schedule, keeping her awake directly after eating, and putting her down for a nap after her wake time. Through these couple months, we've made several mistakes. We had some really good days right on schedule and some rough days. The key, however, to recovering from an "off-day" is to get back on schedule. This may take a couple of feedings, but aim to get back on your regular routine. Staying on routine not only trains your lactation and metabolism, but it also keeps baby's stomach in check! Baby's tummy begins to become hungry and expect food at your scheduled times. This allows baby to eat a FULL MEAL and not snack feed. This also ensures mom is secure in knowing what baby wants and needs throughout the day. If it's Noon and she eats at Noon, then she's crying because she's hungry. If it's 1 p.m. and she just ate, then you know she needs a nap. If it's in the middle of a nap after a full feeding, then you know it's a dirty diaper or trapped gas. (This isn't perfect by any means. There are times when you just can't figure it out.)

Weeks 5 -8 in particular have taught us several things. Here are our highlights-

Mistakes We Made

1) Calculating wake time:
I realized very recently that we'd been calculating waketime all wrong. For those not familiar with the Babywise method, waketime is the amount of time the baby is awake...between naps. I thought it meant the time AFTER a feeding. But, no! It is the time awake, including feedings. For example, on a 6a, 9a, 12p, 3p, 6p, 9p, 11p schedule. Wake time would be from 6am when the feeding starts, until the child goes to sleep. Wake time should be 40 to 70 minutes with babies between the age of 6-8 weeks according to Chronicles of Babywise Mom. I have found this time frame to work well for Mariah as well.

2) Feeding dropped, so pump less often:
When Mariah dropped her middle of the night feeding around 6 weeks, I stopped pumping in the middle of the night. My breasts assumed I did not need that milk and so they began to fill less. Now, I wake up in the middle of the night to check on her and I notice my breasts are not consistently firm. I realize now that I need to continue to pump throughout the day, perhaps an additional time so that my breasts still "think" I need that milk. I have noticed a decrease in my supply. Remember, breast milk typically works on supply and demand, so keep demanding and pray they keep supplying. Don't stop demanding.

3) Middle of the night cry isn't always hunger:
This was a huge "AHA!" moment for me last week. The first time Mariah slept through the night was around 6 weeks. She did it twice in a row. I was prepared for this to not be permanent since Babywise says it happens after week 7. However, I knew she was making progress in the right direction. Well, after night two of consistent sleep, she woke up during night 3. I heard the cry and immediately looked at the clock. It was 4 a.m. So strange. Oh well! I took her into my embrace and nursed her. She was out in 10 minutes. That was really odd! She never eats for such a short amount of time. Then I realized that was a snack! Oh no...not snack feedings. Hmmm. The next day I was baffled because yet again she fussed at 4 a.m. By day 3 of this, I began doing research to figure out what was going on. Then it hit me! I recall the Babywise book explaining that different cries warrant different responses. It dawned on me that I didn't stop to see if she needed anything else, I just offered food. That night she woke at 330am, I offered the pacifier and she went right back to sleep until 730am.

Lessons We Learned

*The importance of optimal nap time:
I had no idea what this was until a few days ago. Optimal nap time is the best time to put your little one down for a nap to get optimal (i.e. very little) pre-sleep fussiness. Putting them down at this time also discourages waking up early from naps. [ [ [What do I mean by waking up early? According to Babywise, a 5 - 8 week baby that is sleeping through the night should nap continuously for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs 5 to 6 times per day.] ] ] The key is to figuring out when your baby's optimal nap time is to look for sleep cues: yawning, red around the eyes, slight fussiness, loosing alertness. Optimal nap time will vary from child to child. It may even vary at different parts of the day. Mariah, for example is ready to go down in 40 minutes earlier in the day and 60 minutes later in the day.

Keep in mind you want to be ahead of the curve in figuring out that this time is coming so that you can PUT BABY DOWN AWAKE. That is key in teaching baby how to fall asleep on her own. The optimal time window also passes within about 15 minutes. I've noticed with Mariah that if I miss her optimal window, she'll lay down, obviously exhausted, and refuse to sleep. Instead she'll lay there and look around, sometimes until her next feeding!

*Handling the 45-minute intruder:
Babywise speaks of the elusive 45-minute intruder! What makes it so elusive is that it can easily be confused with a variety of other issues such as, decrease in milk supply, growth spurts, or overstimulation. The sign of the 45-minute intruder is when baby is sleeping on schedule fairly consistently then all of a sudden wakes 45 minutes early...in other words, 45 minutes before the next feed time. Babywise suggests treating this like a hunger issue before assuming it's a sleep issue. So, if baby wakes early, feed and adjust their schedule. If they do not take a full-feeding then you know its not a feeding issue and you can treat it like a sleep issue. A common suggestion if its a sleep issue is reducing the amount of wake time as it may be overstimulating your little one. Other suggestions can be found here. Mariah has hit her 45-minute intruder this week. Both yesterday and today have experienced this unwelcome visitor! It is definitely and odd situation. Parents that are schedulers, like myself, may find it really hard to deal with. You're accustomed to knowing exactly when your child will do what then all of a sudden something out of the norm happens and you're left scratching your head. The 45-minute intruder appears during weeks 7 or 8 and again around 4 months (or 16 weeks). Recognize it and tackle it. It should be gone in a couple days. Leave it untreated and it could affect milk supply and throw your routine out of whack for a long time. I'll be sure to let you know when ours disappears.

*Sleep begets sleep:
Babies need adequate rest during the day to sleep well at night. Counter to what seems would make sense, Babywise and non-Babywise researchers have found that babies that sleep well during the day are more likely to sleep through the night. Sleeping well is defined by getting the recommended 16-18 hrs per day (includes nighttime rest). Sleeping well also means that baby can comfortably transition from active to deep sleep and back again. Each phase lasts about 40-50 minutes. Mariah goes through about 1 cycle per nap: active --> deep --> active.

Well that was a boat load of information. My goal is to not only share my experiences with it, but also provide detailed information for any of you considering using the method. It takes a lot of encouragement in the beginning. I hope to provide that to those of you that are starting out on the Babywise path. :)

Toodles!

More Babywise info can be found here.

Pilot Training is Underway...


Everything we've been hoping to get started on is finally coming to fruition. Michael has jumped into pilot training and he's loving every minute of it. He says, "I can't believe I get paid to do this," at least 3 times a day! With all this fun comes lots of hard work. My husband literally spends hours and hours studying, pretend flying, and quizzing himself. I recall one Saturday, he was closed in his study room for 11 hours straight. I think I heard a toilet flush ONCE! His hard work has paid off thus far. He earned an 'A' average in the first phase of academic tests. Just to recap his training schedule timeline, here goes. Keep in mind, nothing in the military is 100% set in stone, so these timelines could change! "SIGH"

Phase 1: IFS
Runs: 2-3 weeks
Where: Pensacola, FL
What it consists of: 2 weeks of academic tests, followed by 13.5 hours of flight instruction in the actual aircraft. To date, Michael has completed just over 7 hours of the required 13.5.

Phase 2: API
Runs: 6-8 weeks
Where: Pensacola, FL
What it consists of: Academic classes.

Phase 3: Primary
Runs: 6-8 months
Where: Pensacola, FL (some do it in Corpus Christi, Tx)
What it consists of: A variety of academic classes and in-flight instruction.

***You find out which type of aircraft you will fly after your final flight in this phase. It's a pretty big day! You are asked to rank your preferences. Command ranks you against your peers and gives you a decision. The majority of Marine Corps pilot get helicopters, simply because there are more to go around. Jets, C130, and Osprey slots are harder to come by because there are fewer slots to give.

Phase 4: Advanced
Runs: Between 6 - 15 months depending on type of aircraft
Where: Depends of which type of aircraft you select.
*Jets (Meridian, MS or Kingsville, Tx)
*Helicopter (Pensacola, FL)
*Ospreys (Corpus Christi, Tx)
*C130s (Corpus Christi, Tx)
What it consists of: A variety of academic classes and in-flight instruction.

We actually got to watch him take off and land the other day. Mariah and I drove out to the airfield where he is flying and watched for a few hours from inside the air conditioned car. :) More updates on flight school to come...

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

1 Month Down...A Lifetime To Go

Where has the time gone? Month 1 flew by! It seemed like each day, Mariah learned how to do something new! One thing is for sure, with every passing day, Michael and I are falling more and more in love with our little Munchie.
Daddy is absolutely smitten at the slightest smile or coo! I spend hours just staring at her smiling...and occasionally crying. It's such an humbling experience to watch your infant grow, learn, and change. They rely on you so heavily to take care of them. They have no fear, just certainty that Mommie and Daddy will take care of everything. I can't stop saying thank you enough. Every time she smiles, or grunts I'm grateful. Every day I wake, I'm grateful to have another day to serve my child with unconditional love. Ahhhh! It's the coolest job in the world!

This month we had THREE major milestones: 1) Mariah took her first bath and boy was it scary! For starters, I was terrified she'd drown in the tablespoon of water I bathed her in! I just KNEW it was too cold and she'd get hypothermia within 60 seconds of being wet. As the bath commenced, I was certain she'd slip out of my hands because she was so squirmy and wet. All around, I think she was very confused as well. She kept staring at me as if to say "Why are you doing this to me? I'm not enjoying it and neither are you! Why don't we just stop?!" Daddy caught this expression on camera...priceless.

2) Mariah's eyes followed the pages of her book as I read to her. I try to read to her at least twice a day. We are reading the same book over and over again right now to provide repetition. Usually she'd just gaze aimlessly or stare into my face as I read. Well around week 4, she actually focused her attention on the book's pages and as I turned the pages, she turned her head. I was super excited! Sounds so incredibly small, but things like this are HUGE for a new Mommie!

3) Mommie and daughter spent the afternoon out together! This was more of a milestone for me I guess. But, every mom is terrified, I'd assume, driving their little one around alone for the first time. I wanted to visit one of my dear friends who also has a newborn. So, Mariah and I got dressed in adorable outfits. I did my hair and put on a light touch of make up...and we hopped in the car all by ourselves to visit our friend. It was a huge moment in my Mommie experience. I was super nervous about her back there all by herself. At every stop light, I put the car in park, reclined my seat, and leaned back there to see if she was okay. Of course, she was! I was just ... ya know... a paranoid new mom! When we got to our friends house, Mariah did a wonderful job eating, playing, and napping right on schedule without any prompting from Mommie! It was super duper fun!

Month 1 has been a wonderful blessing. The time has flown by. In other news this month, I completed my spring semester course and should be graduating with a Masters in Educational Leadership and Human Development from George Washington University in May! I look forward to making the trip back to D.C. to spend some time with friends and graduate!! I was also waiting, ever so patiently, to hear back on my Ed.D. application and the news came in. :) I was accepted! WOW! Uhm, not sure what's next. Do I go? Do I defer my acceptance for a year? Can I do "stay-at-home-mom" and "Doctorate student"???? I don't know! I'm praying about whether or not this is the path God wants me to take. I have two weeks to accept, reject, or defer my acceptance. We shall see!

One last note, my dear friend Gail is the mother of a 3-year-old. When her son turned 1, she had a birthday party in her home and decorated the house with pictures of her child from each month of his life. I STOLE that idea!!! Check out Mariah's one month pictures. As always credit to Modern Joy Photography for capturing our life's priceless moments. [Side note: MJ Photography will be in Houston and Austin on June 10-13, 2011 if anyone is interested in booking. Packages start at $250. Email jessica@modernjoyphoto.com for booking info.]