Sleeping, New Tooth and New Home

If you haven’t heard, Caleb hasn’t been sleeping well. It’s not that he doesn’t sleep. It’s just that he doesn’t like to sleep. Yvonne’s got his sleep cycle down, but knowing his sleep cycle doesn’t mean he actually stays asleep. For daytime naps, Caleb’s schedule goes like this:

0 min – Falls asleep
25 min – Stirs awake.

It’s at this point where intervention is almost always needed. First off you need to be holding him. Secondly, adult intervention is required usually in the form of bouncing up and down, sticking a finger in his mouth, or a combination of the two. If all doesn’t go well, he’s awake after his 25 minute nap. If all does go well, Caleb passes this moment back into slumber land. This process continues:

45 min – Stirs awake.
1 hour 45 min – Stirs awake.

According to babycenter.com, babies at four months of age need 12-15 hours of sleep a day. Now if Caleb only goes down for 25 minute naps at a time, he doesn’t get enough sleep. And when he doesn’t get enough sleep, he gets grumpy until he finally crashes before his normal bedtime.

It’s not easy getting him asleep and keeping him asleep. But Caleb is getting enough sleep now (most days), but it’s hard work. We’ve even had to trick him into thinking we’re still holding. That’s what it’s come down to.

Caleb + Pillows

Nighttime sleeping is a different matter though. This whole sleep cycle is different for some reason. He can actually stay asleep pass that 25 minute barrier. Problem is he’s developing too fast. He talks, he rolls, he’s teething. All this complicates his sleep, which complicates our sleep.

Caleb popped his first tooth a few weeks ago, and this morning we can see his second tooth about to pop out. No wonder he keeps waking so often during the night. I wish I could get a good picture of it.

You probably didn’t notice, but baby.chriswong.org has a new home. It’s on a new server that is. Hopefully it’s much more reliable and much faster. Cause all know the real reason why you’re here. It’s not to read stories. It’s to see pictures of Caleb.

Sitting Caleb Playing Caleb + Tommy Headphones Bumbo Naked Funny suit

Caleb’s Baby Dedication

You’re invited to Caleb’s Baby Dedication on Sunday, 11/18/07!

San Gabriel Valley Alliance Church
1027 S. First Avenue
Arcadia, CA 91006

10AM

Come see which outfit Caleb wears. Chris would be happy to see Caleb in a Mlikwaukee Bucks oufit. I would love to see Caleb in his first polo shirt/onesie.

But more importantly, come celebrate and pray with us as we publicly dedicate our beautiful son to His Maker.

4 month immunizations

Baby Caleb had to have his 4-month vaccines yesterday. Daddy Chris had (and will continue in the future to have) the honor of holding our son for his vaccines. Caleb’s been fussy and feverish with an unhappy tummy. Poor Chris had to sleep holding Caleb with his legs propped up to help Caleb relieve his gassy intestines (compliments of the oral rotavirus vaccine).

When we have a chance, we’ll upload a picture of Caleb’s legs. They gave him cute Charlie Brown bandaids–one on each rotund thigh.

Oh almost forgot… Caleb is now 17 pounds, 7 oz (95th percentile) and 26 1/4 inches long (90th percentile). And, I thought he was slowing down… I guess I was wrong… 🙂

I have feet!

Caleb found his feet today. It’s adorable. He wiggles his toes and watches in amazement. Then he grabs his feet with his hands (sometimes both hands grab 1 foot), and he looks shocked that he found his feet. My goodness Caleb is developing fast.

My special workout

So early last week, a friend of mine asked, “Have you been working out now? You look like you’ve lost a lot of weight.” Haha!!!! I replied, “No, I don’t even have time to sleep… I definitely don’t have time to work out.” But later, as I thought about it, I have been working out heaps…. with a 17-18 pound munchkin in tow nearly 24-7. hee-hee. thanks, Caleb. you’re helping me lose weight. 🙂

First Tooth

So after 2 months of nearly nonstop drenching drool and animal-like gnawing, our son has cut his first tooth. So many people told me he’s too young to be teething. After a month of these symptoms with no tooth as proof, I started wondering myself if I was just poorly assessing Caleb. But, lo and behold, the first rough tooth top of his bottom right incisor has definitely erupted.

Caleb’s 3 month pictures

http://picasaweb.google.com/chriswong/KiddieKandid15Weeks

502071645_10.jpg

Caleb’s rolling from his tummy to his back now… and every once in a while from his back to his tummy. He’s got 2 adorable laughs… one sounds kind of like a giggle… the other like “huh-huh” but with a huge toothless drooly grin.

Caleb went to his first concert last night – David Crowder Band – one of his daddy’s favorite Christian bands. He donned these hilarious infant hearing protection earmuffs. Wish I had a picture to show you, but they didn’t allow cameras into the House of Blues. We’ll take one at the National Youth Workers Convention this coming weekend.

9/27/07

Happy 3 month birthday, Caleb!

Caleb and I went to our first MOMS group. 4 other moms were there at one gal’s house. it was breakfast recipe day. everybody was supposed to make a breakfast item and bring copies of the recipe to share with the other moms. I’ve been wanting to get out of the house and meet other moms, but I was thinking I may be in over my head with this cooking/recipe stuff. I was worried I might be hanging out with a bunch of “Stepford Wives” moms or something like that. Who has time to cook breakfast? Don’t most people just have instant oatmeal, toast, or cereal? Or aren’t they like Chris and they run out the door and eat lunch as their first meal? Well, I learned that this was their first recipe day. I made these ice cream muffins… 2 ingredients in the recipe – bisquick and ice cream. mix, pour, and bake. doesn’t get any simpler! it made me feel better when one of the other moms brought store-bought croissants and said here’s our breaksfast. hee-hee. real life as a mother.

it was nice meeting with other moms. their kids were 15 months to 2+ years. they told me about their own spit up, poop, and lack-of-sleep stories. it was encouraging to hear that it gets easier. they were amazed at how good Caleb is… how mellow he is. Caleb’s so good in front of other people. Way to go, Caleb… you fooled them all! i got home and not more than 5 minutes later, my little angel started wailing for an hour before finally giving in to a needed nap. so, my little 3-month angel is laying in my lap napping. in 10 minutes or so, he’ll be up and ready to eat and play again. it makes for a busy day taking care of a baby. but, Caleb is so adorable! as much as i miss my sleep, a clean house, peaceful car rides, being able to eat dinner at the same time as my husband, i definitely wouldn’t give back my little munchkin now.

lots of pictures at pictures.chriswong.org. caleb will be taking his 3 month pictures this weekend.

New horizons

Today we tried a pacifier with Caleb. He sucked a little, furrowed up his eyebrows, and promptly spit it out. Pretty funny to watch. Chris tried again. Same reaction plus crying.

Tonight we tried a bottle for the first time since Caleb was first born. It’s been over 3 weeks since I’ve had obviously tender breasts. He’s been breastfeeding so well, so we thought we’d see if he’d take to a bottle (in case we ever need it in the future). Our lactation consultant said to wait several weeks after breastfeeding goes well, and to be prepared that he may not want the bottle at all. She warned me that I would probably need to leave the house, etc. Well, Caleb liked the bottle. We got this special one (1st Years Breastflow) with a double nipple designed to make Caleb drink as if he’s drinking from the breast. Bottlefeeding went so well with Chris & Caleb that I almost felt unwanted. But then he drank again from my breast happily.

Nay pacifier, Yay bottle.

Yummy Thumb

OK, I really should be studying for my New Testament final (I’m finishing up a distance learning class for my masters program at Fuller… and yes, I know I’m crazy)…

But, Caleb is sooo cute. I couldn’t resist taking more webcam pics. Here’s one of them… he’s gonna be a thumb-sucker…

thumb.jpg