Just as Max Braverman started wearing deodorant and showering on last night’s Parenthood, we too have had a couple small victories in the Calcara household this week 🙂
Arden has now successfully made it through two workouts in the gym nursery with NO tears! Hooray! There’s always a teacher holding her when I go to pick her up, but that’s still much better than being called down after 15 minutes on the treadmill. Or even worse not hearing the announcement and having someone sent up with your name on a whiteboard! Only slightly embarrassing…
I’m so glad she’s getting used to being at the nursery and cared for by someone other than me. Although I still love seeing her big smile the moment she sees me walk through the door 🙂 This is going to be good for both of us…I get to break a sweat and Arden gets to socialize with other people and babies.
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| I think she was feeling pretty proud of herself when we got home today 🙂 |
In even more exciting news, a week ago today we went out on a limb and quit the swaddle, nap nanny and rocking to sleep–all at once. I figured it couldn’t hurt to just try it and see what would happen…and to my surprise, she actually napped!
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| “Look mom, no swaddle!” |
My strategy (if you can call it that) for getting her to fall asleep on her own has been to let her cry for about 5 minutes then go back and stroke her hair, give her a pacifier, play music on a crib soother, kiss her and walk out. Amazingly, that’s about all it takes for her to drift off into dreamland. I hope that with a little more time she’ll realize that the 5 minutes of crying isn’t really necessary either 🙂
As happy as I am to have made this transition, it has definitely made naps a little bit shorter, which is a bummer. We were getting closer to an hour with the nap nanny and swaddle, and now I’m lucky if the little lady naps for more than 33 minutes. Seriously, it’s almost always 33 minutes on the dot. Weird…and too darn short!
So if anyone has tips on how to get longer naps without the swaddle, I am all ears! I’ve read things that say some babies are just chronic cat-nappers and that it lasts until about 6 months. I think I can easily endure another month and a half, but I’d be happy to start now too 😉
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| Looking cute in her sleep sack and watching something on TV with dad. |
But back to Parenthood…will I ever watch an episode without crying?!?
Love those Bravermans.
I dread the day we stop rocking & soothing to sleep & not swaddling. Way to go for going cold turkey! Some of my friends are going through the exact same thing as you, isn't it the Furber method?? I too am in love with those Bravermans, they get me every time! 🙂 We should get our baby girls together soon!
Way to go, Arden! What a big girl!
1. Parenthood is my fave. FAVE! Can I ever watch an episode without crying? No.
2. I bet she will just naturally start taking longer naps as she gets older. I just now think Henry consistently takes long naps and it seemed to coincide with his solids and eating three meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner. Finally! This 9 and 1 naptimes I've always heard of!
And, she may surprise you. Every once in a while when Henry was still a short napper, I would let him fuss for a while when he woke up and he would fall back asleep. It seemed like it worked when he woke up fussing vs. waking up jabbering.
And now, the longest comment is done. 🙂
I promise naps get better. I really don't remember what Lilah's naps were when she this little, but they get better the older they get. Lilah now takes a 2 to 3 hour nap every day!!! Every stage is different, I'm sure you are doing a great job!!
new follower 🙂 love your blog!
joanna-dan.blogspot.com
you have the cutest blog AND baby EVER! love love love. now following! xoxo
chaseandem.blogspot.com
Your baby is adorable! I love the blog! New follower!
Naps definitely get better mama! Hang in there! Unfortunately, Carson didn't quit the cat naps until about 9 months old, but he now takes a 2 hour nap and that started at 12 months. Every baby is different though. Arden will figure it out soon hopefully:). I just started Parenthood a few months ago and I am on season 3 right now. Seriously!? Best show ever!