No Chocolate for Breakfast: Mountain Grove visit + Darcy turns 32 + The baby who stopped sleeping

Mountain Grove visit

We spent another overnight in Mountain Grove recently. Evelyn was once again fussy on the day we arrived but back to her usual self by the next morning. We celebrated Darcy's birthday (for the first time).

Relaxin' in the Grove

Grandpa set up a new little baby seat that grandma bought

Grandma cuddles

Full of milk

Playing peekaboo

Admirers

New fancy guitar tuner

Peeking at gifts

Holly and Dexter were peeking too

Darcy turns 32

The Mountain Grove birthday celebration was followed by a celebration at my parents' house the following evening. More yummy food, presents and chocolate cake. Then on the birth day itself the kids decorated the house for him. Caleb booby trapped the stairs so you pull on a green ribbon that causes a balloon to fall on your head. We had a nice family dinner followed by presents and chocolate cake. Then the following weekend we hosted "He's getting too old for this shit", a house party birthday celebration. Most of the group played Darcy's Cube. And that's how we celebrated Darcy's birth four times this week.

Traditions the kids started: king hat and squid birthday signage (whiteboard)

Yeah, I totally just served leftover Mountain Grove cake

Oops baby drool on shoulder

Caleb refused cake in favour of cheesies dipped in pudding (eww...)

Pooped from the festivities

Sentimental Liana gift

Practical gift (salt & pepper shakers)

Thematic gift

Baby gearing up for her first house party

Circa 11pm during said first house party (all partied out!!)

The baby who stopped sleeping

Gone are the times of weekdays meaning frequent social networking, a clean home, long walks, errands and elaborate dinners. Or, hopefully, they're just missing for a short period of time. It's Evelyn...she stopped sleeping.

I'm all about best practices when it comes to babies and nighttime. I realize that most babies don't sleep nights but nonetheless things can be done to help them sleep better. Evelyn's routine since birth is bath followed by naked wiggling on change table, clean diaper, fleece pyjama, warm wearable blanket, sound machine, milk. I'd set her down after eating but while still awake so she'd get used to putting herself to sleep. At night we kept the room pitch black and wouldn't speak or play when she'd wake (just feed,comfort and lay back down). It worked wonderfully for the first three months. Evelyn would wake up 0-2 times a night over an 8 hour period and regularly sleep for 5+ hours straight. If she woke up 3 times it was a worse case scenario.

Then everything changed. Slowly we came to the point we're at now where we thank our lucky stars if she only wakes 3 times in a night. She's no longer able to fall asleep on her own. The hardest part is that often when we feed or comfort her to sleep she wakes up either as soon as we lay her down or within 10 minutes. A few nights this week she only slept in increments of 15-20 minutes at a time.

At first we thought she might be teething or going through a growth spurt. Now after some research we're thinking it may have to do with brain development and increased memory. Apparently it's common for baby who sleep well to regress around the four months marks. The article 4 Month Old Sleep Regression Explained is the most informative page we've found. Here's an excerpt:

"We all go in and out of light and deep sleep. As adults, we might change positions, look at the clock, or reposition our pillow. Up until now, you may have rocked your baby or simply given him a pacifier and he slept for hours without waking up. Well, at 3 or 4 months old, your baby is now sleeping more like an adult. Now when she falls asleep, she does not enter deep sleep right away and if you lay her down before she is in deep sleep, she is likely to wake up and you will start all over helping her to fall back to sleep again and again."

So we're waiting it out. And if that doesn't work: HELEN SANDS. Helen Sands is a sleep consultant sent from the heavens to save sleep-deprived families. Her methods worked wonders for Caleb in an astounding 48 hours. We'll consider contacting her at the six months mark as that's when baby's no longer require milk overnight.

On a happier baby note, Evelyn had a doctor appointment this past week and the doctor said she's perfect. She weighs 14lbs14oz, head circumference is 43.5cm, and she's 65cm in length/height.

Here are a few recent photos of the night owl.