I’m not sure if this is about milk, or about sleep.
Little guy was “due” for his nap at around 10:00. Wasn’t showing full signs of sleepiness, until around 10:45, when I started his naptime routine. A half-hour later and he was starting to act over-tired-goofy. Called my parents to ask them to delay their visit a bit because I wasn’t sure when he’d go down for a nap. Another 45 minutes of doing whatever I could, and he was finally looking like exhaustion alone would do the trick!
Ball bouncing… half a bottle of milk… and full wakefulness! What the heck?
Into the mei tei for some walking. Some stretching out, wiggling, protesting… but then relaxation. 10 minutes of walking and bouncing, and he was asking for milk. Let him drain the bottle, and he was STILL after more. Showing signs of waking up! Panic! But somehow I “shh shh” him enough to calm his little head down into my chest, and we nap together (him still in the mei tei) for about 45 mins, which is when I simultaneously received my parents as visitors and had a phone call that would’ve woken him up anyhow. But I’ll tell you this… without the “milk factor,” I was very very scared I wouldn’t get to sleepy time.
Nice visit with the parents, they relieved some of the “stress” by holding him, letting me drink a coffee and eat some lunch, as well as entertaining him the way only grandparents can.
By 3:30 he was looking sleepy already (although not due for a nap until 4:00). Started naptime routine.
Brought him to the exercise ball, tilted up some nice warm milk, bounced him furiously… and his eyes still weren’t closing! Downstairs for some walking (which worked yesterday). Eyes sleepy, very sleepy. Back to the excercise ball.
Finally, after some more drinking and with only 1 mouthful of milk left in the bottle, he seemed out. But then not. Sip sip. Half a mouthful left. Out again. Test the waters standing up, “OK, Greg… no sudden noises or movements… this is a very delicate state of half-sleep here…” Walk over to the bed, Sleep Sheep already emitting soothing sounds… Little bit of a wakeup, Sip Sip. Milk gone. Back asleep. Carefully, quietly, gently lay him down. Eyes crack open, I rock his body back and forth, hand on his chest. Eyes closed. Then he goes for another “comfort sip”, but the milk is gone. One eye open. Other eye open, “mem mem mem!”
“Sorry, dude! No mem! Only 3 oz. left to last us another 3.5 hours…!”
“Mem, mem, mem”
“OK, you stay here, I’ll go warm it up…”
Last bit of milk for the day warming up, hopped back upstairs, not hearing noise… Did he convince himself to sleep after all? Peek into room…
No luck. Practicing to crawl. Looking at me all cute. Being a perfectly fun and nice little boy, but certainly not sleeping. Played with him, helped him practice crawling, gazed adoringly into each others’ eyes for a little while… and he seemed pretty tired. Back down for the milk, upstairs, milk into mouth…
And his eyes didn’t even get droopy. Took the bottle away with only 1oz. left (emergency milk!) and threw in the towel.
Carted him downstairs (still happy and smiling), got him ready for an excursion, knowing he’d sleep in the car at least. But yet, after driving for 15 minutes, still no sleep! Brought him into the store that was our “half-assed” destination, and he was almost falling asleep in my arms. Back into the car, and he was asleep within 5 minutes. Moseyed back toward home, got some gas, and parked on the street near our house (near, because parking in the driveway would drive the dogs nutz). By this time it was 5:00, about 1.5 hours past his supposed naptime. It had cycled around to almost the time he’d have a third nap.
Luckily, this time I was prepared for the car nap: Shauna had bought me What The Dog Saw for Christmas, and it was a pretty engaging way to spend…
1.5 hours!
Are you kidding me!??! He NEVER has a nap for 1.5 hours for either of us. Well, rarely. And he decides the CAR, with me as a prisoner, will be where he decides that long naps are OK after all?
The upside was that Alie got home before he woke up, meaning the “Good Stuff” (milk supply) was going to be available for our wakey boy.
The downside, other than a pretty difficult day for naps already… was that he also blew his bedtime by at least a few hours, fighting every step of the way (but at least being cute and funny instead of screamy).
“Babe?” I said after we were both downstairs, “I know the guideline is 8-15oz…”
She finished for me, “…yes, you will need more milk. I will see what I can do.”
Bless that woman.
