Monday, September 26, 2011

I can Help!

I am glad I finally figured out a way to really help. I used to be the diaper changer. Max would wake up for midnight feedings and I would jump up and change his diaper! Then hand him off to mommy for a feeding. Then we started doing a double stuffed diaper for bedtime so no more midnight diaper changes, just feedings. So I felt useless and Alex was tired all the time and I wanted to let her sleep, I am the highly trained sailor when it comes to getting woken up and little sleep (racked out). Then I decided, if we have breast milk pumped and on standby I can jump up and feed my lil guy and let Alex sleep a good nights rest. I am so happy to feel useful again, even if it is only 1 night a week. It is better than none!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

I Love My Family

I love my family so much! Alexandra and Max make everyday a good day. I missed them so much when I was gone and I don't look forward to leaving again. Max advanced quite a bit while I was gone. He just seems like such a big boy now. I am not looking forward to deployment, I will leave and come back to a completely new phase in Max's life. But I love him and I know that it will be fine. Max and I enjoy wearing Matching outfits, right now we have 2:

My shirt says Hardcore Daddy with a pic of a motorcycle and his says Hardcore baby with a pic of a tricycle. The other one is shaved ice, from New Orleans, LA.

We bought Max a new toy and he loves it!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

He's Home!

Monday Matthew came home. He was gone basically a month. This was the first time he has left us since Maxim was born. I know it was hard on both of us but we got through it. I knew Max had grown and changed and had more skills since Matthew left but you forget everything. Simple things Matthew would notice.
Before he left Max could roll over and everything but now he'll roll to his stomach and stay awhile without crying and scoot around and then roll to his back and so on. Matthew was very impressed. Also Max can be left on his play mat and entertain himself. I had forgotten that before Matthew left Max was happy if you were actively playing with him or holding him. I think the biggest thing is Max is now on a routine. It used to be that even if Max had completely fallen asleep in your arms as soon as he was put down he would wake up. Now we have the routine of he wakes, feeds, diaper change then plays for about 90 minutes gets swaddled falls asleep for at least 30 minutes and then it all starts again. The biggest improvement is even if his eyes pop open in your arms while you are transfering to the crib or once you lay him down he goes back to sleeping without a whimper. Sadly, he still hasn't slept 7-8hrs since July but when it now only takes 15 minutes to get back to bed when he wakes in the middle of the night it's not bad. Maybe in a few weeks we will try to get him to sleep 7-8hrs again or maybe he'll start doing it soon. Right now the longest stretch is about 5hrs at night.
I am so glad for Matthew to be back it is a huge help. I had missed him so much.
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