I'll try anything once...twice if it works!

over my shoulder

So I feel that lately all my blogs have been about the same things... struggles with raising a baby, and well, what can I say, that is pretty much all I do these days...

So here goes another one.

Pack and Play Bassinet

I am sitting here on the floor of Max's nursery listening to the soft ocean waves that flow through the speakers of his sound machine. I have to say it is a sound that I hear all night and lots of the day. I have tried some of the other sound options, and Max does like the "white noise" sound bite as well, but it kinda freaks me out when I am up in the middle of the night...I can always hear little background noises, like a ghost whispering...so ya waves are the best and peaceful. I am sitting in here writing my blog because I am too nervous to leave haha. I just know that if I try leave and go do something, he will wake up and start crying. Better to be here, so maybe I can sshh him back to sleep if I get there quick enough.

On my chest holding on:)

...............It didn't help, he woke up after only 15 minutes:).............3 hours later and now I'm writing, while standing and Max is asleep in the sling.  Its 5pm and if he doesn't get this nap, then it means a super early bed time and super early wake up time in the morning for me. So I'm not going to risk sitting down and waking him:)
Now that I'm typing I can't really remember what I was going to write about...I guess I just wanted to write...


the couch

In the baby carrier

 I feel like I have tried literally everything a person can when it comes to babies sleeping. Every day I search for something else I can try to get Max to sleep...I tried swaddling, not swaddling, keeping him upright, having him nap on an incline, having him nap on his stomach, soothing noises (example the sound machine from above) complete silence, super loud backgrounds, taking him for a walk in the stroller, taking a ride in the car/ car seat, the baby swing, just putting him in his crib, rocking him, walking him, the baby sling, the baby moby wrap, and most recently, putting a warm rice bag next to him once laying him down so he thinks its me and stays asleep. I am not writing this to ask for suggestions on how to get a baby to nap, because honestly I am sure I have tried it already:) Some of these things have worked a few times...some more than others, but nothing has worked consistently. Every day I wonder if he will sleep, some days he sleeps, sometimes he sleeps and is fussy, sometimes he doesn't sleep and is fussy, and sometimes he doesn't sleep and isn't fussy at all...

Boppy Pillow

Everyday if something new works, I get my hopes up and wonder if it will be that miraculous moment when I find the thing that "works like a charm!" Every day I am disappointed when what worked yesterday doesn't work today. Then I find myself back at the drawing board, desperately searching online for tips, or advice or some miracle product that Max will love. I understand why people pay so much for baby sleep things. There is an unlimited supply of "product" that promise a good sleep for baby. I have fallen pray to some of them...

Nap Nanny

Blanket Swaddled in my Arms

  I have to say that I am beyond thankful that Max will sleep at night for 2-5 hours at a time. If there is anything that doing research online has taught me it is that some people have the problem and the baby won't sleep being set down at any time, night or day. So things could always be worse.Yet every night when I place a sound asleep Max in his crib, I feel anxious and worried that tonight will be the night he decides not to sleep in his crib and resort to his napping methods. As frustrated as I get, I try and remember that things will get better. I constantly hear words of encouragement from my friends and family, reassuring me that this is a phase. And I believe them, I'm not being bitter when I say that encouragement can only go so far, for example I remember when I was in labor...my Mom, Jeffrey, the doctors and all the nurses kept being so encouraging and positive. Near the end, the doctor kept saying, "ok, this is it, one more push and he'll be out!"...she must have said that at least 20 times and I have to say it was encouraging the first few times, but the 10th time she said it, I was very frustrated to say the least...I remember being so annoyed...I didn't want to get my hopes up every push, only to be greatly disappointed. I remember thinking, why can't she just be strait with me and tell me the truth! I asked my Mom later that week, why the doctor would say that? Why not just tell me, "ok, you're going to have push for 45 more minutes."? My Mom said, "Well you might not have kept going if they told you the truth" I feel like that is what is happening now. Like the baby has to ultimately come out, Max will eventually get through his sleeping problems. But also like giving birth, no one knows how long and painful it is going to be. All I can do is keep pushing and listening to every one's encouraging words and try not to get annoyed:)

Stroller

Swaddle Me Swaddler in my arms

Although I suffer with frustration on a daily basis,  every morning I see my little Max and his smiles (he is always in a  good mood after he sleeps:) I can't help but honestly think that he is the cutest baby in the world. And thank goodness he is because that comes in handy when every once in a while he even looks cute when hes crying:) That helps me get through the crying the fussing, and the not sleeping,(plus looking back at these pictures reminds me  that he actually does sleep sometimes :)

All the pictures are various places and ways Max has slept over the almost 3 months of his life:)