Sleep Update

If nothing else, this week has proven to me once again that parenting requires an arsenal of varying skill-sets and a great deal of flexibility. Check your ego at the door and get ready to ride the emotional rollercoaster, prepare yourself for surprises that could rival those in a funhouse, and of course you better have the flexibility of a Chinese acrobat because there are times when you will bend over backwards and touch your toes to your nose for your babies.


We have been pacifier free for 5 days now. It's been rough going, but not as difficult as I thought it might be. Naps aren't as challenging as getting him to sleep at night. The first night he cried for 45 minutes, and now we're down to about 15 minutes of sobbing. It's still difficult for me to listen to him wail but I think it helps him to get it out of his system, and he certainly sleeps better. Last night was probably one of our best nights. He went to bed at 8:00, and I sleep-fed him at 10:30. I went to bed right after and we slept until about 2:00. 2:00 seems to be the most difficult hour of the night, as he seems to eat, fall asleep for about 20 minutes, then wakes up and cries for 10-30 minutes. Once he's back down again, he'll usually sleep until 4am, when he wants to eat again. It's back up for good around 6 am. We mixed it up last night, as I brought him to bed at 4. I know, it was a moment of weakness which I definitely regret. I thought he might settle down, but he just wanted to eat off and on until we got up at 8. I know - 8 is very late, but in my defense, although I have been getting more sleep it's almost worse as I get into a deep sleep cycle and then get woken out of it - leaving me to sleep walk through my mornings like when he was a newborn. I keep telling myself that this will pass, but in the meantime I could really use a nap.


In other news:

• Swim lessons started today. They are only 1/2 hour for 10 days, but I'm hopeful she'll come out with some water skills that Daddy can then expand on.
• I've completed 2 weeks of Baby Boot Camp, and am still enjoying it. I still get sore the day after a class, but this is good as it means I'm continuing to work different muscles. We do a lot of squats and lunges, and I've seen improvement in my ability to complete multiple sets without having my legs want to buckle underneath me. I can see better definition in my calves, more muscle in my shoulders, and my shorts are feeling a little looser. My healthy eating is going OK, too. Some days are stricter than others, but overall I just try to stay away from the pasta and bread (two very big weak spots for me), and eat a lot more salad. In fact, I feel like I've eaten a Farmer's Market worth of salad, but it's all good. I've eaten ice cream and chocolate a few times, but I'm trying not to stress about it. What's the point to working towards a healthier lifestyle if I'm just going to beat myself up over a little treat now and then? So not worth it.
• I made homemade chocolate ice cream last night, and it was SO GOOD. We haven't had great luck with our ice cream in the past, as it seems to come out grainy, with an unpleasant mouth-feel and uneven texture. I thought it might be from our cheap-o ice cream maker, but this result was completely different. I found the recipe at All Recipes and decided to try it after reading the positive reviews. It was time consuming, but worth it. I think it could easily be switched up to form a vanilla base with raspberries, or make a mint ice cream with some chopped up dark chocolate (my favorite!). Here's the recipe:

  Very Chocolate Ice Cream

  INGREDIENTS
  · 3/4 cup sugar
  · 1 cup milk
  · 1/4 teaspoon salt
  · 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  · 3 egg yolk, lightly beaten
  · 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  · 2 cups heavy cream
  · 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

  DIRECTIONS
  1. Combine sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid and return to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until chocolate is melted. Pour into a chilled bowl, and refrigerate for about two hours until cold, stirring occasionally.
  2. When chocolate mixture has completely cooled, stir in the cream, and vanilla. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.