Whatever works for you is best!

Ok I promise that my next blog will be about something other than sleep! Ha! I guess that this has been a major part of what is going on in my life so I can't help but share about it.

To recap: the first night Kai was in his crib he woke after only an hour. The second night, after two. So on the third night I'm happy to report he slep three hours! The fourth and fifth were 2-2 1/2, and last night a GLORIOUS FOUR HOURS!

I have decided that the routine is he goes to bed in his crib, but when he wakes he comes to bed with me, so I'm not getting up every time. Last night after his 4 hour stretch, he came to bed with me, and had two 3 hour stretches after that! What a change! I hope this is the beginning of better sleep for both of us! So glad my slow going approach is having some effect!

It's not unlike my experience on The Camino when I would see pilgrim after pilgrim pass me by going almost twice as fast, but I was enjoying every second. It made for less stress, no injuries, and an overall content star of being. With Kai, I k ow that I'd like for us both to be getting more sleep, but I don't want to rush the natural process. Everything has its own time. I realize that this approach is not for everyone and am a big believer that you have to do what works best for you. There is no right or wrong answer.

Happy Sleeping :)

Getting More Sleep

Two days ago Kai fell out of bed during a nap for Grammie, and it was decided that it was time for the crib to make an appearance. He wasn't hurt thank God, just a bit shaken up.

And so it begins...

That night we moved the crib so it was right next to the bed, and I tried to put him to sleep in the crib. Nursed him to sleep in my arms (still trying to avoid the "crying it out" method), then moved him to the crib. I actually had energy to watch a movie and was quite excited to stay up a little later...

Kai was up 6 times before 2am. By then I was sleeping in the bed next to the crib and getting up every time to nurse him to sleep. Needless to say I was a little exhausted so at the 2am mark I just let him stay in bed with me.

Last night was a little more successful as far as night wakings go, up 5-6 times total the entire night, but when I nursed him at around 1am, I was too tired to sit up to nurse so I laid us both down...and that was the end of the crib for the night! LOL! We both fell asleep, so next time he woke up I didn't bother taking him back to his crib.

If I can get enough milk stored in the fridge/freezer, I may try to start giving him a bottle at night, and ween him off the boob. Maybe that will help with the night wakings. That way I can also feed him right in his crib so there is no getting up and down up and down.

We'll see. I'm ok with the slow process...just trying out different techniques to see which seem to work for him (and me)!

Figuring Babies Out...

Ha!  As soon as I think I have Kai figured out, he changes something, or he gets sick, or he's teething.  I've been pretty exhausted through this sleep training (getting even less sleep because I actually have to be aware of what is happening every time  Kai wakes up), so last night the grandparents were generous and gave me some time to get some solid sleep. 

Grammie put Kai to sleep at 7pm, and his first stretch he got 3 hours and 20 minutes!  I got to sleep from 9pm-2am! When pop pop went to bed, I got up to pump and then lay on the couch to wait until Kai woke up again.  Pop pop had put him to bed at about 1:20am and I was sure he'd be awake within an hour or two.  The next time I looked at the clock it was 5:30am!  I was thinking "is he alive???"  so of course I tried to sneak into bed with him, but he woke up.  I fed him and he fell right back to sleep and slept until 7:30am!  

I was left a little confused and baffled...I have really wanted to continue to co-sleep, but after last night I feel like he sleeps better and longer without me in bed with him.  Tonight I'm going to try to sleep in a different room and get up for feedings.  We'll see how it goes.  If he continues to sleep better and longer, I will start the transition to his crib :(  I think that I will still let him in bed with me for the morning sleep, that way we still get time together, but we both get a good night sleep.  

So...the thing is, I am a first time mama, and I am just learning what works best for the both of us.  I know that every baby is different, and every mama is different.  I, in no way think that co-sleeping is better, I just really loved that time with my baby and am sad that it may be ending...

Would love to hear about other sleep transitions that families have made!

The Camino: At Home!

Today started off a little rough.  I was grumpy and feeling like I needed my space.  I have been spending a lot of time at my parents' place (upstairs), and now it's just become a habit to go upstairs instead of feeling comfortable in my own space.  When we got back from Cuba, we found our space a little torn apart as Pop Pop finished painting the stairwell, and ripped up the carpet on the stairs.  It hasn't really felt like 'home' since, so we've pretty much been living at grammie and pop pop's.  Today I decided we needed to claim our space again, instead of waiting for the stairs to get re-covered. That made me feel a little better.

After eating lunch in our own kitchen, Kai and I made our way over to the Columbia Trail and headed out for a beautiful hike.  It was GORGEOUS out today!  My dear friend Sarah D kept us company via her wonderful voice.  Not only is she a talented musician, but she is also a fellow blogger...check her out!







I LOVE feeling like I'm walking on the Camino, when I'm right at home!  There were so many moments this afternoon when I swore I could be hiking in Spain.  I thought of all my dear friends I met along the Way and about all the lessons I learned.  Now I KNOW that I can bring the Camino into my every day life.  What a blessing to be able to share this day with my handsome little man.



So today turned out to be good all around, for my mind, body and soul!

Skinny Monkey Cookie Cups

Today I thought I'd post my altered recipe for Skinny Monkey Cookies

I have a bit of a sweet tooth, so I found the original recipe a little too "skinny", so I "fattened" it up a little! These are dairy and wheat free!

Skinny Monkey Cookie Cups
3 ripe bananas
2 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients except chocolate chips.  Add chocolate chips and dollop a tablespoon or so into a 24 mini cupcake tin lined with unbleached papers.  Bake at 350F for about 15 min.

Makes 24 minis at 93 calories a piece.

I find this quite delicious, but they are still not as sweet as your run of the mill cookie.  A great on the go breakfast (I have 2 or 3) or just a treat when you want something sweet but don't want something junkie.

Enjoy!

Sleepless Nights...

Well, sort of.

Since Kai started teething in February, he's been getting up every 1-2 hours at night, which makes for a pretty sleepy mama.  Just recently thanks to a facebook group, a book called "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" was recommended to me.  I have to say it was the first book on sleep that I have actually felt a jive with.  I am keeping a Sleep Log every 10ish days, and I thought I would share our progress via my bloggy blog.  We are co-sleepers, and I'd love to keep it that way, but I know that if after a few months of training neither one of us are sleeping better, I'll have to figure out a way for Kai to move to a crib :(  Here's hoping I get to stay with my little man!

So here is my Sleep Log before I implemented some of the advice  from NCSS:

Naps:
9:35am-  26 minutes
11:30am-  32 minutes
1:52pm-  32 minutes

3 Naps,  1 1/2 hours

Ideal: 2 Naps, 3-4 hours

Night:
Fell Asleep at 6:20pm
woke at:
7:00pm up 10 min
8:04pm up 29 min
9:40pm up 10 min
12:09am up 6 min
1:47am up 6 min
3:06am up 9 min
5:00am up 45 min
6:35am Up for the day.

Up 7 times, longest sleep stretch: 2 hours 19 min, 9 1/2 hours total sleep

Ideal: Up 1-3 times, 10-11 hours

Total sleep: 11 hours

Ideal sleep:  14-15 hours

Next is my log 10 days later after implementing a few small changes in routine:

 
Naps:

10:05am-  1 hour 35 min

2:00pm-  40 min

2 Naps, 1 hour 45 min

Ideal: 2 Naps, 3-4 hours

Night:

Fell Asleep at 6:10pm

Woke at:

8:03pm up 5 min

9:02pm up 45 min

12:06am up 14 min

1:12am up 9 min

3:09am up 8 min

4:17am up 13 min

6:20am Up for the day

Up 6 times, longest sleep stretch: 2 hours 19 min, 10 hours 50 min total sleep

Ideal: Up 1-3times, 10-11 hours

Total sleep: 13 hours

Ideal sleep: 14-15 hours

~So, yes this is what I have been doing on my nights the past few months.  How does your baby sleep?  What did you do, or change to improve sleep habits with your family?

Stay tuned for further improvement (hopefully)!

Breakfast for dinner? Yes Please!

So since I have given up wheat two months ago, I have really gotten into posting recipes on Pinterest.  I have to say I have become quite the baker!  I've decided to post my recipes once and a while when I have something particularly yummy!  Tonight I made a savory pancake...

This is the original recipe:  Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes

I altered this recipe to be dairy and gluten free, but by no means is it low calorie or "healthy"!  But man they are yummy!

Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 large green onion diced
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup daiya cheddar style shreds
warm maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened.
2. While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, green onion, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the almond milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture (grease and all), corn and cheddar shreds. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.








3. Heat and grease a griddle or large skillet. Dollop oversized spoonfuls of the batter onto the griddle and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.



4. Serve stacks of griddle cakes with a good dose of warm maple syrup.


For those of you like me who count calories (maybe there aren't many of you), this recipe made 10 cakes at 267 calories each, not including maple syrup.

These are delicious and well worth the calories!

HAPPY EATING!