I decided to copy and paste these logs in my diary until sleep isn't as much of an issue. This is my main area of work with Nathan right now.

Day 1 Friday, May 20, 2005

We had his 6 month checkup today. He fell asleep on the way home (around 10:45) and slept till noon. I like being in the car when it is naptime because there is no crying. He just silently drifts off, usually.

2:42 He nursed a little before I put him in his crib, BUT, he ate a good bit of cereal for the first time a little bit ago. I was amazed at how well he did. He seemed to really like it. We video taped it and mom got lots and lots of great pictures. He is fussing a little, but that's ok I will see how he is ten minutes from when I started. 2:54 - I went in to 'try' to comfort him because he had JUST started crying but he was pretty mad when I left. He was in a great sleeping position though...The crying has stopped. Asleep sometime between 2:55 and 2:58. Yes. One nap down. Thank you LORD. 3:55 - woke crying pretty hard. He slept just about an hour and I'm satisfied with that for now. I gave him some infant Tylenol thinking he is feeling a little puny since the shots he had earlier. I just love him.

Day 2
Saturday, May 21, 2005
He had a wonderful night and I am so proud of him. It was a little after 7 when we finished up bath time and headed into his room to nurse before sleep. He nursed very well but fell asleep at the end. I burped him and he still didn't wake. I tried to wake him up a few times before putting him down. I could have tried harder, but I didn't. My parents are here for one more night and I was feeling bad that he may be feeling cruddy from the shots still. I put him in his crib, on his belly, asleep. He is more than willing and quite capable of turning to his back or to his tummy when he chooses. I do think he sleeps better on his belly, but when I suggest that to him, by putting him on his belly while he is still awake, he is on his back faster than I can get out the door. So, with him asleep, I was able to get the rest of the windows washed with my mom and while doing so, tried to save a lizard from sure death between the screen and the bedroom window. The screens don't come out from the outside. James and my mom were outside fiddling with the screen trying to get it off, my father and I were in my room trying to steer the lizard to freedom. The result? The darn thing ended up in my bedroom (somewhere). I also had time to fix a wonderful meal with my mother, help my husband and father finish putting together the entertainment center, enjoy a quiet dinner AND visit for awhile after a late dinner with my parents. Nathan didn't wake till 10:30. A little over 3 hours. He nursed very well and I put him in his crib. He was awake, but he allowed me to pat his little back for a minute and he snuggled with his puppy and I left. I was FULLY expecting to hear from him any minute, but he never made a sound. The millions of speaker wires, component wires, cords, etc. that James had to deal with and put into place while the newly built entertainment unit was laying down on the floor was quite a production. My mother and I were waiting for our cue to help them lift it. It is one of those units that you put together by following a zillion instructions. VERY HEAVY. I am looking forward to having everything all nice and neat and of course SAFE for my little boy. My mother and I looked at the pictures from Nathan's first meal of cereal, and by the time I curled up on Nathan's floor by myself, it was a little after midnight. He slept till almost 5am. That's my boy. Our second longest stretch ever. 6hrs and 20 minutes. I nursed him lying on the floor and put him in his crib afterward and left the room with the monitor in hand. I walked into the kitchen and was greeted by a colorful dawn through the clean kitchen windows. I took the camera outside to snap a picture. It was a beautiful morning. I don't usually enjoy this time of day, but today was different. I was amazed that I didn't hear a peep out of Nathan till 6:10. Normally we get up at about 7:30-8. BUT, he woke chatting happily at 6:10 and I was not about to ruin his mood by insisting he go back to sleep. I may decide to put up a darkening shade at some point if this 6am waking becomes a problem for me. The way I see it, a 6am wake up means 3 naps instead of 2 today. We'll just see how it goes.

8:42 - Mom fed him 4oz expressed milk. I nursed him for a minute before putting him in his crib. He is SO tired. Rubbing his eyes constantly. Next time, I'll try to put him down earlier because when he is really tired, he fights it worse. Maybe that was a good time to put him down, he is asleep - 8:45. Only 3 minutes. He only mildly protested when I put him down awake in his crib and left the room. 10:30 - awake. WAY TO GO NATHAN!!

12:45 - fell asleep in the car on the way home from Wal-Mart. I tried SO HARD to keep him awake because I wanted him to fall asleep in his crib, but he didn't comply. I just love him. James took him out of his new big boy car seat and placed him in the crib asleep. Awake at 1:34.

3:44 - nursed so-so, but I fed him cereal again this afternoon a little while ago and he nursed well prior to that. He is in there squealing/playing at the moment. I love to hear happy noises coming from his room during this time. I pray that he just drifts off. He will, one day. 3:47 - he just started fussing a little. 3:52 - dull fussing. I think he may be about to drift off, or get mad. 3:53 - it sounds as if he has chosen the latter. 3:54 - quiet now, but if I was to go in and check right this second, and he was awake, he would not be happy seeing me. 3:55 asleep, holding his little snuggle puppy. No signs of tears. Peaceful look on his face. Awake at 4:40

7:16 - Asleep. He was barely awake when I put him down in his crib after nursing, but he was awake. I said "Night Night Nathan" fairly loud. (In order to make sure he knew he was going to sleep in his crib) He opened his eyes, saw me, started to protest then decided to snuggle with his puppy. I just love him!..

Here is a picture of the colorful dawn I took from my backyard this morning.

Nathan's first thoughts of cereal.

He said "No mama, I can't eat another bite" He ate the entire amount except this last bite.