Weeks 10 and 11

The bane of my existence is Noah's naps.

The guy seems to want to sleep all the time, BUT he will only sleep if you're holding him and rocking/bouncing him.

I've been doing some nap-training but Noah doesn't seem to get the message.  I'll put him down in the crib drowsy but awake and he'll cry for about 7 minutes and then I'll think, wonderful, he's finally sleeping.  But every 20 minutes, like clockwork, he wakes up and cries bloody murder anywhere from 8-30 minutes (he could probably cry longer if I left him in there longer).

Dr. Evil could not devise a more painful torture than NOT napping.

This has been going on for weeks now and I'm at my wits' end.  Not to mention my last nerve.  I don't think there's any worse sound than to hear your baby crying and wailing interminably.  I swear I would go through labor all over again, if only that would guarantee he could be an easy napper.  Nap training is THAT painful.

You're cute and all but you suck at napping.

So naturally, the question arises--if nap training is that abysmal, why not just hold him for his naps?  I totally would, but he has rejected all 'easy' methods of holding.  I used to be able to pop him in the ergo carrier and bounce him to sweet oblivion, but just last week he's completely rejected it!  It seems Noah has rejected all forms of holding EXCEPT the most energy-intensive--straight up holding in your arms and bouncing on the ball.  Sorry kid, but you're nearly 15 pounds.  There is no way I'm going to do this for 90 minutes, 4 times a day.

Big and beautiful--with a small side of butt rash.

My one hope and consolation is that Noah will finally learn to self-soothe better after 12 weeks.  All the baby books seem to say that the post-3 month period is a magical time for baby development.  Well, it better be cuz...I don't even want to think about the alternative.

To be fair, Noah really is a very happy, easy-going baby when he's not cranky tired from being unable to nap.  If only we can get the nap-thing down, I can finally get him on a routine and meet other stay-at-home moms.  I'm starting to get that really sad, isolated, lonely, bored, itchy feeling now that I've basically been staying home all day with a baby for nearly 3 months.

I love my pudgy peanut...most of the time.

But not all things are gloom and doom here.  I am enjoying Noah's emerging baby smiles and "conversations."  It's so fun as he wakes up from his sleepy newborn phase.  I love when our eyes lock and we smile and giggle at each other--ahhhhhhhh such sweet, total and utter bliss.