Did I Really Just Become A Parent?!?!

Lately we've had trouble getting Ryan to lay down for bed and then to sleep through the night. When he was just a few months old he was sleeping through the night. I seriously thought we just had a great kid who just knew what was to be done and that we became very blessed in not having any problems like most parents do. And then one night he just stopped. Lately, he's up anywhere between 3-6 times a night. Needless to say, we're exhausted!
A friend of mine said it best when she said you just do the expected at the beginning (feeding, burping, changing, etc) and then it's like one day you wake up and realize you're a parent. You need to start disciplining and teaching them right from wrong.
Taking the advice of some people I went out yesterday and bought the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Weissbluth and also Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber. After reading both books for Ryan's age group we decided we would start last night. We laid him down at 7:00 and after screaming for 15 minutes he was out. He woke up later and we let him cry and 5 minutes into it he was again out. When he woke up at 2:30 I went in to give him a sippy cup of milk and he fell right back asleep. He then woke up again at 3:30 and again we let him cry it out.
With Ryan being almost 1 years old (yikes!!) we feel he should not be up that many times at night and that we have let this behavior go on to long and it has become to much of a habit for him. We feel we need to let him realize that everytime he cries someone will not come get him. We feel it is in the best for him and for us. For those who disagree with what we are doing, your opinion has been heard, but we as his parents need to do what we feel is best for us and our child. We also believe the sooner we break him of this habit the easier and better it will be for all of us. By making this decision for our child we have become just that much more of a parent.

Blessed

Most people think of all the things they are blessed and thankful for around Thanksgiving. But with the economy the way it is now things can change in an instant for anyone. So I thought I'd take some time to mention some things we are thankful and blessed for.

We have a healthy son who blesses our days with his sillyness. Yes he may drive us crazy some days but just to be able to have him in our lives, since so many people are not able to have kids, is a blessing in itself.

We have each other. I can't think what either of us would do if the other wasn't there. Being a parent is seriously a lot of work and you don't realize it until you become one.

We have loving family and friends. Without their support who knows where would we be.

We both have jobs. So many people today do not and struggle to keep a roof over their family's head and food on the table. We've been very blessed we both work in an industry that will never go away and are able to provide these simple everyday necessities to our son.

This list could go on forever. We all have so many things we should be blessed and thankful for. Be thankful everyday for what you have cause it could all be gone in an instant.

9 Month Update

It's a little late (ok more like a month late) but it's still better than never. Ryan is doing so much these days keeping us on our toes.

He is now crawling. And I think everyday he just gets faster and faster.

We're now trying to wean him off as much of the jar food and more into "people food"

He has learned that when the door is closed from the living room to the den he can go thru the kitchen and go all the way around to get to where we can't see him.

He now has two teeth and is working on his third. That right there has been exhausting enough for the three of us. He also brushes his teeth and gums with his own toothbrush and toothpaste, fluoride free of course.

He now will pull himself up on something and walk. And with that he has tried standing up on his own in the middle of the room now without anything to hold onto. That usually only lasts a couple of seconds before he falls.

The last doctor appointment he weighed just a little over 20 lbs and a little over 30 inches tall. That puts him in the 50th percentile for weight and 97th percentile for height.