A is for Alex

So much to update on Alex it seems. The best news? He is finally sleeping through the night!!! After 2 months of waking up 3-5 times (I can only remember 2 times where he slept through the night during that time), he is now sleeping like a baby should! The trick? Let him cry!

I guess I should explain a little more. When he first started waking up, after a few nights of that, we got frustrated and just tried letting him cry for a while. He was only 3 months and I thought he was too young to just let him cry, but we were both tired of it. Needless to say, it didn't work. So then, I would just get him. We also didn't want him to cry for too long, because we didn't want him to wake up Anna. For some reason, ever since Christmas, she decided not to stay in her bed and would wake up in the middle of the night and sleep by the door, on the floor, where we had the baby gate. So, if Alex was loud, it would for sure wake her up and she would sleep on the floor.

Well, after 2 months of no sleep, I finally started getting fed up with it all and asking Dan for help. Well, one night last week, Alex woke up after a half hour. I fed him, he fell asleep, and woke up a half hour later. Dan suggested to just let him cry. We gave him 10 minutes, then Dan went and rocked him to sleep. An hour later, he woke up again. We gave him 10 minutes and he fell asleep after 5 minutes! So that night, he woke up 3 times, and I just let him cry for a few minutes and he fell back asleep. That went on a for a few nights and now he pretty much just sleeps through the night. Hallelujah! Who knew it would be such a simple solution?

He is also starting to take longer naps and the last few days has started taking 2 naps a day. Yesterday, he took a 3 hour nap! He hasn't done that since he was a month old. This morning he took a 2 1/2 hour nap. It's just such a relief now. For months, I would be lucky if he took 2 half hour naps, plus he was up all night, so I never really got a break. I'm crossing my fingers, that this new routine will stick!

Alex is developing well. He loves to reach for anything he can get his little hands on. And because he's so big, I have to be careful. He could seriously fall out of my arms, when he exerts all his weight to try and reach for something. He is good at twisting and squirming in my arms. Today we were playing the piano and he was able to put his feet up on the keys. He loves to laugh when I tickle him. He is really starting to smile at other people. He's into bouncing lately. I'll be holding him and stand him up and he just bounces his little legs. He also likes to extend his arms out and just move them up and down and hit whatever he can. I can only imagine the havoc he will cause when he can crawl and walk. :)

So, Alex outgrew his bouncer seat. I got out this walker thing. He doesn't really like it, which is too bad, because it would be so convenient for me, but oh well. He'll usually tolerate it for a few minutes, then he's done.

Just to show the difference in size between him and Anna, here are some pictures.

Anna, 6 months.

Feet, several inches off the ground.

Doesn't she look so cute and dainty?

Alex, 5 months.

Feet already touching the ground.

Yes, he is wearing a santa hat. I bought this for him when he was a newborn and he never really wore it.

I found it the other day and put it on him.

Amazing, isn't it? I think he's almost 20 lbs!!! Anna was barely 20 lbs at one year! He's just a big boy.

But such a cute little boy...

He isn't very happy here, he didn't want to be in his walker.

Anna and Alex in their santa hats.

Singing time with Anna and Alex.

Not as easy at it looks, playing the piano with a baby. :)

Daddy with Anna and Alex.

We watched Logan the other day and they decided to try on some hats. This picture makes me laugh.

I also came in to her room and found her lying on her bed with a blanket on her, and Logan was feeding her a toy bottle. These silly little kids....