Sleep… it is something so very precious to new and seasoned parents alike. My children are getting older and have established a pretty good sleep routine, but it’s one that still comes with fusses, fights and stubborn children (and parents *ahem*). With the new baby coming in just a few months, our peaceful nights of (mostly) uninterrupted sleep are numbered.
My due date is still months away, but already I wonder how Minion #3 will be in the sleep dept. Will he/she be like Noah… who quite frankly was a royal pain when it came to naps and bedtime, or will he/she take after Abby. She was so much easier to put to bed and unlike her brother, almost always woke up with a smile (and she’s still that way today).
The One to One Network recently sent me Dr Harvey Karp, M.D.’s most recent book The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep to review. I was happy to see that it not only covered tips on how to get newborns and infants to sleep well, but he also had some great tips for children up to age 5… perfect for my two right now!! These were the chapters that I concentrated on most right now, but after having read those, I will be sure to read the others as well before the Minion is born.
What I liked about the book is that it not only described what to do, but also why it should be done. The book debunked some common myths that parents may or may not believe… that it’s normal for toddlers to sleep alone, or that toddlers sleep through the whole night (both myths btw). It also went into detail about just how much sleep a toddler and preschooler need at different ages and what to do when special situations arise at both nap and bed time.
Overall, I found The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep very insightful and useful. I think that it would be a very good book for first time parents to have to help set good sleep habits for their child right from the beginning.
Fine Print
{The review above has been sponsored by One to One Network and The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep. While I received a sample of the product mentioned above, I was not monetarily compensated and the review is written based on my honest opinion. This post does contain affiliate links to the Ozonator. Please click on the link to see my full disclosure policy.}
It’s official… the first trimester is behind me and we’re moving on through the second trimester, one day at a time. Ray and I got to have another little look at Minion #3 a few weeks ago… we got to bring home a few more photos of the little one… some in 2D and even a few in 3D… and let me tell you that the 3D ones were pictures that only a mother could love!!! ha!! The baby did like being seen in 3D and kept moving and moving, which made it hard for the tech to get a good shot.
We did get a few good 2D photos though and used them to tell the kids the big news.
And the kids are soo excited!! They are constantly coming up, lifting my shirt and kissing the belly baby. Both were also very concerned about how and when the baby will come out… and now that Abby knows, she makes sure to remind me about it at least once a day.
Thankfully, the end of the first trimester also brought about an end to most of my nausea. I’m also happy to be getting most of my energy back… there are still days here and there were I really and truly need a nap (who knew that growing a kid would make you soooo very tired?!?!). Having my energy back also means that I’ve been able to start getting back into my old (and very neglected) cleaning routine. I’ve spent the last two weeks of naptimes getting caught up with the house and while it’s not perfect, it’s much better than it was. Next week I tackle my sewing area, which has become a dumping spot for anything and everything that needs a home. I’m hoping that by Tuesday or Wednesday, I can start sewing again… and that makes me very excited!
So I’m rambling… I feel like I’ve really been neglecting this blog… I know that I’ve said that once or twice over the past few months. I know that I will definitely be writing again within the next week or so, since I have a book review to post…. so yay!!! I won’t make any promises that I will be writing more often… right now I’m just trying to get back into a routine… the kids, cleaning, sewing, writing, rest… I’m taking it one day at a time and trying to add back a little more when I can.
So until the next time… I wish you a happy sunny days!!
It is Tuesday night and the kids are in their room fighting with sleep, but thankfully not with each other. I’m listening to them talk to each other… it’s more nonsense than anything else… and I can’t help but wonder what it will be like …
So I started this year with great intentions… take some more fun vacations, sew more, write more, craft something new every week, as well as try new recipes weekly…
It turns out though that the only thing that I’ve been keeping up with so far (and …
The thing about being an introvert, is that it is so very hard to really put yourself out there for everyone to see. Even when “hiding” behind a computer screen and typing the words out on the keyboard, it’s tough to step over that imaginary line drawn on the ground, hit publish, and just bare it all for the world to see without censoring yourself in some way.
