Sleeping Like a Baby

I’m hearing a lot of theory on baby sleep habits lately. Especially “if you keep the house noisy the baby will learn to sleep through it!”

I’m of the opinion that babies are who they are pretty much regardless of what we try to make them be. I have the feeling that if your baby isn’t a light sleeper, you might say something like this. However, if you’re a new parent, and you find that when you turn on the TV, dryer, or garbage disposal while baby is sleeping and baby wakes up, you’ll pretty much quit doing those things and let baby sleep.

What do you think? Do we, as parents, shape our babies sleep habits? Or, like so many other ways, are they just their own little people in this respect?

Good News

When Ethan was born, his newborn screen (that’s the heel prick) came back with a diagnosis for congenital hypothyroidism.  This means his body didn’t have enough thyroid hormone during the screen.  We had to take him for follow up testing, and we’ve also been to see a specialist.

The good news about this diagnosis is that it really isn’t a very big deal.  We give him a pill once a day to supplement his thyroid levels, and as long as he gets his medicine, the condition would have no impact on him. 

But that isn’t the REALLY good news.  The really good news is that every time we’ve gotten him tested, his dosage of medicine has been reduced.  Kevin and I don’t think he really has the condition and we’re praying and truly believe that he will be weaned off the medicine. 

We had to do another blood test last Friday, and we just got the results today.  His levels were still too high and they reduced the dosage again.  They want us to take him for follow up testing in 3 weeks, not 4 weeks as was originally scheduled.  Please keep praying with us that he will be off the medicine as soon as possible.

Back at Work

I went back to work today for the first time since the baby was born.  I’ve been working from home for a few weeks now, and I also have taken him up to the office with me twice to just pop in for a few minutes.  But today I honest-to-goodness went back to the office.  Several VIPs came in from out of town to attend a meeting and I needed to be there.

My mom came to watch Ethan and I cried a little bit when I left for the office, but it wasn’t so bad.  I’m not sure if that was because he was here at home with my mom, but it wasn’t nearly as traumatic on either one of us as I thought it would be.  He had a fun play day with my mom, and my day at work went by fast. 

When I got home, he was just getting sleepy and ready for a nap.  He fell a asleep in my arms and I laid him down on the bed with me and watched him dream.  Is there much sweeter than a sleeping baby in your arms?  They’re so warm and soft and they smell wonderful. 

The time I got to spend with him when I came home was so precious and sweet.  Being away from him for such a long time made our reunion special in a way it wouldn’t be if I hadn’t gone to work today.