I'm writing this blog on my phone with a sleeping baby in my
arms. When you're a mom, you learn how to do a lot while holding a sleeping
baby. You might also find yourself violently angry at anything that would wake
that baby after all the work you put into getting it to sleep. At this point I
would cut our mailman so fast he wouldn't even have time to think about why
ringing our doorbell was a fatal mistake. I have paced, bounced, rocked, sang,
and briefly even Gregorian chanted to finally achieve this coveted thing we
call a nap. The four month sleep regression arrived on time just as it did with
Big Bro when he was a Baby B. Some parents say the regression lasts a few weeks
and then baby starts developing a sleep pattern and going back to its normal
rhythms. Those parents are what I like to call liars.
From my experience, the four month sleep regression turns
into a 6-month regression, then 9-month and so on until they head off to
preschool. Baby makes a big developmental mental leap, and then mobile and mental
milestones cascade one after another so quickly that you just resolve to kiss
the prospect of sleep goodbye and go along with the ride, wide-eyed and holding
on. Its my opinion that if there were a secret recipe for getting a baby to
sleep, there'd only be one book about it. So, I do whatever works.
In Baby Bro's case, that means wearing him in his ergo
carrier while vacuuming the floor. It's a little weird and it's always my last resort, but when I'm at
my rope's end and can't take any more rocking, singing, or swaying, I turn on
that blessed white noise making device and it works. Every. Single. Time.
Then, when he's finally quiet and snuggly and comfy in my
arms, I look down at my baby boy and whisper the reassuring yet terrifying
mantra of motherhood: This too shall pass.
At 5 months, Baby Bro likes: smiling, giggling, taking toys from his big brother, floating in the pool, playing in his exersaucer, practicing sitting up, putting everything in his mouth, snuggling his blankie, being in mommy or daddy's arms, and so much more.
He dislikes: sneezes and naps.
