barrett: six weeks old

I've been holding my breath for six weeks to get here - this magical moment in time when babies are supposed to sleep longer, be more predictable, and start working out those gas issues that cause crying and pain and sleeplessness and work.  Ummmm, not so much.  At least around here.  Barrett is still having random gas issues, like last night when he woke up every two hours like he had an alarm set.  And maybe it's because it isn't all the time, but when he does get off kilter and out of whack, it throws me for such a loop that I become a sobbing mess in the fetal position on the floor.  And then I take a shower to make it all better.  And read baby books to get some semblance of control.

You know what I've learned?  I have no control over this.  None.  He's six weeks old.  No reputable book or website will tell me that I can put Barrett on a schedule and expect miracles.  UGH.  Usually he's pretty good about the daytime - eating and napping on a two-hour schedule.  And at night I've had some luck with his going to bed at 9:00 pm and sleeping through to 1:30 am.  But if he goes to bed at 7:30 pm or 8:00 pm, then he gets up for a feeding at 11:30 pm, but still wants to get up at 1:30 am too!  And then he's up at 3:30 am and 5:30 am or 6:00 am.  If I change his diaper in the middle of the night he thinks it's time to wake up and won't go back to sleep, so he stays in a soggy diaper all night.

Memaw and her sister Aunt Judy stopped in yesterday to visit and see the kids, and this was the first time Barrett was in the swing and noticed the mirror and mobile above him.  He's actively becoming more aware, and if memory serves with Britton (it may not - I was seriously sleep-deprived with that one!), the jump in development means growing pains for everyone else.

I'm hoping that over the next two weeks, Barrett's system gets in order and he finally settles down into a manageable routine.  And when that finally happens, I can get back to sleeping in my own bed (seriously - not doing stairs all night if he wakes up 4 times) and get some good sleep.  Ahhhh, sleep......my old friend.......I miss you........