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I’m doing this week’s Oakes weekap a little different. Still our usual high and low of the week, with a recap in pictures. The only difference is at the end of this weekap! Many of you have asked about Blake’s nap/sleep training and the routine we do, so I’m chatting all about it after all the cute pictures!
This week’s high: Blake slept two hours in her crib during nap time three times this week y’all! We’re making progress + it’s giving Mama much needed time to catch up on work!
This week’s low: a speeding ticket. I went to get my hair done, take some me time and was running super late, so speeding to get there on time…and I got caught, red handed. So there’s that.
Now, picture time + captions!
I love running errands with my little babe.
Seriously she’s OBSESSED with bath time. She could be screaming and if you stick her in the bath tub, she’s as happy as can be!
Howie complained that he hasn’t been in a weekap in a few weeks, so here he is telling me about it.
Marcus really concentrates on his video game time after work, Blake likes all the pretty lights + music. Oops. #parenting101
She has been so talkative this week! Lots of little baby coos and it’s the cutest!
We had sister time this week and got froyo and it was absolutely a blast! Sisters are the best.
We ran so many errands this week that by the end of the week she was pooped and tired of being in her car seat! But she just looked so cute, I had to take a picture!
Picnic time! She loves being outside.
This week Blake officially fit in her cute Baby Sprouts hoodie + well I am just obsessed and need to buy 500 baby hoodies.
Puppy Howie is making two appearances today (making up for lost times..oops), but seriously she loves her puppy!
Now, let’s chat sleepy time! I decided to attempt a routine/sleep training with Blake almost two weeks ago. Mainly because I really needed a few hours a day to bust some work out because I’ve fallen SO behind. I didn’t read any books, nor have I followed any sort of set guidelines, we’ve just done what works for us, but I’m no expert.
Each morning we wake up anywhere from 7:30-8:30, depending on what kind of night it was, HA! Once we’re up we change her diaper, get dressed for the day and eat breakfast. About an hour to an hour and a half after that she’s generally sleepy, so I swaddle her up and rock her in her rocking chair for a couple of minutes. Then I turn on her sound machine, mobile, lay her in her crib and shut the door. Each day is different, some days she goes right to sleep, others it’s a struggle and I go in there fifteen times to give her, her binky or re-swaddle her (because she’s the swaddle escape master). It’s completely a work in progress, but I always make her stay in there at least an hour and a half-two hours, even if that means I have to go in and comfort her a million times. Plus, I hate hearing her cry, it breaks my heart. After her first nap, we play a repeat of the morning minus the getting dressed part. So I change her diaper and feed her, then we play for an hour or so until she starts to fall asleep again. Once I see sleepy eyes, we head to her nursery and do the same thing, swaddle, rock, sound machine, mobile, close the door. The routine goes on all day and she usually has three naps a day and eats about every three to three and a half hours on both sides (so she’s nice and full 😉 ). Then comes night time. We put her in PJ’s around 7:46, cuddle a little and then feed her so that she’s in bed by 8. This gives Marcus and I time or in other words more work time, just with Marcus! Ha! I generally make sure she’s up for almost three hours before bed. Sometimes this is impossible, so I do my best so she’s extra sleepy! I also feed her two hours before bed and then again right before I put her down. Again on both sides, filling that tummy up! We generally have to go in a few times and give her back her binky or rub her head (she loves that), but she does pretty good. *knock on wood. Now here’s the part that’s still a HUGE work in progress, the nights. Since she eats around 8 and then goes down, I feed her again right before Marcus and I go to bed, which is generally 11. On both sides, again. I try not to change her diaper after 8 until morning so that she gets that it’s night time and we’re supposed to sleep! After feeding her around 11, I fall right asleep and hope for the best. Ha! Usually she wakes up anywhere from 4am-5am again to eat, when it’s 5am I celebrate, SIX HOURS is huge and I’ll take it! So I feed her around then again, try NOT to change her diaper and then we go back to sleep until we get up in the morning. Things aren’t perfect yet, but she’s really been a trooper and I’m hoping one day it will just stick! Even the little bit that we have been doing it, has been a huge blessing so that I’m able to get work done, she knows a routine and we can all relax a little more!
Here’s a little example schedule of how we do things:
8:30am- wake up, change diaper, get dressed, eat + play
9:30-swaddle, rock + nap
11:30- wake up, change diaper + eat
1:00- swaddle, rock + nap
3:00- wake up, change diaper + eat
4:00- swaddle, rock + nap
5:00- wake up, change diaper + eat
6:30- eat again (fill her up before bed!)
–PLAY + KEEP AWAKE–
7:45- PJ’s (bedtime routine)
8:00- swaddle, rock + eat
11:00- eat (trying not to change her diaper)
5:00- eat (trying not to change her diaper)
8:30am- start over 🙂
Like I said it’s still a work in progress and definitely not perfect like that schedule, but we’re aiming for it and plus it gives her a chance to get use to her crib during the day when she naps! Not that I’m ever actually going to let her sleep in there at night…that’s crazy talk 😉 ha! Seriously though the first night she sleeps in there I’ll be a wreck. Anyways, obviously some days are different if we’re running errands or what not, but I just adjust it and do the best we can.
What tips and tricks did you use for sleep/nap training?! I want to hear! Tell me in the comments.
Xo,
Jess
Kristin says
Wow I’m so impressed you have a schedule like that without reading any booksvorvsnyfhing! You’re a natural! What you do now is essentially what the baby whisperer recommends but – I would try not turning on the mobile – that will wake her brain up more than put her to sleep. Also I’d try a 4th cat nap at night – sleep begets sleep so she should (according to the “experts”) sleep better at night without having been up for 3hours and getting overtired. Those are the only things we do/did differently with our 3 but the little one is only 9 weeks so definitely still a work in process!!
Jess Oakes says
Ah thank you!!! I will try those things. You’re awesome!!
Xo