Four hour schedule
Day One:
Arrive at the house at 8 a.m. (a bit earlier than my 10 a.m. wakeup time back home, but I'm eager to get the quality time with my nephew, so no complaints here!). Get last-minute instructions for the day before hearing those scary four words: You're on your own. Aaaughhh! Me and a four and a half month old infant!?! Who's the wise one who thought THAT might be a good idea?
The final reminder I was left with was simple: "Remember, it's a four hour schedule." Ok, easy 'nuf. So, with bouncing baby on the hip, a look at the clock after his nap showed 10 a.m. I didn't ace fifth grade math for nothing; next nap is in four hours - 2 p.m. We play, we sing, we dance, we read a few books. Arm is getting tired holding little angel, so I easily slide him into the bouncer chair. "Whah!" Ok, no bouncer. How about the swing? "Whah!" Feel like playing on the blanket? "Whah!" Last shot, the Baby Bjorn (front facing backpack for holding little tykes). Any complaints?
Silence.
As long as I stay standing, that is.
Deviate from that position for any reason, say to grab a book to read, shoo the cat off the drying sweaters, tired feet, etc., and it is once again tears in babe-land. I swear, at one point, I thought the little dude was going to be the next great environmentalist out to save the world. He loved being saddled in the Bjorn, me standing so he could look outside, eyes glazing over in awe at the incredible places open before him. Just wait till he gets crawling; he's going places, I tell you. Well, we've been up for a while, it's got to be at least nearing time for the next nap.
Oh, if it were only that easy. It had been an hour. Three more to go. How do you entertain an infant? Especially one that is only happy when attached to your body? At 1:30 we both gave in - him to sleep and me to letting him have that sleep. Heck, I even joined in nap time for an hour after that ordeal. Four hours is a long stretch! And I'll be here for how much longer? All I can think, besides the fact that this is by far the most powerful birth control EVER, is that when Sister gets home, I'm going to ask her how she does it.
And now I know. The four hour schedule is a loop. His eyes weren't glazed over in awe. They were glazed over because he was in desperate need of sleep. And it's not four hours up at a time, then napping. It's a four hour cycle. It starts with a two-hour nap, then the next hour is waking, changing and eating. The fourth hour is play time or other activity before beginning the cycle all over again with that two hour nap. Get it? Every four hour period begins with a two hour nap. He's only awake for two hours at a time.
Oh. So that's why he was so cranky. I'm surprized I still got smiles after that torturous day. My sister and brother-in-law have material to torment me with for years. They both keeled over laughing when I guiltily admitted that I could only get him to stay awake for three and a half hours.
Note to self: when someone says that their baby is on a four hour schedule, ASK TO CLARIFY!
New Favorites: Baby Bjorn Carrier, Sandra Boynton, and The Baby Whisperer
P.S. I realized that yesterday, Sunday, was supposed to be my day for posting another "Wall of Wonderings" question. Sorry, got too caught up in "Gooos and Gaahhs". New question next week.
Arrive at the house at 8 a.m. (a bit earlier than my 10 a.m. wakeup time back home, but I'm eager to get the quality time with my nephew, so no complaints here!). Get last-minute instructions for the day before hearing those scary four words: You're on your own. Aaaughhh! Me and a four and a half month old infant!?! Who's the wise one who thought THAT might be a good idea?
The final reminder I was left with was simple: "Remember, it's a four hour schedule." Ok, easy 'nuf. So, with bouncing baby on the hip, a look at the clock after his nap showed 10 a.m. I didn't ace fifth grade math for nothing; next nap is in four hours - 2 p.m. We play, we sing, we dance, we read a few books. Arm is getting tired holding little angel, so I easily slide him into the bouncer chair. "Whah!" Ok, no bouncer. How about the swing? "Whah!" Feel like playing on the blanket? "Whah!" Last shot, the Baby Bjorn (front facing backpack for holding little tykes). Any complaints?
Silence.
As long as I stay standing, that is.
Deviate from that position for any reason, say to grab a book to read, shoo the cat off the drying sweaters, tired feet, etc., and it is once again tears in babe-land. I swear, at one point, I thought the little dude was going to be the next great environmentalist out to save the world. He loved being saddled in the Bjorn, me standing so he could look outside, eyes glazing over in awe at the incredible places open before him. Just wait till he gets crawling; he's going places, I tell you. Well, we've been up for a while, it's got to be at least nearing time for the next nap.
Oh, if it were only that easy. It had been an hour. Three more to go. How do you entertain an infant? Especially one that is only happy when attached to your body? At 1:30 we both gave in - him to sleep and me to letting him have that sleep. Heck, I even joined in nap time for an hour after that ordeal. Four hours is a long stretch! And I'll be here for how much longer? All I can think, besides the fact that this is by far the most powerful birth control EVER, is that when Sister gets home, I'm going to ask her how she does it.
And now I know. The four hour schedule is a loop. His eyes weren't glazed over in awe. They were glazed over because he was in desperate need of sleep. And it's not four hours up at a time, then napping. It's a four hour cycle. It starts with a two-hour nap, then the next hour is waking, changing and eating. The fourth hour is play time or other activity before beginning the cycle all over again with that two hour nap. Get it? Every four hour period begins with a two hour nap. He's only awake for two hours at a time.
Oh. So that's why he was so cranky. I'm surprized I still got smiles after that torturous day. My sister and brother-in-law have material to torment me with for years. They both keeled over laughing when I guiltily admitted that I could only get him to stay awake for three and a half hours.
Note to self: when someone says that their baby is on a four hour schedule, ASK TO CLARIFY!
New Favorites: Baby Bjorn Carrier, Sandra Boynton, and The Baby Whisperer
P.S. I realized that yesterday, Sunday, was supposed to be my day for posting another "Wall of Wonderings" question. Sorry, got too caught up in "Gooos and Gaahhs". New question next week.
posted by Kathy at 9:33 PM
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