Challenges

My biggest challenge so far is sleep.
Hmmm, one of major things the little one depends on....

Here is why I am torn on the sleeping situation.
Aside from the first week of simply adjusting to having a newborn in the house

and trying several different sleeping techniques,
Lyla now refuses to sleep independently.
We originally established a routine of Kirk sleeping on the couch,

 while I slept in the recliner with Lyla in my arms all night.
I was actually okay with this only because it meant Lyla

would sleep for three, sometimes four, hours straight during the night.
Which ultimately meant more sleep for me!

Finally, my mom helped me realize that sleeping in the recliner every night was just not practical and I should work on establishing a better night time routine.
 The thing is I tried to put Lyla to sleep in her bassinet.
I tried and tried and tried.
But when I lay her down, she will not sleep longer than an hour at the very most.

The little spaz fidgets so much in her sleep that
 she usually startles herself and wakes up.
As opposed to sleeping in my arms, where I can comfort her
by holding her close when she wakes up, and then she quickly falls back to sleep.
And yes, I have tried swaddling, it just doesn't work for her.

This week I decided it was time to end the recliner sleeping....
and the transition hasn't been as horrible as I imagined.
However, we've picked up a new bad habit instead.
I put her in the bassinet at night,

 (hoping that she won't wake up, knowing that she will)

and when she does I put her right in bed with us.

She eats, we snuggle, and she falls back asleep until the early morning.

Kirk is not a fan of this at all.
He is worried one of us is going to roll over and smush our precious little girl.
And to be honest, I know it's not the best resolution to my recliner issue.
I know there are risks...but I'm being careful.
This isn't the picture perfect scenario I once imagined,
I'm just trying to figure this mom thing out!

I really thought I knew how I would "parent" my newborn.
I had everything planned out and knew how I would handle every situation.
I am realizing now, as a new parent, that you just have to do what works.
And for now, this works for us and it works for Lyla

However, my pre-baby "I'll never let our baby sleep with us" self
is pointing and laughing....ha ha ha.



On an unrelated note, I'm really starting to notice a change in Lyla.
She is smiling, making baby noises, and starting to interact with us a bit.
I think she is becoming more familiar with her surroundings
and enjoying her life as a newborn.
It is so incredibly awesome and so rewarding.

I will admit, I was really missing my pre-baby life at first.
Thankfully that postpartum yuckiness is over and
my new life is becoming a lot more fun than the old one.
(that's what I've been waiting for!)