(more than) Halfway Through Leave

It looks like my weekly picture post is also going to become my usual day for a real blog entry as well.  I like that my 365 project is going to keep me posting, even when I get busy, tired, distracted or lazy.

The days run together on maternity leave, a blur of spit ups, diaper changes, silly songs with a toddler, time outs with that same toddler, diet cokes and too much food.  Zachary has been doing a lot of cluster feeding lately, often feeding every hour for what seems like hours on end.  He's also gone a few 3 hour stretches without eating - conveniently at night the past few nights, so I've started off the night with some decent sleep the past few nights, though it never lasts the whole night.

Finn still comes to bed with me between 4-6am, which coincides with Zachary's fussy period.  Zachary wakes to eat sometime around then, and pretty consistently fusses and makes grunty noises for at least an hour or two after that.  As you can imagine, that leads to Finn not getting consistently good sleep, either.  I keep talking to him about getting better sleep if he stays in his own bed until it's light outside, but he's not falling for it.  I could make him go back to his own bed, but there have been so many changes in his life the past few months, I just don't think either of us are ready for that just yet.  So instead we're working on better naps and I'm dealing with a grumpy toddler who needs more sleep at least a few days a week.  He is now staying in his bed at bedtime, even when he doesn't fall asleep right away, and I consider that a huge win, as that's been something I've been trying to accomplish for over a year.

Zachary still mostly only cries when he's hungry or uncomfortable.  He makes the loudest grunting noises I've ever heard from a baby - sometimes when he's unhappy, sometimes for no reason at all.  It makes watching tv with him a challenge.  (And that's often the reason I can't sleep at night, as he grunts while sleeping.)  He's got the sweetest smile, and follows me with his eyes and seems to recognize both me and his big brother.  He's also started to notice the mobile above his swing, so I got out the play mat this week.  He's not too impressed with it yet, but Finn loves it.

And now for the pictures for week 6:

3/19/14: blurry "crap I forgot to take a picture today!" bedtime shot

3/20/14: First trip to the hardware store 

3/21/14: sleepy smiles

3/22/14: this was supposed to be a picture of just Zachary, but Finn couldn't resist getting in on the shot

3/23/14: Contemplating the meaning of Pharrell's "Happy"

3/24/14: quality time with Uncle Tivo (Jennie's husband)

3/25/14: dozing on the playmat