Techy Advice - My Fave App Part II

Now that I am a nursing mom again, I spend a lot of time sitting in my son’s glider chair, trying to nurse him to sleep.  This time around, I have an iPhone to keep me company!  And while I do catch up on my news via The New York Times App, The Today Show App and the Yahoo News App, I have been enjoying some of the free games that I have downloaded.

Everyone has surely heard of Words with Friends, thanks to Alec Baldwin who was kicked off a plane because he wouldn’t turn his phone off (because he was trying to finish a turn playing Words.)  I really enjoy this game because I can take a turn at my leisure and spend as much time as I want.  I also like Scramble with Friends, but hate that it is timed!  I feel like I get on a roll just as the clock is ticking down to zero.  If you aren’t familiar with it, you play against a friend, and you have two minutes to come up with as many words as you can find in a scrambled mess of letters. 

And finally, my new fave is Draw Something.  You take turns with your friends playing Pictionary.  It can get pretty tricky drawing Shrek and Kanye just using your fingertip.  But it is a fun challenge to come up with the drawing in such a small space.  Some other examples of choices have been “butcher,” “skiing,” “turkey,” and “Godzilla.”

Anyone have another game for me to play?

Baby Advice - Crib Transition

I recently gave birth to my second boy (he is almost 5 months old.)  I am, for the second time, trying to transition him to the crib.  It is going better than it did the first time, but still NOT SO GREAT!!!

Because he has reflux, and had it REALLY bad for the first 3 months of life, he slept in his swing during the day and the car seat at night (positioned on our bed, surrounded by pillows).  At 3 months, I kept him swaddled and decided to move him to his crib just at night.  I figured since naps in the swing were going so well, I shouldn't mess with days.  WELL, after 8 nights of sheer hell, I gave up and ended up putting him in the swing 24/7 because he wouldn't even sleep in his car seat in the crib anymore!

At his 4-month appointment, my pediatrician said I should try moving him to the crib during the day, that it was about time he got used to it.  She warned me to expect bad naps for a few days.

We are now on day 8, and while he IS in the crib 24/7, he only takes one-hour naps still!  At night, he sleeps for 4-5 hour stretches.  This is decent, but I don't think it is so great for an almost 5-month old!

And just because I knew I would give up if I had the choice, I sold our swing on Craig's List last week.

As a good friend recently said to me, "days are long, years are short, HANG IN THERE!"

Big Kid Advice - Sleeping Through the Night

I wrote a blog a while back about how to stop your young child from coming into your room in the middle of the night.  I am following up because my child, now 5 ½ comes into our room once again.  Sticker charts and the bunny clock no longer work!

I have a new system.  I ran it by my pediatrician and she improved!  We have created “sleep tickets.”  I simply cut card stock into pieces – about 4 inches by 2 inches.  I then wrote something on each one that my son loves and would hate to be without.  Currently, his sleep tickets have the following written on them: Treats, TV, iPhone, Computer, Angry Birds (his stuffed toys) and iPad.  We count how many times he comes into our room at night, and then the next morning, he has to give us a sleep ticket for each time.  Sometimes we let him choose and sometimes we choose.  We then post the ticket (or tickets) on the refrigerator for the day.  And then before bed, (hopefully we remember), we put the tickets back on his nightstand.

And of course, we do have exceptions when it is OK to come into our room.  He is allowed to come in if he hears thunder (because he is terrified) or if he needs help going to the bathroom.

We have had these issues with my son for several years.  My pediatrician said that it COULD be that he wakes up from anxiety.  And you might ask, for a 5 year-old, what causes anxiety?  She actually asked my son what he thinks about when he wakes up in the night.  He started telling her silly and small things like his excitement about playing on daddy’s phone!  She said if the sleep tickets DON’T work, then a couple of sessions with a psychologist might help.  A doctor can give your child coping tools for easing anxiety in the night.

Techy Advice - My Favorite App Part I

I finally purchased an iPhone a couple of months ago and MAN DO I LOVE IT!  It really should not be called a phone, that does it little justice.  It is a gadget of gigantic proportions, with the ability to make phone calls too.

I am really enjoying all the amazing AND FREE apps out there!  So I have decided to periodically use my blog to give you a rec for a favorite app.

My first suggestion is Nike Training Club.  I have a 4-month old baby, so I really need to start working out.  This app is sooo cool and watching it has almost motivated me to start exercising.  You can pick beginner, intermediate or advanced, then pick from several workout options and even set it to music!  And if you need help understanding how to do a portion of the workout (ie, partial plank), there is a video of a svelte gal doing it.

Let me know if you try it out and tell me what you think!