One Month Old

Ian is a month old. I can't believe it was a month ago that my pregnancy ended. I would love to say that Ian is on a great schedule and that we're back to being a happy family, but I can't. I've been trying SO hard to get him into a good routine with eating and napping falling at the same time every day and he doesn't seem to want anything to do with that. Even his night time sleep is hit and miss at best. I feed him at 11:30 and some nights he'll sleep until 3:30AM but others he's up at 2AM and then again at 5AM. I just wish I could get some predictibility out of him. And our day begins at 8:00 in the morning. That's the way it's been since Shaun was born and the way I like it. We have such a routine with Shaun getting his once-daily cup of chocolate milk and then me making him oatmeal (yes, it's been the same breakfast for over a year and that's how he likes it) and him sitting in the living room to watch Super Why. But Ian never wakes up at 8:00 to eat. He's on his own schedule and in a house like this, that's not okay. He's giving me a run for my money that's for sure.

I had a friend come over with her daughter for dinner last night. Thank goodness because it was the worst night since Ian was born but more on that later. She seems to think I have too high expectations of Ian and that I'm being unrealistic. I keep comparing how Ian is to how Shaun was at the same age. I know that's not healthy because they're different children and they'll never be the same in all respects but can't they at least have the same schedule?! I'm doing everything the same. Ian just isn't 'getting' it the way Shaun did and that's frustrating.

So Ian seems to have a personal fussy period that begins around 4:30 and continues way too long into the evening. Last night it began at 4:30 and went until Craig came home early from work - after my begging - at 8:20 (thank goodness Erika was here until 7:30 because I would have gone bananas without any help!). Then Ian was quiet for about 10 minutes and it all started back up again and went on until 10:20 when I fed him. During that time I tried everything I could think of to try and settle him: rocking, singing, diaper changing, bed, talking, sitting, laying, nursing, everything. And nothing worked. He cried. And cried. And cried. I started thinking last night that maybe it's The C Word. I don't want to say it... Colic. Okay, I said it. I've read that colic is unexplained crying for at least 3 hours straight and happens at least 3 times a week. Well, Ian has cried 4 out of the last 6 nights for at least 3 hours. It all seems to fall around the same time too. I don't want to think that this may be the problem because I think that too many people self diagnose their child as having colic when in actuality it's just a fussy period of their day. But seriously, this was uncontrolable crying and it just went on and on. I'm dreading that hour of the day today.

I have some online friends who have suggested that it may be the dairy in my diet that's causing Ian's fussiness. I have a hard time believing that the dairy I'm eating is affecting the dairy Ian's drinking from me but I'm willing to try anything. This morning I had my last cup of milk for the next 48 hours. I'm also cutting out yogurt and cheese. Anyone who knows me well will say that my favourite drink is milk. I know, sad. But it is. How in the world am I going to go 48 hours without drinking the best drink on Earth?! I'm getting sad just thinking about it. But if giving up dairy for a time means Ian will be able to settle and the hours of crying will be lessened, I'm all for it. I will sacrifice my milk for the sake of my sanity.