I have been a father since May 2nd and I think my sleep deprivation is finally starting to diminish. Yes, I am still tired but not tired enough where I can fall asleep anywhere (especially in the middle of a BLOG post). What was I talking about? I was having a wonderful dream about sleeping in a very dark and quiet room with some girl named Nina. What are all these words? Oh crap, I am writing something. Hopefully, it is about sleep!!!
I am very glad I am getting some good extended amounts of sleep throughout the night (since I returned to work on May 31st). I still do get up a few times to change a dirty diaper (not mine, not Nina’s, and not the cat). I am quicker and quicker each time. The only issue I have is swaddling him afterwards. If it’s too loose, he is able to get out of it (he is very strong for a 6-week old baby) and I don’t want to do it too tight because I don’t want to hurt him.
I have not had my fair share of naps since the birth of Niko, but last weekend, the three of us napped together and it was fantastic. Doing that more often will be extremely beneficial to us.
We are trying to establish a nighttime routine for Niko. So, we go upstairs around 7:30 to start the process. That means, I have less than 3 hours from the time I come home from work to sleepy time for Niko. I know that is not enough time for father and son, but we have to do this for the sake of the baby. I do bring him upstairs along with Nina and her stuff for the night and when they are tucked in bed (usually Nina is feeding him at this point), I proceed downstairs to play Mister Mom. Hey somebody has to clean the kitchen (it’s not going to clean itself) and prepare my meals for work the following day. I usually only need less than 30 minutes (unless I am writing like I am doing right now and I need about an hour) because I want to sleep with my wife, the baby, and sometimes Franklin cat.
I really like my family and miss them when I am not with them. Nina sends me lots of text pictures of the baby when I am at work. On Thursday, Nina and Niko stopped by my office because they were passing by on their way home from a doctor’s appointment. It made my day to see my wife and son and I was the center of attention with a lot of ladies (or maybe Niko was, but I was holding him).
Now, you’re probably asking how are cat and baby dealing with other since they have been together for 6 weeks. Well, Franklin wants to be where the baby is and in the baby’s stuff. With supervision from Mom and Dad, Franklin will get as close as he possibly can without putting him in harm’s way. Without supervision from Mom and Dad, he is kicked out of the bedroom and has to find an alternate place to sleep (he has lots of comfy places) — he does meow very loud (louder than the baby cries) to announce his presence and no matter where he is at, he comes running to the bedroom door as soon as we open it during the evening (when we get up to pee).
Last weekend, during my manly chores, I moved a chair that he sleeps in next to our new rocking chair so he can be close to us (and he loves it). True story alert about that particular cat chair. I was planning on throwing it away a few years ago and as I was dragging it down the hallway, Franklin jumped in it and claimed it!!! I did catch him sleeping in the new rocking chair and I just left him because he looked he was in a very deep sleep (probably was dreaming about how to outwit Mom and Dad to get even closer to Niko). The cat will sleep in or on anything even if it is a hard surface (stupid cat).
I am very glad I am getting some good extended amounts of sleep throughout the night (since I returned to work on May 31st). I still do get up a few times to change a dirty diaper (not mine, not Nina’s, and not the cat). I am quicker and quicker each time. The only issue I have is swaddling him afterwards. If it’s too loose, he is able to get out of it (he is very strong for a 6-week old baby) and I don’t want to do it too tight because I don’t want to hurt him.
I have not had my fair share of naps since the birth of Niko, but last weekend, the three of us napped together and it was fantastic. Doing that more often will be extremely beneficial to us.
We are trying to establish a nighttime routine for Niko. So, we go upstairs around 7:30 to start the process. That means, I have less than 3 hours from the time I come home from work to sleepy time for Niko. I know that is not enough time for father and son, but we have to do this for the sake of the baby. I do bring him upstairs along with Nina and her stuff for the night and when they are tucked in bed (usually Nina is feeding him at this point), I proceed downstairs to play Mister Mom. Hey somebody has to clean the kitchen (it’s not going to clean itself) and prepare my meals for work the following day. I usually only need less than 30 minutes (unless I am writing like I am doing right now and I need about an hour) because I want to sleep with my wife, the baby, and sometimes Franklin cat.
I really like my family and miss them when I am not with them. Nina sends me lots of text pictures of the baby when I am at work. On Thursday, Nina and Niko stopped by my office because they were passing by on their way home from a doctor’s appointment. It made my day to see my wife and son and I was the center of attention with a lot of ladies (or maybe Niko was, but I was holding him).
Now, you’re probably asking how are cat and baby dealing with other since they have been together for 6 weeks. Well, Franklin wants to be where the baby is and in the baby’s stuff. With supervision from Mom and Dad, Franklin will get as close as he possibly can without putting him in harm’s way. Without supervision from Mom and Dad, he is kicked out of the bedroom and has to find an alternate place to sleep (he has lots of comfy places) — he does meow very loud (louder than the baby cries) to announce his presence and no matter where he is at, he comes running to the bedroom door as soon as we open it during the evening (when we get up to pee).
Last weekend, during my manly chores, I moved a chair that he sleeps in next to our new rocking chair so he can be close to us (and he loves it). True story alert about that particular cat chair. I was planning on throwing it away a few years ago and as I was dragging it down the hallway, Franklin jumped in it and claimed it!!! I did catch him sleeping in the new rocking chair and I just left him because he looked he was in a very deep sleep (probably was dreaming about how to outwit Mom and Dad to get even closer to Niko). The cat will sleep in or on anything even if it is a hard surface (stupid cat).
