I think it’s been about a month since Ruby condensed her naps from three to two. Within the past month since Theo’s school began, and our new schedule emerged, we are finally on a good nap schedule for Ruby. Because Theo’s pre-k is a PM spot, it actually sets up perfect nap times for Rubes. Ruby typically wakes up between 6:30 – 7:30am, and then goes down about 9am each morning for her first nap. She wakes around 10:30 (sometimes a little earlier, sometimes later). This gives Theo and I a chance to spend some quality one-on-one home time. We are both really enjoying this time. Once Ruby is up, we head out so that we can have an hour at the playground before Theo’s school begins at 12:15pm. I rush back home to feed Ruby lunch and get her down for her nap by 1:15pm, at the latest. I have to get her up about 2:20pm to get back to Theo’s school for the 2:40pm pick-up time. This way she at least gets a one hour nap. On Tuesday and Thursdays they are with the babysitter, which allows me time to work on home studies. I’m usually in the vicinity so I’ve been picking Theo up from school so that Juliana can stay home while Ruby naps, and I again get to have a little one-on-one time with Theo. It would be nice if Theo had longer school days. Both for him and me, but honestly this schedule works, even though I have to run back and forth. I’m sure it will suck once the weather gets crappy. Having a car should help.
Also the past couple weeks has allowed us to get some longer nighttime sleeping from Ruby. I kind of felt at the end of my rope being up so many times each night. I hate to admit letting her cry a little bit, but honestly it has saved us. There have only been a few nights where she has cried a bit off and on at her first wake up of the night (usually after about 3 hours since her 6:30/45pm bedtime). Otherwise she may wake briefly once and stir and fuss for a minute and immediately go right back down. Honestly I feel lucky she made it that easy. I would’ve never survived full fledged cry it out, but now she is sleeping pretty much from 6:30/7pm – 6:30 – 7:30am. She wakes up happy and adorable.
The girl is eating like a machine these days. All of the sudden she became a bonafide eater. It’s no longer here give her this to try, it’s like the girl needs three meals a day. She will eat just about anything you give her. She loves it and clenches it all in her little fists to get ready for her next bite.
Eating solids is going so well, she barely needs to supplement with our donor milk anymore. Did I ever mention the donor milk? We’ve been getting breast milk from this lovely woman on the upper west side for about 2 months now. It’s been so great. I’ve also connected an adoptive father with donor milk for their little guy. Ruby probably only drinks an extra couple ounces twice a day now, nurses before meals and before naps and bedtime. I am also able to pump about 4 ounces before I go to bed now that she is pretty much sleeping through the night so she has a bottle of my breast milk the next day when I’m on the run (or with the sitter) instead of the donor milk.
She’s had two baths with Theo in the big bath recently, and absolutely loved it.
