Saturday, February 12, 2011

Wise Up

It has arrived. The book of all books. The book that is supposed to change my life as a mother...
So maybe that was a bit dramatic but this book has come highly recommended by so many of you. I know there are things in the book that might not really fit with our family but I also know there are things in the book that could change our lives. My friend Jennifer, the baby whisperer, has had great success with this book and I assured her she would be on speed dial. I hope and pray that Sadie will be a good sleeper. I have a feeling she'll make her own rules but I want to do everything I can to set her up for success. I told Josh that I would give him a crash course too. After all, I want him well educated in making sure Sadie is a good sleeper.
On a totally different note I wanted to include a few of Sadie's new things. These things are precisely why I don't plan on buying my child anything for a while. Her Jules and Big D are buying her enough for all of us.
Um, seriously, this sailor outfit is so cute. My mom had already decided she was buying her one and when she found it she didn't care what it cost (luckily it was on sale). I just love it.

This dress might be my favorite though. It's so preppy. She won't be able to wear this for a while (at least I hope not) but I can just picture her in it.

Her first polos. Oh goodness.

My dad picked this out and had to get it for her. It's a little sweater dress with a hat.

He also picked this out for her too. Her first tutu. I have a feeling there will lots more tutus in her lifetime. In fact I have plans to make one for her soon.
She's gotten several other things as well but I didn't want to bore you with it all.
I love having these little girly things around. I can't wait until we have our new place and her closet and nursery are all set and ready to go. Who knows though, she might make her debut before that happens.

15 comments:

Superchikk said...

We are big believers in Babywise. You're right that not every single aspect of it works for very one, but the basic concepts are huge. Yet so simple. We will definitely use it for Little Sister!

Audra said...

We got the sailor dress too!!! LOVE it.

Jill said...

I've heard great things about that book! Those outfits for Sadie are so precious. Oh my goodness, girls are so much fun. :)

Donna said...

Just Precious!!!!

Laurie said...

Love the book! Love the clothes!

Ashley said...

Oh my gosh, the sailor outfit is ADORABLE!!! Love, love love! I can't wait to see her in all of those cute outfits!

Lauren said...

I don't want to be "that person," but I guess I just am. =) I like the principles of "Babywise." I really do. But you might want to pick up "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" so you've covered a few more bases. The medical doctor (and father of four) who wrote it discusses sleep studies that show sleep to be achieved in "developmental milestones" (like most everything else).
Let's be completely honest and say, you can do it ALL RIGHT and your kid not sleep through the night for a year. You can do it ALL "WRONG" and have one who sleeps twelve hours at a time starting at six weeks (yes, my youngest sister actually did this!).
When I was a nanny, I read all the books. And, yes, I do think I read them all--multiple times. What worked for the baby then did not work for Spencer later.
Since Spencer would NOT do the "eat, play, sleep" thing, I read the only book I knew of that I hadn't read yet. As you can tell, it was immensely helpful. I'd read it before Sadie's here. That way, whatever she has in mind for her sleep / wake /play / eat / cry cycles, you'll have a game plan.
This is why you blog, right? Unsolicited advice? Just wait 'til you're carrying a baby around. It only gets worse. Much worse. =)

Lauren said...

Don't hate me. =) I just told you all that (above) because I really do wish I'd heard about it before Spencer was born. Hundreds of people had told me about "Babywise," but no one had mentioned the other. Sorry for the disclaimer. I have a people-pleasing problem, lol....I've even read books about it. Ha!

Lindsey B said...

I would read "The No Cry Sleep Solution" as well.

But, I am 100% against letting a baby cry it out.

I also don't understand the current infatuation with forcing sleep habits on little babies. Our kids will sleep when their little bodies are ready - and forcing it on them is not a positive parenting technique in my opinion.

Cora Bouch said...

Hi. This is my first time commenting. Congratulations on your little baby girl!
I am a mom to three little boys and I have read Babywise and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Both are very good books. All three of my children naturally did the whole wake/eat/play/sleep. So it was easy as far as that goes. They also fed every 3 hours from the get-go. But I will say had they wanted to eat more in the beginning, I would have let them. The book HSHHC is so good too. Even though my babies started out "easy" with feedings and sleep rhythms, they were all still waking up to feed during the night well into 9 months!And quite honestly, enough is enough! I was done. They were all very healthy babies in the 80-90% so they weren't waking up for nutritional needs. The book helps you to realize healthy sleep for everyone is as important as healthy eating! So when you know (and you can also talk w/ your Dr.) that they don't need to be fed as much or anymore at night, you simply put them to bed and close the door. Sweet dreams and see you in the morning. My second son was not taking good naps and waking multiple times a night at 8months I finally did just that. He cried for a couple of hours that night. But after that was my best sleeper and was the happiest little baby! He had been so crabby during the day and I realized it was from getting up all hours of the night.
And to Lindsey...Letting your child cry is one of the hardest things to do as a parent, but we do it because it is what's best for them and us. Most children will NOT sleep when they need to unless they are taught. It is our job as parents to teach them what is best for them. Just like eating healthy foods. You wouldn't allow your child to live off junk-food, why allow them to live on junk-sleep( not enough or interrupted)?

Cora

Team Emmons said...

Hi Hillary! I love following your blog and can't wait to see pictures of sweet Sadie when she gets here! :)

I usually don't comment on blogs, but sleeping was a really important topic to me when Will was born. I also was a believer in Babywise and it worked great when he was an infant. However, he quit sleeping through the night when he was about 5 mths and I didn't know what to do. I read the other book that has been mentioned--"Healthy Sleep Habits". Once I put it into practice, he immediately retuned to sleeping through the night, and he took better naps during the day. To be honest, I wish I would have read it sooner, since it helped so much! That said, I completely agree with what's been said about how each baby is different--what works for one doesn't always work for others. I know when the time comes, you are going to be a great mom & Sadie will feel loved no matter what method you choose.

Congratulations and hang in there! Only a few more weeks! :)
-Mary Kathryn

The Rohman Family said...

LOVE Babywise. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work at 8 weeks like the book claims. I just couldn't make mine cry it out that early, so I waited til I felt right about it, but stuck to all the other principles. Now I have a 2 and a half year old that sleeps great AND an 11 month old that sleeps great. Totally worth it!

Megan said...

I want to read several of these books that have been mentioned in the comments. I need to get on that! I LOVE that second little dress. So adorable!

Unknown said...

Letting your child "cry it out" IS NOT what is best for your child. Children who are left alone to cry often develop emotional and attachment issues. CRYING IS NOT GOOD FOR BABIES. A crying baby is crying because she needs something, be it food, comfort, or attention. Please don't fall into the cry it out trap. It's not good for you or for the baby. Babies' brains and bodies aren't designed to follow an adult sleep pattern and forcing the pattern on them can be extremely detrimental to her cognitive and social development. Read more about healthy and natural sleep patterns before you force something on your child that can cause her harm just so you can get more sleep.

http://www.attachmentparenting.org/parentingtopics/babysleepstrategies.php

Selena and Anna said...

I loved Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child too. It fit more my personal style and as Thomas said...I think it is ok to feed newborns more as sometimes they just need that. The best advise, however, is to go with your instinct. If it doesn't feel right then don't do it but if it, indeed, feels right then go for it!! Everyone has an opinion but in the end, it is what makes you feel ok that matters the most!!! Congrats and good luck on your journey through motherhood:-)