So, sleep is still the issue of the day.
Lupe did well a couple of days after getting home from LA, but Ruby chose this time to become incredibly frightened of things (not just in the dark, but definitely in the dark as well). And then, he started teething. He had three really bad nights because of the impending tooth, and then turned the corner last night. He slept through.
Of course, Ruby did not. She kept waking up, and Natasha couldn’t fall back to sleep, and ended up awake for a good two hour stretch in the middle of the night.
Some day, and I really hope it’s soon, they will both have a good night on the same night.
Aside from the sleep drama, things are going fairly well. Ruby is excited about her birthday party, and Lupe is excited about the whole wide world. Miracle of miracles, I was able to get out for two whole beers at Toronado yesterday.
The other thing that Ruby is excited about is our neighbor upstairs, Rachel. Rachel has been gardening and cleaning up in the backyard, which our living room window overlooks, all summer, and Ruby has become obsessed with her. She will ask excitedly every time she hears some sound coming from the yard, "Is that my friend Rachel?" while she runs to the window.
When it actually is Rachel, she runs outside as fast as she can, and "helps" her. It's super cute, and Rachel does seem to genuinely like her and her company, so it's actually quite fabulous to have some tiny respite every once in a while. It's also great that Rachel has managed to clean up the yard to the point that we can let Ruby run around out there all by herself. Perhaps I'll try to get a picture soon...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Divide and Conquer
Natasha flew down to LA yesterday in order to take a civil service exam, and took Lupe with her, so we each have a kid right now.
After we dropped them off at the airport, we decided to get some dinner. Normally, this would have meant one of the several brewpubs in town, but I've been battling a bit of a cold for a couple of days, so instead we ended up at a vegetarian Chinese restaurant that is out in the Sunset district where we used to live, which I always liked more than Natasha. Ruby was in a super good mood, chatting and asking questions in the most lively and adorable manner possible. She was excited to be able to get "Chicken Nuggets" at a restaurant, and for the first time actually drank the tea instead of just playing with it (which she did as well, of course).
As we were walking back to the car, I felt my resolve weakening, and started to think that maybe I would get her some sort of treat at one of the many candy/ice cream/yogurt/tapioca drink places in that neighborhood, but was saved by a produce stand that had strawberries. They were even from Watsonville, so I didn't even have to endure a slight pang of guilt at getting something from halfway around the world. Strawberries are her favorite food in any case, so she did get a special treat, which she ate during her other special treat, watching the movie Madagascar. I got the special treat of perusing the latest election news without being interrupted.
Of course, I missed who would have been interrupting me. Lupe has been getting much more active and inquisitive lately, as well as just plain more fun and cute and interactive. Just the fact that he can crawl from one room in to the other on his own is somehow amusing (although it won't be for too long). I realized as I was saying goodbye to him at the airport that I have been with him almost 24 hours a day every day for the last three weeks. I go to work one day a week, but aside from that, I have rarely been not in the same place with him, particularly since Natasha got word that she was going to take this test and has been studying a lot.
It also feels that way because we have been trying to train him to sleep better. When they are tiny, they get fed all night long, any time they are hungry. At a certain point , though, it ceases to be about hunger. Yet, if he wakes up in the middle of the night, the quickest, easiest way to get him back to sleep is the boob. But, getting the boob all the time doesn't exactly encourage him to stay asleep. So, when I went to the pediatrician for his six month check up, I asked how long he should be able to go without food at night.
Eight hours.
Alright, then. So, the solution was to separate him and Natasha. Natasha and Ruby started sleeping on the air mattress in the other room, leaving the boys alone. It started slowly. I put him on a bottle schedule for the night, but comforted him as usual, picking him up of need be. The I stopped picking him up, then cut out all but one feeding, then stopped giving him any but the most cursory comfort, and finally cut that last feeding. It took about three weeks, and was tough at times, but resulted in him sleeping through the night a couple of times.
We then allowed the girls back in, which was a disaster, of course. But, at least we know he can do it, and we'll figure it out. But the reason I tell this story is because the whole process has made me feel like he and I have been spending a lot of time together, even more so than just taking care of him six days a week, which is plenty.
After we dropped them off at the airport, we decided to get some dinner. Normally, this would have meant one of the several brewpubs in town, but I've been battling a bit of a cold for a couple of days, so instead we ended up at a vegetarian Chinese restaurant that is out in the Sunset district where we used to live, which I always liked more than Natasha. Ruby was in a super good mood, chatting and asking questions in the most lively and adorable manner possible. She was excited to be able to get "Chicken Nuggets" at a restaurant, and for the first time actually drank the tea instead of just playing with it (which she did as well, of course).
As we were walking back to the car, I felt my resolve weakening, and started to think that maybe I would get her some sort of treat at one of the many candy/ice cream/yogurt/tapioca drink places in that neighborhood, but was saved by a produce stand that had strawberries. They were even from Watsonville, so I didn't even have to endure a slight pang of guilt at getting something from halfway around the world. Strawberries are her favorite food in any case, so she did get a special treat, which she ate during her other special treat, watching the movie Madagascar. I got the special treat of perusing the latest election news without being interrupted.
Of course, I missed who would have been interrupting me. Lupe has been getting much more active and inquisitive lately, as well as just plain more fun and cute and interactive. Just the fact that he can crawl from one room in to the other on his own is somehow amusing (although it won't be for too long). I realized as I was saying goodbye to him at the airport that I have been with him almost 24 hours a day every day for the last three weeks. I go to work one day a week, but aside from that, I have rarely been not in the same place with him, particularly since Natasha got word that she was going to take this test and has been studying a lot.
It also feels that way because we have been trying to train him to sleep better. When they are tiny, they get fed all night long, any time they are hungry. At a certain point , though, it ceases to be about hunger. Yet, if he wakes up in the middle of the night, the quickest, easiest way to get him back to sleep is the boob. But, getting the boob all the time doesn't exactly encourage him to stay asleep. So, when I went to the pediatrician for his six month check up, I asked how long he should be able to go without food at night.
Eight hours.
Alright, then. So, the solution was to separate him and Natasha. Natasha and Ruby started sleeping on the air mattress in the other room, leaving the boys alone. It started slowly. I put him on a bottle schedule for the night, but comforted him as usual, picking him up of need be. The I stopped picking him up, then cut out all but one feeding, then stopped giving him any but the most cursory comfort, and finally cut that last feeding. It took about three weeks, and was tough at times, but resulted in him sleeping through the night a couple of times.
We then allowed the girls back in, which was a disaster, of course. But, at least we know he can do it, and we'll figure it out. But the reason I tell this story is because the whole process has made me feel like he and I have been spending a lot of time together, even more so than just taking care of him six days a week, which is plenty.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Big Sis!
Now, if I can just get to the point where Ruby doesn't need my help, then we'd really have something. As it is, it's just very cute...
Sunday, September 14, 2008
His new trick
Well, without the cruising, but he's very cute in this one before he gets distracted by his sister...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Next Milestone
Well, he certainly didn't spend a whole lot of time patting himself on the back for a job well done in learning how to crawl. This morning he pulled himself up into standing while holding on to the couch, and for good measure took a few steps, essentially doing what is commonly referred to in the parenting world as cruising.
This definitely took us by surprise, since we both remember Ruby being super determined to do this, and practicing a lot in order to get to the point of doing it. I've never even seem him try to pull himself up. And since Ruby only crawled for a very short while, a month at most, before starting to walk, we figured he would be the opposite, since he crawled early, perhaps he'd be happy with perfecting that and not worry too much about getting up and about.
Apparently, we were wrong.
This definitely took us by surprise, since we both remember Ruby being super determined to do this, and practicing a lot in order to get to the point of doing it. I've never even seem him try to pull himself up. And since Ruby only crawled for a very short while, a month at most, before starting to walk, we figured he would be the opposite, since he crawled early, perhaps he'd be happy with perfecting that and not worry too much about getting up and about.
Apparently, we were wrong.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Real Clear Politics
Alright, so this only has anything to do with the kids in that the election results this November will shape in some way the world they will live in.
That being said, I just have to get a couple of things off my chest, and this is my only outlet, so...
I am being driven crazy by the "daily tracking polls" that have been getting so much attention in the media lately. They mean nothing. Unfortunately, they may actually end up having an effect only because they are getting that attention from the media. For instance, if there continue to be persistent stories and headlines referring to the national polls showing that McCain is leading, then this may give him the aura of a winner, and lead to lots of stories that lean heavily towards the negative about the Obama campaign, as we saw with Hilary when Obama was on a roll during the primaries.
Yet, these polls are meaningless because we elect the president through the electoral college, and what really matters is the outcome in each individual state. So, what the media should really be reporting is what the individual polls of each state are showing, and what the result would be on the electoral map.
Luckily, somebody is doing it.
Thanks to the folks over at Real Clear Politics, we can see what the polls are really telling us right now. Their electoral map gives a variety of views. The standard view assumes that a state is safe if the average of the most recent polls has one candidate ahead by more than ten percentage points. Five to ten points, and the state is leaning toward that candidate, and under five points gets deemed a toss up.
Today, that is showing the following count:
Obama-217
McCain-174
Tossup-147
With 270 needed to win, that is a bit less than completely clear. Luckily, they have another view in which the state is given to whoever is winning in the polls, by however slim a margin. This no toss-up view stands at:
Obama-273
McCain-265
So, although the current national polls may indeed show a lead for McCain, based upon the polls for each state, Obama is actually currently ahead. To put it another way, if the election were today, and all of the polls correctly predicted the winner in each state, Obama would be elected President.
So, for me, a responsible press would be reporting that Obama is holding a slim lead in the race to become President right now.
Alright, now that that's off my chest, there are a couple interesting things about these maps. First, they allow you to create your own scenarios. There are other maps out there that do that, but what's great about this one is that they all of the poll numbers for each state so that you can make a more informed decision about putting a particular state in blue or red. Another thing is that they also have the results from the last two elections, so that, for instance, you may be tempted to give Obama Indiana because it's somewhat close and half the state gets the Chicago news, which is presumably Obama-friendly. But, it shows that Bush took it by over 20 points in the last election. So, it's nice to have that info, in this case to know that it's probably unlikely that Obama can wipe out that entire 20 points.
It's interesting that in the no toss-up view, Obama wins Colorado and New Hampshire, but otherwise it's exactly the same as the 2000 Bush v. Gore map. Meaning that Obama can win even if he loses Ohio and Florida. Of course, he has to carry Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Mexico.
In any case, the scariest scenario I came up with is starting with the no toss-up view, but changing New Hampshire from Obama to McCain (right now Obama is up by .3%, which has to be way inside the margin), which would give a dead heat tie, 269-269. What would happen then? Well, it would be decided by the House of Representatives. That sounds great if you're an Obama supporter, right? Well, it isn't, because "each State delegation has one vote". Which means that McCain only has to get to 269, but Obama has to get to 270.
Still, as it stands now, he's at 273. So, there's reason to worry, but not to panic...
That being said, I just have to get a couple of things off my chest, and this is my only outlet, so...
I am being driven crazy by the "daily tracking polls" that have been getting so much attention in the media lately. They mean nothing. Unfortunately, they may actually end up having an effect only because they are getting that attention from the media. For instance, if there continue to be persistent stories and headlines referring to the national polls showing that McCain is leading, then this may give him the aura of a winner, and lead to lots of stories that lean heavily towards the negative about the Obama campaign, as we saw with Hilary when Obama was on a roll during the primaries.
Yet, these polls are meaningless because we elect the president through the electoral college, and what really matters is the outcome in each individual state. So, what the media should really be reporting is what the individual polls of each state are showing, and what the result would be on the electoral map.
Luckily, somebody is doing it.
Thanks to the folks over at Real Clear Politics, we can see what the polls are really telling us right now. Their electoral map gives a variety of views. The standard view assumes that a state is safe if the average of the most recent polls has one candidate ahead by more than ten percentage points. Five to ten points, and the state is leaning toward that candidate, and under five points gets deemed a toss up.
Today, that is showing the following count:
Obama-217
McCain-174
Tossup-147
With 270 needed to win, that is a bit less than completely clear. Luckily, they have another view in which the state is given to whoever is winning in the polls, by however slim a margin. This no toss-up view stands at:
Obama-273
McCain-265
So, although the current national polls may indeed show a lead for McCain, based upon the polls for each state, Obama is actually currently ahead. To put it another way, if the election were today, and all of the polls correctly predicted the winner in each state, Obama would be elected President.
So, for me, a responsible press would be reporting that Obama is holding a slim lead in the race to become President right now.
Alright, now that that's off my chest, there are a couple interesting things about these maps. First, they allow you to create your own scenarios. There are other maps out there that do that, but what's great about this one is that they all of the poll numbers for each state so that you can make a more informed decision about putting a particular state in blue or red. Another thing is that they also have the results from the last two elections, so that, for instance, you may be tempted to give Obama Indiana because it's somewhat close and half the state gets the Chicago news, which is presumably Obama-friendly. But, it shows that Bush took it by over 20 points in the last election. So, it's nice to have that info, in this case to know that it's probably unlikely that Obama can wipe out that entire 20 points.
It's interesting that in the no toss-up view, Obama wins Colorado and New Hampshire, but otherwise it's exactly the same as the 2000 Bush v. Gore map. Meaning that Obama can win even if he loses Ohio and Florida. Of course, he has to carry Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Mexico.
In any case, the scariest scenario I came up with is starting with the no toss-up view, but changing New Hampshire from Obama to McCain (right now Obama is up by .3%, which has to be way inside the margin), which would give a dead heat tie, 269-269. What would happen then? Well, it would be decided by the House of Representatives. That sounds great if you're an Obama supporter, right? Well, it isn't, because "each State delegation has one vote". Which means that McCain only has to get to 269, but Obama has to get to 270.
Still, as it stands now, he's at 273. So, there's reason to worry, but not to panic...
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Beyond Close, Just Plain Dangerous
Well, that didn't last long. A couple of days after that last post - and yes a day before he turns six months old - and he's actually done it. It's still slow and laborious, but he has unmistakably put all of the elements together. He is crawling.
He went about twice as far as he does in this video a little later, but he still gets stuck more than he moves. I don't suppose that will last, either...
He went about twice as far as he does in this video a little later, but he still gets stuck more than he moves. I don't suppose that will last, either...
Monday, September 01, 2008
Getting Dangerously Close
He's still not quite there, but he does have a lot of the elements going, and he has even figured out a weird way of actually making forward progress, where he gets up on all fours, then moves slightly forward, then goes back down on his belly, puts his hands out in front of himself, the pops up on all fours again, but somehow he has moved forward.
Luckily, it's a very labor intensive and quite time consuming process. He's still a few days away from turning six months old, and while a part of me would be proud to say that my son was crawling before he turned six months old, another part of me hopes that he gets stuck at this stage for a few months. In either case, here's a video of the operation as it stands today...
And, I just went and looked up Ruby's video of the second time she crawled, which is dated June 14th, which would have put her a week short of eight months old.
To be fair, though, this video below of her seriously cruising was taken two weeks earlier, and he can't even stand up holding on to something at this point...
Luckily, it's a very labor intensive and quite time consuming process. He's still a few days away from turning six months old, and while a part of me would be proud to say that my son was crawling before he turned six months old, another part of me hopes that he gets stuck at this stage for a few months. In either case, here's a video of the operation as it stands today...
And, I just went and looked up Ruby's video of the second time she crawled, which is dated June 14th, which would have put her a week short of eight months old.
To be fair, though, this video below of her seriously cruising was taken two weeks earlier, and he can't even stand up holding on to something at this point...
Swinging
Ruby loves to push Lupe on the swing, and he loves being pushed. Win-win. Now, if they didn't need me to put him in the swing, it would be win-win-win.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
