Mamamamamamama

Yesterday my baby said "mama". FOR REALZ. And then I died.

Probably the best part was that my sister was there to be a WITNESS so when we called my mom and she said, "Oh, I bet he was just trying to say grandma," my sister could say, "NO, he said MAMA, I HEARD IT."

I was out discussing The Email and its Back Story with my Inside Sources while my sister guarded the bookshelves and the electrical outlets. When I got home, Jack crawled towards me and I THINK he was saying, "mamamamama". So I picked him up and I said, "Mama? Can you say Mama?" And he popped his finger out of his mouth and said, "MAMA."

eeeeee!

And then? HE SAID IT AGAIN.

I've spent all morning trying to get him to repeat this amazing feat for his father, but no luck. And now he's in his bed where I left him after he refuuuuuuused to be rocked to sleep. Seriously! What is up with this kid? It's like sitting in the rocking chair with a blanket and a pacifier and a naptime song is tantamount to prison. And as soon as I stick him in the crib he pulls himself up and starts rattling his tin cup against the bars. LIFE IS SO HARD.

Also? He woke up at 5:30. Even though I put him down at 6:30. Which is early, for us anyway. You know, the early bedtime rule is the only thing that really stuck with me from that Healthy Sleep book. I don't know if I was sleep deprived or what, but that book made NO SENSE. Talk about needing an editor. Phillip and I could never find where to read about babies Jack's age or what the plan was or ANYTHING USEFUL. Which is why it lives in the freezer. But the early bedtime thing, that made sense to me. So every time J is especially fussy at night, or he's taken a a short nap that was early in the day, or he's been waking up freakishly early, or he's been waking up in the middle of the night, I say, "We're putting him down early tonight!" And then Phillip gets all annoyed because he doesn't get home till 6:30 most nights and he won't get to see the baby and I say something obnoxious regarding the revolting work ethic. And then I put the baby down early and he STILL wakes up early! Gah!

But the other night? When he took the longest afternoon nap in history and didn't go to bed until 8? He woke up at 7. The angels were singing, internet. It was that glorious.

Bedtime is usually 7. That seems to work the best in the Cheung household, what with the nap schedule etc. We start getting him ready between 6 and 6:30 and then he is down for the night. But lately he's been waking up so early that his naps are freakishly early which means he needs to go to bed when the rest of us are wishing we were baby-less and going to happy hour. On occasion, if he's extra fussy and it's early enough, I put him down for that third nap. But hardly ever. And that just seems to screw him up for bedtime anyway.

It's not really a problem or anything, it's just kind of the New Sleeping Issue in our house and the zillionth thing on the I Don't Know, Maybe It Will Just Go Away On Its Own list. Phillip gets up with him almost every morning anyway so I don't know what I'm complaining about.

I wonder if he just sleeps 11 hours from whenever he goes to bed. I should keep track.

No, am I kidding me? I AM OVER THE KEEPING TRACK. Did I tell you I was keeping track of how much formula he drank for a while? Because he just doesn't want to drink ANYTHING and where are the pears please and I was freaking out because he's supposed to be getting all his nutrition from breast milk and/or formula and aaauuuuggghhhh! And keeping track just made me feel worse because I saw exactly how little he was drinking and nothing I did to try and get him to drink more was working. So yeah, I stopped doing that. So much better! And he still doesn't drink as much formula as he should, but he seems fine to me!

Let me know if any of you require my pediatric services.

So the baby is asleep now, because Phillip went in and "violently rocked" him into a peaceful slumber. I don't get it. It's like he can't sleep until he has done everything in his power to STAY AWAKE STAY AWAKE STAY AWAKE.

But did I tell you he said "mama"? What an ANGEL.

Comments

[Jen]

Hooray for the Mama!

[Erin]

This is my favorite mommy blog. In fact, you have me thinking of starting my own blog. If I could just think of a good name ....
Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you make me laugh and remind me of my own precious 11-month-old when I'm slaving away for the man ... Sorry, I'm really into using ellipses in my emails these days for some reason.
I actually write a monthly column - check it out if you want at www.fwfamily.com. Just scroll down on the left side then click on the headline "Baby's journey to walking." But I am not really a writer, I'm a page designer for newspapers.
That's all. Just mostly wanted to tell you I love reading your blog! I really was not writing to plug my work!

[Tara]

"Mama" is the best!! I totally believe you that he said it.

And, um, does he sleep for eleven hours STRAIGHT?

[Angela]

Oh my gosh! Granted, I'm already in a fragile state right now, but this made me all teary!! At work!! They already think I'm a lunatic, this is not helping things!!

[Tara]

"Mama" is the best!! I totally believe you that he said it.

And, um, does he sleep for eleven hours STRAIGHT?

[Laura]

YAY...go MAMA!!!

[Carrie]

Congrats on him saying Mama! That's great. I've been trying to convince Ethan to say that, but he's a few months away still. Oh, and he doesn't like me, so he'll probably say lots of other words before Mama :)

As for the sleep thing- they're just trying to make us insane by refusing to adopt regular sleep patterns. I'm convinced of it. Hope you get some rest this weekend!

[Nessa]

Umm, Mama is the best thing ever! Who cares if no one IRL believes you - WE DO!

Rock on with the mamaness. Also, I would give anything for 11 hours of sleep. I love me some sleep. Have you thought of any names for baby#2? Just being nosy.

[Lindsay]

Awwwwww. Elatedness abounds! That's so exciting. :o)

[Kate P]

That must be music to your ears! Nice job, little guy.

[jackie]

I also hated Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Definitely is NOT a book to keep around for "reference" although the principles were helpful!

Congratulation on the "mama". At this point, the kid just never shuts up. Wait until "no"...which is where we are right now!

[Christina]

Awww... love that he said Mama. My oldest took FOREVER to say mama - she said Dada every time I asked her to say "Mama" - little stinker.
Enjoy the "mama" thing for now...trust me in a few years when all you hear is "Mom! Mom! Mom!" all the livelong day, you won't be so happy about it. :-)