I really shouldn't complain...

I can't believe it's been a week already. Dorian is still not sleeping very well. I am still exhausted. It's been one helluva week. This is fatigue like I've never felt before. I can now finally relate to all those parents who complain about sheer and utter exhaustion. I think my new mommy hormones that were keeping me "high" throughout the fatigue have finally worn off and now I just feel and look dead. I need to try to be better about going to bed right when Dorian does - the problem is, half the time I do this but for some reason I can't fall asleep! My mind just won't shut down even though I am in desperate need of sleep. This happens in the middle of the night too...I'll wake up for one of the many feedings and then can't get back to sleep. I don't know if it's because I know I'll have to be up again in an hour or whether it's because I'm a light sleeper or ??? This whole not sleeping thing is a real learning experience for me. I can totally see why sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture. And why people who don't sleep end up doing really stupid things. I am totally sane and fine, but lack of sleep does greatly effect my mood and makes me much more irritable. People annoy me more now and little things bug me. Like James taking the last piece of bread and not pulling another bag of bread out of the freezer - not a big deal, right? That kind of thing feels like a very big deal to me right now! LOL

Anyway, ignore my complaining. Really, the only thing I have to complain about is being tired! Dorian is so cute and I am so happy. I have the most perfect child in the whole world, an amazing husband, a beautiful house, a wonderful job, a long-term career plan, supportive friends and family, good health, and more. I truly couldn't ask for a better life (just a little sleep every now and then would be nice)!

Dorian had his 4 month check-up this week - he now weighs 17 pounds and is 26 inches long. He is in the 85th percentile. He is a very big boy. He is wearing mostly 6-9 month old baby clothes now, and even some 12 month old onesies!!! Of course, that's still actually really little. He is so cute. The doctor didn't really have much advice for getting him to sleep more - he reminded us that 4 months is still pretty young. He advises against sleep training until babies are at least 5 months old. Solid foods are often introduced to babies between 4-6 months old. The doctor said he generally tells parents of breastfed babies to wait until they are 6 months old. However, he also said if Dori isn't sleeping better in a couple weeks, we can try to give him some rice cereal before bed. The doctor said he is not sure he believes in solid food to help babies sleep longer, but mentioned that as Dorian certainly seems to be hungrier than most, it could be worth a shot.

I know we owe you nursery pictures, but we still need to get curtains and fill one blank wall with pictures. Then I'll share them with you.

For now, please enjoy this picture of one of Dorian's many daily music lessons. This one is on a toy piano which was mine when I was a baby!