DIY card book

I keep cards of all shapes and sizes for all occasions. It’s the only thing I hoard. I like the thought of well wishes and seeing reminders that I am loved and thought about. However over the years they’ve begun to take up space- something I don’t have too much of.

I have probably over a hundred cards from my wedding and wedding reception.  Those I keep in a box. When I had my baby shower and baby, I got a ton of cards again. I wanted a way to keep my cards pretty and organized but I didn’t want to waste storage space, so i decided to turn them into a display piece.

I came across a DIY card book on Pinterest. It was pretty and would make a nice decoration piece that I could display. Like I stated before, I had too many cards from around my wedding so  keep those in a box and I’d need at least 3-4 books to get them all together. I had much less cards with my son, so I decided to make a card book out of his.

Here's my version of it. I didn't add initials or anything. I was contemplating adding it by hand because I didn't want to waste a sheet or two of expensive glitter letters if the rest wasn't going to be used anytime in the near future. But I decided against it because my penmanship would ruin the whole thing. So I left it blank and thats how I like it.

I didn’t follow the instructions to a T and I do not have bow to keep the book closed, but I do love the results! I like the touch with the rhinestones. It also didn't take my very long at all once I had everything and actually sat down to do it. I’ll be putting this in his room somewhere.

"That's the Key"

What is? Where is this key? The key to what?

Happiness?

Success?

Is happiness success?  Is success being rich? Is t being at the top at work and better than everyone around you?

What key am I searching for? What do I want the most?

Being content with the way things are no matter what. And if I'm happy with nothing, I am more successful than being unhappy while having everything.

How to be happy? Retail therapy, entertainment - these are short-acting narcotics that give us that short burst and quick high. What happens when I'm lying in bed at night thinking to myself. What are my final thoughts before I doze off to sleep?

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baby's up, creative time's over!


Reflection of my writing: Dark and gloomy come to mind when thinking about the mood of this piece. I have a dark and gloomy mind lately with a lot of thoughts that don't have a home. I'll eventually get it all out. 

Sleep Training Conclusion

I think it’s safe to say sleep training has gone well. Baby boo has been doing well with being rocked to sleep. He still gets up around 2:30 AM for a feed, which I am slowly weaning him off.  And I don’t mind getting up once a night because it’s much better than before. When he does get up,  he sits and looks around, makes a few sounds and goes back to sleep. I’m glad he no longer gets terrified waking up at night and finding no one there.

Let’s hope it stays this way. *Fingers crossed*

Sleep Training: Day 3

Last night I decided to feed him before bed and put him to the crib after he sleeps. He refused the bottle at bedtime, and before my bedtime.

I knew he’d get up at night.

And he did.

At 1:30 am I gave him a full bottle and he slept until 6:45 am. For weaning purposes I should've tried to just give him 4 ounces. Each day is a new learning experience and I'll try that next time. 

Not much to report from last night. He fussed and fumbled around in his crib, but we didn’t have to go in. He was able to put himself back to sleep. He did wake up ready to play pretty early though.

The good news in that he didn’t cry immediately, more like whined a little. He also knew which direction the door was in so he was facing the door, waiting for someone to come in. But he wasn’t traumatized that he was alone or anything.

Overall I got a lot better sleep than the previous two nights. Although I did wake up multiple times due to his sounds I heard through the monitor. He was okay and so was I.

Each subsequent post is getting short and shorter. This may be a good sign.

Sleep training: Day 2

Last night I decided I wouldn’t be within arms reach from the crib. I also decided he shouldn’t eat right before bed so that he doesn’t throw up again. He cried and cried again, but no vomiting. He’ll get tired of crying and standing and eventually fall asleep. He’s safe, I told myself. My husband barged in and swept him up like a Mama Bear and told me he can’t bear to hear him like this.

“Then you get up and night”

“I will”

*eye roll* He does and he will but he also works so much later than I do.

My husband put him to sleep and transferred him the the crib. All the while telling no one in particular how small our baby is and shouldn’t have to cry ever.

He woke up at around 2 am for a bottle because he didn’t eat right before bed. He kept waking up every 45 minutes. Because he normally doesn’t get up that early for a bottle, I didn’t think to feed him. Then I realized he didn’t have his bottle right before bed.

His stomach is small and has always eaten in small amounts frequently, so weaning him off at night completely is a challenge. I gave him half of what he normally takes in order to wean him and he was okay with that.

He woke up again at 6 am to find his pacifier, which my husband attended to because I was so drained from the night before that I couldn’t get up. He slept well and overall, less frequent night time awakenings.  

Progress or a fluke? We will soon find out.

Sleep Training: Day 1

We finally moved my son out of our bedroom and into his own room. He is 1 day shy of 11 months old and since he’s in our room I tend to bring him to the bed in the middle of the night because it’s easier. Plus I like cuddling with my cuddle bug. But ultimately it disrupts everyone’s sleep. His butt is on my husband's face with his hands grabbing at my hair. I have lost so much hair due to trauma caused by his grabby sweet little fingers.

We decided enough is enough. His bedroom isn’t ready but I knew that it would never be ready. And if I waited for it to be ready he would never leave our room. I cleaned out the old room and all that is in there is his dresser, his crib and a basket of toys on the floor. Nothing else besides his clothes in the closet and drawers. I’m hoping that seeing his sad, undecorated room will make me go and buy things and finally decide on a theme.

Anyways, back to the story.

I read a lot on experiences, methods and way to sleep train on the internet. I read that crying it out is brutal but it works the fastest as opposed to soothing your baby for him or her then transferring him or her to the crib once he or she is asleep. I decided to try a mixture of both. It had to be done. And it had to be done tonight.

I bought a camera monitor than pans the room with night vision. I spent too much money on that to not go through with this, I told myself. Tonights’ the night. my mother in law suggested doing this when I don’t have work the next day. I will always have work the next day. There will never be a time when I can do this so I had to jump in and do it. It’ll be a rough few nights but will be worth it in the end, I told myself.

We ate dinner, I gave him a bath, played with his toys, drank milk and read two bedtime story books. I rocked him until he was drowsy and gently transferred him to the crib. He immediately sat up and tried to climb out of the crib. I was near him and within his reach so he was grabbing on to me but I wasn’t picking him up.

It wasn’t pretty. He cried and cried. And then he cried some more. He threw up. My husband couldn’t bear the sounds he heard and rushed over and picked him up. My son threw up on him as well.  My husband decided this was something he couldn’t do and decided that he will put him to sleep in our bed then transfer him. I let him.

My son played and played in our bed with no intention of sleeping. So I took the boy back and let him cry until he fell asleep. But this time I leaned over into the crib until he fell asleep.  He woke up multiple times during the night and cried for his pacifier. I woke up at least 5 times and got about 4 hours of sleep that night.

It’s wasn’t a restful night but I’m hoping the second night will be better.