Let's just blame it on the cortisol...

I just read about cortisol in one of those irritating baby books clogging my shelf. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when you are stressed, like when you are overtired--or in my case, when your infant is overtired. Cortisol doesn't play hard to get and it is manifested in noisy, in-your-face kinds of ways. If cortisol had a face, it would be the guy who screeches bible passages from busy street corners. It’s nothing you want to mess with, but I just love having a scapegoat for this little phase we've entered.

It only takes a minute for cortisol to turn my sweet, perfect little cherub into a demon from hell. Nap time is at 9, so we'd better be winding down at 8:30. 8:31 is too late. Before I understood the power of cortisol, we’d start to go down at 9:15, maybe 10. At this point, cortisol would have Lukas in its grip. He’d be screaming and sobbing; I’d be screaming and sobbing.

I’ve learned that I can avoid this unfortunate scene by catching the nap before it’s too late. If naptime is at 9, I probably shouldn’t start hemming a pair of pants or roasting that chicken in the fridge at 8:59. Easy enough, right? Well, if cortisol didn’t present enough of a problem, there’s the other issue to contend with. Lukas will only take a good nap if he goes for a stroller ride. While daily mandatory walks aren’t the worst thing in the world, they don’t always fit into the idealized schedule. But, like death, taxes and a nursing mom's sweet tooth, they are unavoidable right now.

Instead of fighting it, I’m embracing the stroller (for now). Thankfully, I live close to downtown Missoula, a walking venue that never disappoints. I’m noticing the little things around town that I might not ordinarily—like graffiti and other types of word art. From the quirky to the preachy to the practical, there’s some nifty advice on walls, bumpers and sidewalks. Just this morning I was advised by a sidewalk to ‘go fuck myself’, which I have neither the time nor the energy for right now, thank you very much.

I take lots of different routes. Sometimes I go wherever the traffic-crossing ‘walk’ signs direct me. Other times, I go along the side of the road where the sun is shining or the wind is not blowing. I visit coffee shops. I’ve learned which routes are the most hospitable for my wide ride. If Lukas is having a cat-nap kind of day, I make lots of stops, breaking when he’s down and walking if he gets up. We walk and walk until he’s sufficiently rested and cortisol is no longer a threat. Regardless of my route, I’m having lots of fun. I get to gaze at my perfect little boy as he dozes in and out of consciousness and remember that he’s what’s important right now, whether he fits in the schedule or not. I suppose I have cortisol to thank for reminding me of that.

teethe, sniffle and roll

It’s been an exciting couple of months for our little Lukas (and for his parents too)! He cut his first two teeth, got his first cold, his first babysitter, he rolls over like crazy and he’s beginning to fit into something of a schedule. He is such an incredible joy, and makes Mark and Lauren prouder and happier each day!

His teeth started to come in around mid-January. He showed the classic signs of teething, all of which these first-time parents missed altogether and confused with general ‘infantitis’. He drooled, sniffled, grabbed his ears and arched in pain as those little daggers cut through his gums. He also started waking up every hour and a half through the night, making life on 731 Cooper Street a lot less fun. Mom and Dad are a lot dumber as a result of the sleepless nights over the past few months, and we’re pretty sure that our mental faculties will never recover.

Some of the ‘teething’ sniffles were actually signs of baby’s first cold. The croupy cough and boogers ran throughout the day and, wouldn’t you know it, into the night. I’m sure we’ll sleep someday. A friend’s kid had one of the nasties—RSV—so we played it safe and went to the doctor. Fortunately, we received a pretty clean bill of health, and it was just a regular cold. The highlight for Luke was all of that glorious tissue paper on the examining bed. He wrapped himself up pretty good!

On Wednesdays, Luke goes up to his friend Ian’s house, who is six months older and with whom he shares a babysitter. Caroline is great and we feel lucky to have found her. It’s especially fun to see he and Ian interact. Ian just took his first steps a few days ago, and I’m sure he’ll teach Lukas everything he knows!

Lukas turned over for the first time on December 1. He tried it a few more times, but really hadn’t shown much interest in trying it again until last week. Now we get a flip every time he goes on his tummy.

Mom and Dad are learning the importance of consistency. We’re trying to keep his schedule pretty similar from day to day, especially those naps. If he doesn’t get enough sleep during the day, we certainly pay for it at night. It took us a little while (and we’re still learning), but it seems like he does best as long as there is a nap between every two hours of wakefulness. Like I said, we’re working on it. I guess we’ll sleep when we’re dead.