Special "Daddy Time"

I've been working really hard at getting Eli to get on a regular sleep schedule. He has always been a terrific sleeper, but he (like daddy and mommy) seems to be a night owl. For about 5 days straight about a month and a half ago he was determined to be wide-eyed until 1 or 2am. Then he would sleep 12 hours, but he just wouldn't sleep NORMAL hours. It was killing us! So while I was in Texas, I took advantage of the time difference and started getting him down early by allowing him to cry himself to sleep for the first time (so hard!).

When I returned home from Texas and showed Eric the new schedule that I was so proud of he was pretty much mortified. You could just see the look on his face....`what? CRY himself to sleep? our little baby alone in a dark room all my his lonesome?'...you could almost see a child-like pouty-face just dying to squeak it's way into Eric's face. I assured Eric that it is perfectly normal and acceptable for a baby his age to be doing this, but Eric was skeptical - yet, he listened to my mother's instinct and decided to go along with the schedule (clearly stating that he "isn't a fan" and does it under duress).

Well, things are going great schedule wise. But Eric's hesitation has grown because he realizes with Eli going to sleep so early, it doesn't leave much time for Eric to play with his son! So I suggested that Eric start doing some of the "baby chores"...like give Eli a bath, changing his diaper and getting him into his pj's...taking advantage of the time and learning to redefining these routine practices as special "daddy time".

While it may be true that little boys always love their mommies, but this special daddy time is instilling a sweet bond between them. Eli seems to be a turning into a real daddy's boy. Here are some pictures from a particularly "daddy-filled-night"...

"My daddy is SO fun at bath time!"

I had taken advantage of daddy-time by doing some business accounting in the office, but after about an hour I realized that Eric and Eli were oddly silent. Curious, I peeked my head into the Living Room and found them fast asleep on the Living Room floor..all snuggled up...