This Post Is The Bloggy Equivalent To Flipping Fate The Bird
June 16, 2011
The first question everybody asks is always about sleep. How's the sleep thing? Does he sleep? Are you getting any sleep? Sleep sleep sleepy sleep sleeeeeep.
(Translation: It's terrible, right? Tell us just exactly terrible it is so we may cluck our tongues and cackle and tell you about the baby we know that didn't sleep through the night until he was seven...teen, ha ha ha ho.)
I usually keep it kind of vague, like: "He's pretty good, considering." Or: "It could be worse, honestly."
And then I throw myself at the nearest solid-wood surface in a frantic full-body knocking-like motion, convinced that I have just jinxed the most marvelous surprise of this third-time parenting go-round: That I have, so far, temporarily or otherwise, a baby who...
You know...
At night...
For not insignificant stretches of time...
In a row...
During hours that I also can partake in the same activity that dare not speak its name and even while there's still a milk-dispensing interruption or two in there it's nothing like last time but I know it can and probably will change the second I acknowledge it so EVERYBODY BE COOL AND SHUT UP ABOUT IT MOVE ALONG NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
Pictured: Ike, the world's most perfect baby, photographed sleeping for probably the last time in his whole life because his mother just had to go and be a stupid asshole on the Internet.
Wow. That is one beautiful baby. So nice that he so willingly participates in 'the act we don't speak of'(and all this time I thought that referred to masturbation).
Posted by: Kim | June 16, 2011 at 02:03 PM
Hope it lasts... Mwaahahahahaha
Posted by: Mo | June 16, 2011 at 02:03 PM
My first baby was like that too and I'm sure I'm in for it with the second one. I'm glad Ike is SO AWESOME!
Posted by: Martha | June 16, 2011 at 02:03 PM
Gah. He's so stinking cute I can hardly stand it. The second picture... He's kind of smiling like he has a secret. Or he's pooping. One of the two.
Posted by: Chelsie | June 16, 2011 at 02:04 PM
p.s. crudbiscuits, that is one adorable little human. :)
Posted by: Mo | June 16, 2011 at 02:04 PM
I used to think people who said their infants were "good sleepers" were either LIARS or secret drug pushers who let the babies drink bottles of Jack Daniels before bed.
But now, uh, perhaps my 2nd baby is similar to Ike with the long stretches in the darkness. It's brilliant, isn't it?
KNOCK ON WOOOOOOOD.
Posted by: Suzanne | June 16, 2011 at 02:04 PM
i'm going to pretend i didn't read this. maybe that will save you from the curse. lalalalalala.
Posted by: the grumblies | June 16, 2011 at 02:06 PM
He is killing me with the cuteness! Nothing on earth is cuter than a smiling newborn!
Posted by: beanery | June 16, 2011 at 02:06 PM
Glad to hear that nothing is going on. That there's nothing to celebrate. Carry on, Ike.
Posted by: Parsing Nonsense | June 16, 2011 at 02:07 PM
Ha, I was thinking the other day when you mentioned the sleep thing, Oh my god, STOP talking about it! It will all go south if you speak those words out loud. Rule #1 is never talk about how well sleep is going, tonight you shall be up 20 times! He is absolutely gorgeous btw and you are easing my own anxiety over adding #3 in just a couple months with all your beautiful posts about baby Ike.
Posted by: Michelle | June 16, 2011 at 02:08 PM
I'm glad to know I am not the only crazy superstitious person out there right now.
What a beautiful baby.
Posted by: SarahB | June 16, 2011 at 02:08 PM
My son was a good sleeper too. I hope Ike continues to as well.
Ike is so adorable. When Evan was so small and still breastfeeding I think I could sit and stare at that beautiful face until my arm fell off.
Posted by: sheilah | June 16, 2011 at 02:14 PM
Dude...First Rule of Fight Club!!!!!
Posted by: Shawnna | June 16, 2011 at 02:14 PM
How dare you?! The volcanoes of Newborn-Insomniatic-Wenchery will spew forth their indignity of you escaping their fiery clutches. Run, run all you want! It won't do you any good. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Posted by: The Woman Formerly Known as Beautiful | June 16, 2011 at 02:16 PM
shhhhhhhhh , you are jinxing it
I even remember telling the Dr. at a check up when she asked how my twins sleep was "SHHH, we don't talk about that"
Posted by: Kirsten | June 16, 2011 at 02:17 PM
He is so cute. And looks like Ezra in that photo, I think.
Posted by: Bessa | June 16, 2011 at 02:19 PM
Ooh Girl, I hear ya! My boy (who's just a bit older than your newest) does the same unspeakable thing. It's the fates smiling on me. His older brother had ... COLIC and also didn't sleep through the night longer than 3 hours at a time until he was 11 months old. I don't talk about it. I don't rub salt in the wounds of others who are much more sleep deprived because nothing is worse.
Posted by: Katy E. | June 16, 2011 at 02:20 PM
i have a 10 week old who sleeps 9.5 hours a night and is crap at naps and every time i am all "what the dang about the naps man" and happen to mention that, you know, she sleeps like a teenager at night, people are all "shut up."
so, i hear you. and it will all be awesome. but every time i say anything about it, i also add another bottle to the nightstand because i'm sure this is the night when it all ends. forever and ever amen.
i'm knocking my wooden coffee table right now.
he's BEAUTIFUL.
Posted by: teachergirl | June 16, 2011 at 02:21 PM
Dude, you just broke the first rule of Fight Club.
That is a super adorable little guy you have there, sleeping or awake!
Posted by: bessie.viola | June 16, 2011 at 02:24 PM
If I prayed, I would pray for every pregnant woman I know to be gifted a healthy, beautiful, GOOD SLEEPER.
(Knocking fingers and crossing wood for you over here.)
("Crossing wood" sound dirty to anyone else? Just me? OK.)
Posted by: Jenna | June 16, 2011 at 02:26 PM
Mine both slept very, very well, very, very early on. Good luck keeping it that way! :)
Posted by: Jessi | June 16, 2011 at 02:28 PM
He looks so much like Ezra in that first one! Crazy cute!
Posted by: Martha H. | June 16, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Hey! Let me tell you about my daughter who is 9 months old and STILL WON'T SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! I sincerely hope you continue to have better luck than me because THIS SUCKS!
Fingers crossed for you!
Posted by: Jaime | June 16, 2011 at 02:37 PM
I couldn't tell anyone that my second child slept like a teenager either. I'd get hit.
But hey, it's your third! Who would begrudge you that?
Posted by: Kathleen | June 16, 2011 at 02:47 PM
My fingers are subtly crossed for you! And he is delicious, Amy. Absolutely delicious.
Posted by: Tiffany | June 16, 2011 at 02:47 PM
How wonderful!!
After my first, I was so sure that this new one wouldn't sleep at. all. Well, she does! OMG! And I'm telling you now, because I too blogged to the world last week, and she started waking up two hours after her "morning" feed. So, although a bit less solid sleep time, still AWESOME sleep time. The jinx isn't that bad. :)
Posted by: Lisa | June 16, 2011 at 02:48 PM
SQUIRREL!
Posted by: Roberta | June 16, 2011 at 02:51 PM
The secret to not jinxing it (and congrats on the newborn trait that shall not be mentioned, lest it jinx it) is to say, "If I wanted to jinx it, I would say the baby is... (insert thing here, like say sleeping through the night)...but I'm not saying that at all...and voila, jinx circumvented ;). Just might be a little easier than trying to search out the nearest piece of wood to furiously knock on :D
Posted by: trena | June 16, 2011 at 02:54 PM
Congratulations on your beautiful, sleeping baby! I say claim victory, at least for now. If it does change later, well, that's later.
Posted by: Erin | June 16, 2011 at 02:57 PM
You may have angered the sleep gods by writing about this. :-) You'll have to skip your afternoon nap (which I hope you normally get) so as to appease them !
Posted by: Thrift Store Mama | June 16, 2011 at 03:07 PM
Well heck, as one whose kid is often awake at night seven years later I can only say I'm very, very happy for you.
Posted by: Heide | June 16, 2011 at 03:13 PM
My third also was the kind of sleeper you dare not speak out loud. 6 plus hour stretches by like 4 weeks. Completely through the night 8pm - 530 am by 12 weeks at the latest and never, ever, ever a hiccup. I can say it outloud now as he is five and the fear of a jinx in over.
Maybe all the action of the other kids wears them out by association.
Posted by: cc | June 16, 2011 at 03:14 PM
It could be worse! You could be ME and start waking your baby every 2-3 hours (because he's your first and I just didn't know)and WHY ARE YOU STARVING YOUR BABY? says the LC. If I didn't intervene maybe my 5 week old would still have continued his 3-4 hours of solid **ee*. Beautiful baby!
Posted by: Eden | June 16, 2011 at 03:16 PM
It could be worse! You could be ME and start waking your baby every 2-3 hours (because he's your first and I just didn't know)and WHY ARE YOU STARVING YOUR BABY? says the LC. If I didn't intervene maybe my 5 week old would still have continued his 3-4 hours of solid **ee*. Beautiful baby!
Posted by: Eden | June 16, 2011 at 03:16 PM
Does Ike give lessons? My baby will be born any day now and it's never too early to learn...
Posted by: Jessica | June 16, 2011 at 03:36 PM
Oh, he is so gorgeous.
Posted by: Laura | June 16, 2011 at 03:40 PM
I never comment but I just had to :) Congratulations on your beautiful boy! AND, I slept like a rock when I was a baby. For 8 hours straight. The first two weeks were a bit weird, my mom remembers, but afterwards she had to wake ME up in the morning, not the other way around. This happens more often than one thinks. I can only hope to pass the 'sleepy gene' onto my children. Keep up the good work, Ike!
Posted by: Cristina | June 16, 2011 at 03:44 PM
Good gracious, you and Jason make adorable baybees! Crossing my fingers for you that fate is not paying attention to this post and you keep getting lots and lots of zzzzzz's.
Posted by: Serena | June 16, 2011 at 03:47 PM
That last photo looks like he's still in the womb :)
And UNJINX from the Internets. Oughta do it!
Posted by: chris | June 16, 2011 at 03:49 PM
Look, something shiny!
Posted by: Rebecca | June 16, 2011 at 03:54 PM
Third babies are such a treat! You know the ropes, you're more relaxed and they seem to know....Third babies are so easy! Enjoy!!
Posted by: Jan | June 16, 2011 at 04:06 PM
He has Noah's chin. He is lovely!!
Posted by: Shannon Gordon | June 16, 2011 at 04:08 PM
My second was a TERRIFIC sleeper from day one (5 hour long stretches in the hospital). The only time she hasn't slept great has been due to illness, or teeth (she'll be 4 on Monday). So. It might not end.
Posted by: Sunshine | June 16, 2011 at 04:13 PM
Congrats, Amy! He's gorgeous!
I totally hear you -- whenever Innis happens to, er ... recharge more regularly and I brag about it online (or even dare to think self-satisfied thoughts), it's all over. FOR WEEKS.
Way to never name That-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named. You'll be better rested for it :)
Posted by: Kat | June 16, 2011 at 04:34 PM
Um, you're hilarious. Good luck and good work, Ike!
Posted by: Kate at Big City Belly | June 16, 2011 at 04:45 PM
It's a third baby thing. My daughter is absurdly amazing during those hours, doing that thing. It's amazing!
Posted by: Stacy | June 16, 2011 at 04:47 PM
It's a third baby thing. My daughter is absurdly amazing during those hours, doing that thing. It's amazing!
Posted by: Stacy | June 16, 2011 at 04:47 PM
You know, there are sleeping babies. Mine was my first, which was some big cosmic joke. But oh how she loves to sleep. Even now at nine years old. The girl loves her some sleep.
Posted by: Issa | June 16, 2011 at 05:07 PM
Sweet Jebus, Amy. The adorableness of your Ike brings me to tears. I swear. Thank god I have my own good lookin' bebe to go home to otherwise I might die.
Posted by: JenVegas | June 16, 2011 at 05:07 PM
Knocking wood and crossing fingers and such!
Posted by: Britt | June 16, 2011 at 05:34 PM
My son was a sleeper right from the start and at just over two years old continues to be a great sleeper. We've been saying all along that we're going to be in for it with #2 and get one who never sleeps.
Posted by: Kate | June 16, 2011 at 05:45 PM
He's just so beautiful, awake or asleep.
Posted by: Barb | June 16, 2011 at 05:53 PM
Oh, so so happy for you and your sweet, yummy boy, and other three bigger boys. :)
Posted by: Larissa | June 16, 2011 at 06:09 PM
I am so jealous. My son forgot how to do this act we dare not mention between the age of 3 months and 9 months and during that time you dare not mention the S***p word to me, I craved it so much. :)
Posted by: Lisa | Mama.ie | June 16, 2011 at 06:14 PM
I have trouble relating because I had three who all did That Thing for at least 7 hours a night every night from about 3 weeks of age on, and it wasn't bad even when they didn't because I was a SAHM and I could sleep when they did.
But now I'm nearing 70 and something else gets me up at night and NO! DON'T BRING ME BACK A BANANA SLUSHIE FROM THE GAS STATION IT'S AFTER 6:30, I CAN'T DRINK IT!
Posted by: Judy | June 16, 2011 at 06:28 PM
De-lurking to say, that is one beautiful child! He is perfect!
Posted by: Josie | June 16, 2011 at 09:06 PM
That is the most beautiful baby boy I've ever seen. Little angel baby.
Posted by: Luna | June 16, 2011 at 09:15 PM
I know the feeling! Our girl was sleeping 10 - 12 hrs since her 7th week and even before that she'd pretty reliably give us 6 straight.
Posted by: Emily | June 16, 2011 at 09:21 PM
What an angel!
Posted by: kellyo | June 16, 2011 at 09:48 PM
When I looked at the second picture, I immediately thought, "I bet he smells so good".
Posted by: Erika | June 16, 2011 at 11:10 PM
GAH! Soooo cute!!
Posted by: mrs. q. | June 16, 2011 at 11:37 PM
I secretly want to throw tomatoes at every mother who has a newborn who actually sleeps through the night, because my own son put me through a year and a half of sleepless hell.
But not you. I don't want to throw tomatoes at you. After everything you've been through this year, you deserve this. I'm crossing my fingers for you that he keeps sleeping.
Posted by: jaelithe | June 17, 2011 at 12:00 AM
OMG - I see Ike and I want to cry because my 3rd boy was born Feb. 1 and now he is HUGE and growing and progressing so FAST. He is kicking and cooing and grabbing things and babbling and laughing and I miss those early days (though I am enjoying every minute of this fleeting time too). Slow down totally awesome baby boy - what's the rush? Enjoy every minute!
Posted by: Deb | June 17, 2011 at 01:00 AM
He's so beautiful... :) I can almost smell his babyness here in Ohio.
Posted by: Stephanie | June 17, 2011 at 08:05 AM
That second picture makes my uterus hurt. Oh my gosh he is so sweet!
Posted by: DCGirl | June 17, 2011 at 09:34 AM
First rule of kid sleep, NEVER talk about kid sleep.
My third baby was the same though, so refreshing and makes life oh so much more enjoyable.
Good luck! Though I just saw your tweet so maybe that kid sleep rule just came up and bit you last night?
Posted by: The Mommy Therapy | June 17, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Now why did you have to go and make me want another baaabeee? Wahhhh.
He is just so... "Fresh" as they say here in the South.
Posted by: RebeccaF. | June 17, 2011 at 12:33 PM
He is so, so lovely. Yes. Perfect.
Posted by: Josefina | June 17, 2011 at 04:14 PM
HA! I have an 8 week old (my little monkey), our first child, and I totally jinxed us last week. "He is doing really well! He's been sleeping for around 6 hours at night". "Oh? He isn't supposed to be doing that?" "Oh! I should be being tortured on a nightly basis by a screaming terror like you?" - I honestly think that the parents who suffered AT ALL, listen to a happy parent with a sleeping child and go home and start poking pins in a voodoo doll that looks eerily similar to you.
Posted by: Lisa | June 17, 2011 at 08:03 PM
OMG! I've been keeping it a secret, too!!!! Mine was born May 31 and except for 1 growth spurt that lasted 36 hours, he sleeps at least 2 stretches of 4+ hours every night. Usually 5 hours each and usually followed by another 3 hour stretch.
I always joked, when people asked how my first was as a newborn (when pregnant with my 2nd) that he was a good baby, but we're hoping #2 would make us realize he was actually a horrible, hard baby. That is exactly what has happened! I'm so hoping this does not jinx me. I'm not sure I could survive on no sleep!
Posted by: Rachael | June 17, 2011 at 11:22 PM
My second one was this way, and no matter how much I sang his praises to anyone who would listen, he never (or at least not in 15 months) changed. Some babies are just little angels! Yay for Ike!
Posted by: OhMandy | June 18, 2011 at 10:17 AM
omg he is so flipping cute i want to eat him!
p.s. the superstitions surrounding babies, mamas and the mamas talking about their sleep are TOTALLY REAL. MUST NOT JINX.
Posted by: erin | June 18, 2011 at 11:19 PM
I'm telling you, it's because he's a third baby! My third also did the thing that must not be spoken aloud, for hours at a time, when he was a newborn. 4-5hrs a night, feed, back to sleep for another few hours. It was WONDERFUL. My oldest two did nothing like that. And yes, that third child is still sl**ping like a champ and he's now almost 15mos old. We had some bumps along the way because of teething or sickness but that's to be expected. I hope Ike continues this trend for you!
Posted by: Erin | June 19, 2011 at 01:21 AM