The McKay boys are not known for their sleeping abilities. It took Hunter 2 years to sleep through the night consistently and it looks like Luke is going down the same path. We thought we had Hunter on a solid sleep schedule until recently when we think he has developed night terrors. He will wake up at night usually between 11pm and midnight screaming no, and thrashing around in bed. He will not acknowledge what you are saying to him, you can't calm him and basically can only make the episodes worse. This lasts anywhere from 10-30 minutes.
I mentioned this at lunch with my friend Rachel and her family on Saturday and her sister (an elementary school teacher) recommended the reward system of a treat bag. If he sleeps through the night in the morning he can pick a treat out of a bag. Saturday night we tried it, he slept through the night and he picked a dum dum lollipop to have as his treat the next morning. We were so excited, couldn't believe how well it worked.
Until last night. He woke at 11pm screaming. It took 30 minutes to bring him out of it, he woke Luke up in the process so we were each going between rooms trying to calm each down. Finally Hunter feel back asleep. 10 minutes later he was back up, awake this time, in full tantrum mode, out of bed, kicking and screaming on the floor and took his pajamas off. After about 15 minutes calmed him again and this time the only way for mom to get sleep was to send Hunter downstairs to lay on the couch while Kerry was working. When Kerry was done he carried him back upstairs.
This morning Hunter came in our room at 6:30 am asking for his treat for sleeping through the night. I reminded him he didn't sleep well at all, and he started his usual tantrum, screaming for the treat. We will continue this treat strategy for a week. If no success we will move on to Plan B (yet to be defined, suggestions?)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Luke's 1st Meal
Luke has been showing an interest in food for the last couple of weeks. If he is sitting on our laps during dinner he opens his mouth as we are taking bits. So after the all clear from the doctor we tried rice cereal last night. It was a hit, he seemed to enjoy it, didn't spit any out or make weird faces. He also just liked being at our level while we were eating. 
Even tried to pull the bowl from me!
Even tried to pull the bowl from me!
Hunter wanted in on the fun of feeding Luke as well.
Friday, July 25, 2008
4 Months Old
Luke is 4 months old! He has really mellowed out in the last month and is such an easy baby during the day now. He is happy to be held or playing with toys, loves to watch his big brother and be outside. His stats this month are 24.5 inches long and 15.9 lbs (about a pound heavier than Hunter at this age.)Sleep is still not good unfortunately even though everyone said that my second would be better! Lately he has been difficult to keep settled and has been waking a lot at night. Swaddling doesn't work for us anymore and he is becoming more dependent on the pacifier which means many more trips to put it back in his mouth when he loses it, lovely.
We are going to try rice cereal this week, about a month and a half before we did with Hunter. When Luke is sitting on my lap while we are eating dinner he opens his mouth hoping to snag a bit. Hunter never showed much interest in our food. Maybe if we give him some rice cereal at the end of the day he will be a better sleeper. A girl can dream.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Loves to Jump!
We tried the doorway jumper this weekend and Luke loved it. If only we could use it somewhere other than the bathroom!
Luke's Baptism
We had Luke baptized this weekend. My dear friend Rachel, whom I have known since kindergarten and her husband Todd were the godparents. As you can see from the picture, Luke slept though most of it, waking briefly when the water was poured over his head, but quickly going back to sleep. 
Hunter was another story, a bit harder to contain, trying to run up the steps of the alter every chance he got. What else can you expect from a 3 year old!
(I don't know if you can tell by this picture, but Hunter is wearing a shirt with buttons! The first time in at year. He told me he didn't like buttons because monsters fly out of them. So I said that there are no monsters in church and that all the men/boys will be wearing buttons. And he let me put it on him and he kept it on. We will see if he will wear buttons in the future, hopefully!)
We came back to the house for lunch and the kids all had a great time playing together.
Wish I had managed to get Todd in this picture!
Hunter was another story, a bit harder to contain, trying to run up the steps of the alter every chance he got. What else can you expect from a 3 year old!
(I don't know if you can tell by this picture, but Hunter is wearing a shirt with buttons! The first time in at year. He told me he didn't like buttons because monsters fly out of them. So I said that there are no monsters in church and that all the men/boys will be wearing buttons. And he let me put it on him and he kept it on. We will see if he will wear buttons in the future, hopefully!)
We came back to the house for lunch and the kids all had a great time playing together.
Wish I had managed to get Todd in this picture!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
1st Day at a New School
Yesterday we started Hunter at a new school since he turned 3. Luke also started at that school in the baby room. The school is run by the same couple as his previous school. Hunter's former teacher brought the older kids over to the new school a couple months ago to get them excited for the transition. Hunter talked constantly about the "big school" and wanted to go immediately. When we were driving back from the beach he started to change his mind and worry about the "big school" saying he wanted to go back to the "little school." (Hunter isn't good with new transitions.)
Monday morning came and we packed them both up and dropped Hunter off in his room first. The tears started almost immediately and he had to be pried off my leg as I was leaving. When I called at lunch he was doing great and stopped crying soon after we left. This school will be more of a preschool environment for Hunter. He was getting a little bored with the same letter, number and colors review in the other school so the expanded curriculum will hopefully hold his interest and keep him out of trouble! In the fall, when the actual school year begins, they will have to wear a uniform (not sure why.) It consists of a light blue polo style shirt and khaki or navy shorts/pants. He is already freaking out about the buttons. This will either be a constant dressing struggle or finally get him over his fear of the button! Stay tuned.
Luke of course was easier to drop off. I called to check on him as well because this would be the first time he had to take bottles without the back up nursing session. Luke ate every 2 hours , 4 ounces each! I am not sure if I can keep up with this kid. I picked him up at 5:30 and he was starving, ready for another bottle, I may have to bring 20 ounces a day for him! Hunter was fine with three 4 ounce bottles. What a difference.
Monday morning came and we packed them both up and dropped Hunter off in his room first. The tears started almost immediately and he had to be pried off my leg as I was leaving. When I called at lunch he was doing great and stopped crying soon after we left. This school will be more of a preschool environment for Hunter. He was getting a little bored with the same letter, number and colors review in the other school so the expanded curriculum will hopefully hold his interest and keep him out of trouble! In the fall, when the actual school year begins, they will have to wear a uniform (not sure why.) It consists of a light blue polo style shirt and khaki or navy shorts/pants. He is already freaking out about the buttons. This will either be a constant dressing struggle or finally get him over his fear of the button! Stay tuned.
Luke of course was easier to drop off. I called to check on him as well because this would be the first time he had to take bottles without the back up nursing session. Luke ate every 2 hours , 4 ounces each! I am not sure if I can keep up with this kid. I picked him up at 5:30 and he was starving, ready for another bottle, I may have to bring 20 ounces a day for him! Hunter was fine with three 4 ounce bottles. What a difference.
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