Soloing

Scott is out of town for a few days, so I'm "soloing" with Owen. I cannot imagine how single parents do this without near constant family support. On the other hand, this has been a great opportunity to see how far I have come in my parenting journey.

Last fall, Scott was considering a weekend trip up to Seattle and I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of spending one or two nights by myself with Owen. Though we miss him this week, it feels great to know that we are doing just fine over these few solo days. Owen and I have a routine and he now knows what to expect as he moves about the day. I think he's also old enough to trust that I'm going to take care of him - meals will come, naps will occur, and fun times will ensue - no need to panic and freak out. (Though he still does on a regular basis if I do something crazy, like gasp!) leave the room to grab a pair of shoes or use the bathroom.) We had a fun weekend going to the pool, playing at the park, taking the dog for walks, and running random errands.

These last few days, I've found myself watching Owen. Just sitting and observing him at play and realizing how quickly he is growing up. Yes, it's totally cliche, but I wouldn't be a good parent if I didn't have moments to realize it on my own. All those "baby baby" moments are done and there will be no more snuggling and swaddling a little one that is just going with the flow. Owen is now aware and engaged in, well, everything!

One of the little things I realized is that Owen has moved from a good sleeper to a good napper. Yes, there is a distinction. We used to go through a nap or bedtime routine to lull Owen to sleep and then rejoice knowing he would stay asleep for a good while. Now, I can tell Owen that it's nap time, take him upstairs, give him his binky and blanket, and set him in the crib. Then...he puts himself to sleep! He also wakes up at the end of naps and spends quiet time chilling in his crib. A small, but significant milestone as it results in much less screaming. Hooray!

I love sleeping baby pictures!




Of course, the sleeping baby is harder to catch this day. This was a particularly sleepy morning when I opened the windows in Owen's room and had time to run and get the camera and snag a few shots before Owen woke up.

Let's hope all this talk of sleep doesn't curse me to a night of wakefulness. =)