Cycles and gear

I'm starting to notice a cycle in my life with Calvin. A few weeks ago, I was feeling pretty miserable - burned out, tired physically and mentally, feeling stretched thin, irritable and sad. This last for a couple of weeks. Toby and I thought about different ways to help relieve some of this for me. Getting out during the day, Toby taking Calvin for a walk when he gets home from work, starting to feed Calvin solid foods to give me some more time. We even talked about a nanny and if that was financially possible.

In the end, I think it mostly helpful just to talk about how I was feeling and have someone recognize that I was pretty pooped. Eventually, after a couple of weeks of being gentle to myself and following some of the ayurvedic suggestions for my diet and relaxation, the feelings passed and now I'm feeling more energetic and much more able to be present for Calvin and Toby. This cycle happened before a couple of months ago, so I'm thinking it may happen again. I'm glad to have some tools and mindfulness around it now so that perhaps when the feelings come again, I will be more able to take care of myself instead of swim around for so long in the feelings.

Calvin is doing so well. I'm amazed at how happy he is most of the time. I don't know why I should be shocked. But I think we're doing a pretty good job of helping him feel secure and soothed and happy. I think sleeping in the same bed really makes a difference. One of the best parts of my day is waking up and seeing Calvin's smiling face looking up at me. Or, I see him rolling over and grabbing for Toby - hitting him on the back to wake him up. I love it. I also think because we're holding him a lot and I'm nursing him when he 'asks' for it, he's beginning to trust us and trust himself when it comes to getting his needs met.

I also wonder if the elimination communication is helping him feel good and right. We had an exciting week with that...two new pieces of EC 'gear' came in the mail.

A diaper belt:

This is a great way to quickly tell if he's wet. And, it's easy to flip down the front of the diaper and 'pee' him. Lately we've been peeing out in the yard. He really seems to enjoy watching birds and leaves. Maybe it relaxes him so he can pee?

I also splurged and got these fancy EC pants:

So these are really trim - trimmer than dipes, so they're hopefully more comfortable for him - and there's a belt that keeps them on and then the front can be whisked off to pee him and easily velcroed back on. I've only used them once. They hold one pee, and then have to be washed again. But if I get better at catching his pee cues, then hopefully they could last hours!

This is the excitment of my days.

Here's some cute ones of Calvin on his little potty: