sleep saga part deux

So, the whole sleep thing is getting marginally better (I totally just jinxed it by typing that, too). We've discovered 2 things- first, he doesn't take 2 naps a day like other, normal babies. Instead, he takes 4 to 5 brief 40 minute naps sprinkled throughout the day. Not ideal, but it seems to be working for him. Secondly, at the first sign that he's tired (yawn, eye rub, whatever), we need to throw him into his stroller and start pushing him back and forth, until his eyes glaze over and he goes into some sort of zen trance. Then, and only then, can I take him upstairs and get him to bed relatively quickly. It is hit or miss, and we often trudge up and down the stairs, from the stroller to the rocker and back again, but our total time spent trying to placate a crazy baby has been dramatically reduced. Hallelujah!

Going.....

Going....

Gone!

However, that means that my time spent strolling around town with this kid has skyrocketed. Just today, we went on a total of five walks. JC, Stella, baby and I always do the last one at night when JC gets home from work. It's the knock out punch and usually gets him down for the night (and by night, I mean 3 to four hour stretch). Last night, our area was having some major thunderstorms, and we were forced to choose between going on our walk and getting drenched, or staying in and having a showdown with a cranky little man. Which one do you think we chose?

Here's a hint:

Though, I do have to say, temperament-wise, he's becoming much more enjoyable to be around. He's started laughing, this deep belly laugh, and it's just hilarious. At night, when I'm rocking him to sleep, he started doing this thing where he'll start to drift off, but then realizes he might be missing something. So he keeps one eye half open, the other eye closed. I learned the hard way that if I make eye contact with the partially opened eye, he snaps them both wide open and starts smiling, ready to play. Similarly, if he catches me smiling, even just a little, he's ready for it and pow! he pops his eyes back open and starts grinning back at me. So now, in order to get him totally to sleep, I have to rock him with my eyes closed while biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. He is something else, that baby.