Okay, I think I'm a pretty hip Mom. I hold one of the coolest jobs in the computer game industry, I play WoW, I fix my husband's computer, I care for my bebe almost 24/7, and I am practicing to be the next Nigella Lawson. But there is nothing like PINK that screams WOMAN!

Should I win the PINK Nintendo DS Lite with their super neat Brain Age game (which by the way, is perfect for late-night breastfeeding sessions), I will appear to be ever cooler to my kid who will realise Mom's still a girl after all. :)

8 Infant Sleep Facts Every Parent Should Know by Dr Sears

Nightwaking has developmental benefits. Sleep researchers believe that babies sleep "smarter" than adults do. They theorize that light sleep helps the brain develop because the brain doesn't rest during REM sleep. In fact, blood flow to the brain nearly doubles during REM sleep.

During REM sleep the body increases its manufacture of certain nerve proteins, the building blocks of the brain. Learning is also thought to occur during the active stage of sleep. The brain may use this time to process information acquired while awake, storing what is beneficial to the individual and discarding what is not. Some sleep researchers believe that REM sleeps acts to auto-stimulate the developing brain, providing beneficial imagery that promotes mental development.

One day as I was explaining the theory that light sleep helps babies' brains develop, a tired mother of a wakeful infant chuckled and said, "If that's true, my baby's going to be very smart."

Yup, Jack too. :) He wakes every hour...!

Oh and the sleeping through the night part? 1-4 months is right. They begin night-waking after that.

Meanwhile, Jack is teething and has been waking up rolling over onto his tummy, and even sitting up once. So I reckon the wakings is likely due to both teething and his developmental milestones.

Yet, even though babies achieve this sleep maturity some time during the last half of the first year, many still wake up. The reason? Painful stimuli, such as colds and teething pain, become more frequent. Major developmental milestones, such as sitting, crawling, and walking, drive babies to "practice" their new developmental skills in their sleep.

Night weaning Jack - an article by Elizabeth

Hope for a sleepy me. :)

Yet I am happy to wake up to feed Jack, even if it is to look at his sweet face when he finally dozes off.

Just now he stirred and fussed a little, turned and turned again and then fell back to sleep.

For sleepy Moms out there, read the articles at KellyMom. They're great, evidence-based, positive, and comforting.

His Dad is so excited about him crawling way so early (about a month early). He moves faster than Boy on a slow day. :p

Jack turns 8 months very soon!

Jack's sleeping well again. Last night he slept 1+2+3+3+3. Well, better than 1+1 or 2+2 ad infinitum.

Now he can crawl, pull himself up, sit very steadily, and in the past 3 days, practicing clapping. He recognises his Mom, Dad, Grandpop and Grandma, regular aunts and uncles and cousins. And yes, he still smiles at girls. More so at the pretty ones. :p

AskMoxie has some words on how babies sleep poorly when they are learning new things and sleep well again when they master them. Considering what Jack has achieved in the past few months, I'd say he's mastered a lot.

After 3.5 months of waking every 1-2 hours (3 if I was lucky), Jack slept 4 hours straight last night, woke up for milk, and then slept 5 hours straight. I was amazed and felt quite refreshed. :)

Jack's been physically and vocally very active.

Aside from standing with support and pulling himself up, he's started crawling. Not the shuffle-butt type but the actual crawl.

He said Mama for three days or maybe five, then began saying Baba. His Dad is very pleased. :)

Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard Researchers Say

Stress in Infancy

My instincts are sound with science.

These mornings Jack wakes before me and pats my face with a smile. Other times he'll bawl but smile when he sees me loom above him. He's not happy when I leave to wash up and feed the cats so I carry him with me. He's most entertained by the odd human habit of toothbrushing.

He's more wary of strangers now but will still smile at any cooing female (human, that is). He won't let anyone but his Grandma and I put him to bed but will allow Dad or Grandpa to carry him for a nap.

He giggles when he sees his Humpty doll, with him since he was born, and gives it a pat of acknowledgement and a smile when I put it next to him.

He can sit on his own very well now and easily pulls himself up to standing. There is always a chuckle of delight when I put him in his cot as he swiftly grabs the bars and pulls himself up. He beams while he stands and cries in annoyance when his legs fail him 5 minutes later.

He loves his football and once sat for almost an hour patting and swatting coloured balls in his cousin's Ball Pen. He's regarding his small football most intently as I type this. :)

Last night I felt the tips of two little teeth emerging from Jack's lower gums. Although there had been a lot of noise about him teething since his 4th month (and progressively less sleep - he wakes every 2 hours now), this is the first time I've actually seen and felt any unequivocal proof of his teething. :) He's started solids as well, faring well on rice cereal, mashed banana, and apples. So quickly they grow up...

Jack turned 6 months just a week ago and since then, he's been sitting up without support and has a soft spot for a small rubber football. :) He can say Mama in between his cries and always beams when he sees his Grandma and Grandpa.