Last week was bad, Grace-sleep-wise. Tyler was out of town and Grace was quickly back to her wiley ways. (I know, I know, I was allowing it...) I don't even know when she would start waking up, because I would wake up when my arm had fallen asleep, from her HEAD, after I had gotten out of bed, picked her up, sat down in my chair, fed her, and she had fallen back to sleep. Could'a been there for hours. I have no idea. This happened even when I moved her into the "big bed" in the playroom. I would go down the hall, get her, bring her back, feed her and then wake up. Seriously.
Friday night was the worst. Any time I laid her down, it was instant screaming (not even crying, just straight to a full on scream). But I was hesitant for the Big Showdown without Tyler (been there, done that, story for another day).
When Tyler got back, I was exhausted and ready. After sharing a few ideas with Tyler from my research, I fed her and handed her over to her Daddy.
That first night, she had fallen asleep when I was nursing her, but Tyler insisted it was no matter, and I was too exhausted to argue. Who cared if the situation wasn't ideal? Not me. He put her to bed in the playroom and I zonked. Somewhere in there I know I heard her, but I also knew that Tyler was up, that someone was listening to her torture, and he had given her a binki. Tyler also tells me that I refused to nurse her the first time he "woke me up". (I don't remember it at all!) But the "second" time, I gave in. Tyler made me aware that she had been crying since around 12:30, and it was 3:45. That morning, we were all exhausted and felt like failures.
The next night, we were all geared up to have a miserable experience again. This time, though, we weren't going to let her have any excuses. She would figure out this sleep thing when she was completely exhausted, not after she had slept for a few hours. I kept her awake while nursing her, after cereal and a bath, then handed her off to Tyler. Immediately, I was distracting myself from her, and tuned in when Tyler asked how long it had been, because she wasn't crying. 15 minutes, folks! That is all it took! And she likes to have her fingers poking through and holding a soft afghan more than her spit rag. Okay!
I fed her before I went to bed, and she squawked around 3:00, but just one squawk, and I didn't feed her until 6:00!
And the next night, she slept a straight eight hours!
Wa-hoo! Thank-you Tyler! We owe this all to you!
She is a sleeper now. We hope it continues. I am just beginning to realize how sleep deprived I have been, now that the adrenaline from gotta-go-despite-the-exhaustion is wearing down. Whew! And as I am noticing a little more reasoning going on in my brain, I am already changing my thinking on how anyone could ever have more than two kids. I can see how, with sleep, the idea to have another sweet, tiny, itty-bitty might be attractive to some people. Especially when newborns smell so good. I am not announcing anything, just stating that the idea doesn't twist my guts into severe knots.
Dang! That lil'girl is just so cute!!!
5 comments:
You crack me up! Having 2 is EASY, that's right, you heard me, E.A.S.Y. Hey, I think 3 is pretty easy too (well not AS easy but I am not miserable) so maybe I am not a good source.
Glad to hear that your Lil Darling really is darling and sleeping. Are we going to get more posts with photos soon?
Well you don't just have to be on seizure meds to get butt brain, you can catch it from babies too. I'm glad you are less sleep deprived today, perhaps you can solve equations and plan your life for the next ten years.
"the idea doesn't twist my guts into severe knots"--I have this feeling constantly, and my kid is a good sleeper! I wonder how you talk yourself into having another kid?! Glad that Tyler's Tough Love has worked so well for you and that you're getting the sleep you need and deserve!
I'm so glad things are getting on track. Be prepared for some setbacks and retraining along the way, but my opinion is that it's NEVER as hard as the first training period. One of the things that I read said that in some ways the crying may actually serve as an accelerant to help them forget the expectation to be picked up in order to sleep. I thought that was interesting and it made me a feel a bit better about things. It also helps explain why the first few nights are horrible and then it gets SO much better so quickly.
Kennedy is currently putting herself to sleep for three 1 hour naps at 9, 12, and 3. Then she falls asleep on her own at bedtime, 6:30-7:00ish PM and sleeps until midnight. She has one feeding at that time and then sleeps until 6:30-7:00ish AM. I can live with that! I too feel like the world is a brighter place again, and I am SO much more able to fully enjoy her sweet little person, and the rest of the family when I get a little more sleep! Yay for sleeping babies!
this post about brought me to tears - I am so happy for you!
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