Stopping the Insantiy

I have finally done it: assumed my youngest child could, should, and would sleep through the night given the *opportunity* to do so. Way back in February when we originally sleep trained him I felt like it was okay if he woke up and nursed once in the night. My logic was that he "is so little" and he's not eating other food, and he needs that mid-night snack. Well, this once in the night has morphed into twice, three times, and then whenever he woke up. Thursday night after he woke up at 10:30, 11:30, 1, 2, 3:30, 4:30 and 5, (and I got up every one of those times), I said that is enough. Seriously. So Friday night he was in bed at 8:30 and stayed there until 7...with a few wake ups, and after the 10:30 one where I went in, patted his back a few times, gave him some teething gel and said "night-night" the door remained shut. And yes, there was some crying. But each night it's gotten shorter and the wake ups have become fewer and longer in between. Last night he woke up at 10:30 as we went to bed, cried for a little bit and then went to sleep and then at 2 he woke up and cried for less than 5 minutes. Hooray! Best of all he seems to be thriving on this extra sleep.

I think it's going to take longer to sleep train me. My body has become used to waking up so often, so now I wake up around 1 and 3. But instead of getting up, I roll right back over and say, no no Mommy, it's night night. :)

Jack is also sleeping better. I think he tunes out Eric crying, but all the door opening, rocking chair noses, people walking, and Mommy muttering, would wake him up.

Darrel says that he is sleeping much better and waking up feeling a lot more rested.

So, overall it's a win win win win for the Anderson family.

Honestly, I can't believe what a difference sleep is making for my coping skills, my outlook on life, etc. I feel like a different person. (Which makes me wonder how the heck I have survived the last couple of years.)

Three cheers for sleeping babies!