Mondays are for Memories

Okay, so this Monday I'm remembering what it is like to spend some time with my husband and to go to bed in a room without a baby waiting for us in a pack-n-play! 

Tonight we began the process of letting Chandler learn how to self-sooth [in her crib] in the kids room. The kids share a room, but we have yet to put her in there because well, it's crazy to think that a 2 year old and a 7 month old could share a room, but... it's time and they can! We need our room back and I'm sick of glaring and shhhhing at my husband every night when we go to bed. It is a fact men don't know how to be quiet and to be honest they shouldn't have to be in their own bedroom! Thanks for putting up with me all these months, Matt! It's definitely been weighing on both of us having her in there and she really is waking up every night when we go to bed! 

As much as I swore that I learned my lesson [with Landon] when it comes to rocking a baby to sleep, I must not have because I let this go on a lot longer with Chander than I did with Landon. Landon was 6 months when we started letting him self sooth (a.k.a cry and torture ourselves) and even though I dreaded it, it only took a few nights and he never ever cried more than 10 minutes. The first time we let him cry [was for a nap] he slept for 2 and 1/2 hours (before this, he was taking like 30 minute naps and was sooo over tired all the time). He was also night waking or just waking up way too early, but after we started the self soothing, he began sleeping great and his time awake was happy time because he wasn't over tired. 

Chandler and Landon are very differnt. She's a lot more persistent then him and much more of a mama's girl. I also nursed her up until 2 weeks ago [when I hurt my back and had to go on some serious meds] so she was still night waking to eat (mostly out of habit) and she wasn't napping well. Since she's been on formula she's been taking great naps, but I've still be rocking her to sleep for them. Her nights have not be good though. She's been waking up a lot and only wants me! We're not night feeding her anymore, so I had to rely on rocking her, patting her butt, and/or shhhhing, but last night she wasn't having any of it. She was ready to party and I was helpless. What's crazy is the first few months of her life, I didn't rock her at all, I would lay her down and for the most part she'd be out no problem, but things have changed. With two, it became easier for me to just rock her, know she was asleep, and move on to taking care of Landon or the house, or for me to lay down and catch some zzzzzzz too! 

Last night was the decider in the "time for self soothing" decision. It was the worst night we've had since she's been born and she's 7 and 1/2 months old! For a while there, she was sleeping though the night, but for about the past 4 nights it's been ROUGH! 

So tonight I was dreading it, but we did our night time routine, I rocked her her chair for a couple of minutes, kissed her, and laid her down in her crib. She laughed at me, spit her paci out, and started rolling around. Her tune changed when I told her I loved her, that she needed to go to sleep, and walked out. She cried and cried hard for about 20 minutes. I went in about every 5 minutes and told her that we loved her and that we'd see her tomorrow and to sleep she went. I have to admit I thought I might have to leave the house if she kept it up, but it worked and she's still out! Praise God! 

Here's to a good night sleep and a room to ourselves!!