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| New slippers |
Not about him - I'm worried about me!
It's only an overnight trip; I'll fly down after work, then attend a conference all day Saturday, and get home Saturday night after his bedtime. Nanny M is staying with him, so I know he'll be fine, but I am going to miss him terribly. I'm purposefully not taking my computer, just my iPad so I can read something for fun instead of work or parenting. And there will be wine. Or maybe margaritas. Or both.
This week has been hell with sleep. I started putting him in his bed and then sitting across the room, or even right outside the room, as my next step in getting him to go to sleep on his own. We still do the first part of our routine - brush teeth, wash face (unless it is a bath night), snuggles in my bed while we read stories, and then 5-10 minutes of rocking in the glider. But now when I put him down, I don't stay next to him. So while he knows I'm close by, he isn't relying on me to help him sleep.
On Monday night I put him in his bed at 8:15. He fell asleep at 11:30. The 3 nights since then it's been anywhere from 60-90 minutes for him to fall asleep. And in between the getting in the bed and falling asleep, he gets out of bed. Over and over and over again. I'm following the Super Nanny's advice, and just walking him quietly back to bed, but there have been a few "would you please stay in bed!" and "don't get out of bed again!" moments. He's exhausted - I'm not letting him sleep late in the morning, and Nanny M isn't letting him sleep past 3, so he's hours behind on sleep now. I really thought tonight was going to be great, he was so tired he was asleep by 8:30. Then I dropped the baby gate, and it was well over an hour before he was asleep again.
So while I'm really going to miss him tomorrow, I'm also really looking forward to two nights of no bedtime fights. Nanny M might deserve an extra bonus if he's as difficult for her as he is for me, though.
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Love his pictures! :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your nights "off" of bedtime duty. Hoping that those 60-90 minute sessions become 60-90 seconds (ok, maybe 5-10 minutes ;) ) sooner rather than later!
Hopefully the sleep routine will get worked out. I hope your trip goes well- enjoy some time off.
ReplyDeleteOh. Imagine how nice it'll be to have a glass of wine and then fall asleep in a big cozy bed. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great trip. Worrying will do no one any good, so just enjoy yourself! And maybe leaving is well timed - the shakeup in routine might break Finn of his bad going to sleep cycle?!
ReplyDeleteOh my god that sounds so hard!!!! (The sleeping thing. Ok and the trip.) Good luck mama!! Hopefully you can enjoy some alone time and uninterrupted eating/sleeping/pooping. :)
ReplyDeleteAdorable pic! So sorry bedtimes are so long. I cherish the night I work and don't have to do bedtime that night, so I hope you can fully enjoy the night away and get great sleep!
ReplyDeleteI'll give you the same advice I was given my 1st night away from Elena - Try to enjoy it! Pamper yourself knowing Finn is well cared for. You deserve it. Of course you'll miss him like CRAZY but the welcome home will be worth it.
ReplyDeleteSleep advice? Not from me!! Is it wrong that I take comfort in the fact you & Finn have as much sleep trouble as Elena & I? Solidarity, sister!!
You have the cutest little boy! I love the hair. I am hoping things get better with the sleep problems.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, kids are different for different people. So, maybe he'll be perfect for her. Laura wakes up every night because she knows Rob will come in. When he's gone, she never wakes up because she knows I won't do it. I tuck her in and that's it. I only go in if she's sick.
ReplyDeleteI like your bookshelf to the right. Might I highly recommend Mo Willems? We prefer the Elephant & Piggy books, but Edwina the Dinosaur is really adorable, too, as well as Knuffle Bunny (even though the third Knuffle Bunny made me sniffle a little).
I've always wondered if that sort of gentle step by step withdrawing worked...I guess the answer is, "better than nothing?" Also do not spoil this precious alone time with guilt, guilt is useless. Drink, rest, and restore. You'll be a better mom and a better everything for it.
ReplyDeleteLove everyone's advice that you should relax and enjoy the night off. Finn is in good hands. He'll miss you, but he's going to be fine. Don't overdo the wine/margs - you deserve a good nights' sleep!
ReplyDeleteBedtime sucks. I'm right there with you. I've tried the Super Nanny quiet taking him back to bed business. After 9 or 10 times of that I AM DONE. I quickly disintegrate to screaming STAY IN YOUR BED!! Seriously, this is just torture.
ReplyDeleteBUT I did read somewhere that it can take a child anywhere from 45-75 minutes to fall asleep at night, so your 60-90 minutes is not beyond the realm of normal. That writer's suggestions for that bit of unpleasant information...plan to have your child in bed to start the 45-75 minute business of falling asleep 45-75 minutes before the time you think their 'bedtime' should be. Well that's just not possible for working human parents. If I did that Tate would never have dinner as we'd have to take a bath and do our bedtime stuff at 5:15. That just happens to be the middle of my commute home.
That book is now in the trash.
Enjoy your time alone, have some drinks, relax, and get a good night sleep (oh, and try not to worry).
ReplyDeleteI am still working up to the Supper Nanny advice. Sounds like you are doing great! Enjoy your trip!
ReplyDeleteI once did that return to bed thing. I stopped counting after the 200th time I put him back in his bed. Then I decided that he really wasn't going to sleep if he wasn't even lying down so I started laying with him until he went to sleep. It got to a 20 minute thing,and he'd come find me at about 2 am. This all stopped when I was pregnant last fall and I'd fall asleep before he did. He has been in my bed since then. At least this way I don't have to wake up enough to move to my own bed. But now I have to contemplate putting him back in his own bed. Well, one thing at a time I guess.
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