… my true love gave to me:
eleven yogurt covered pretzels
Actually, this is a good thing. Only having 11 of these things. I love yogurt-covered pretzels. I’m not entirely sure it’s yogurt on them, though. Probably more of a frosting sort of concoction (remember back when I said I was a sugar fiend? Uh-huh, I meant it).
On another note, last night was the first night we employed the “Cry It Out” (CIO) strategy to get Pumpkin to sleep. After her antibiotics and being sick, she was still waking up several times each night, probably out of habit. I’m a big grump when I’m sleep-deprived so this was not working for me! I called her doctor yesterday to say, “Okay, she’s done with the meds, she doesn’t have a fever, she’s fine during the day, there is no cough, she’s in good spirits, blah blah blah…” and the doctor said, “Let her cry.” Because Pumpkin has slept thru the night before, and because Dr B said she’s healthy enough and at a good enough weight, she didn’t need the night time feedings, so I just have to put her to bed, and go check on her periodically, rub her tummy or some such, and say, “Mommy loves you, it’s night-night time…”
Ack.
So, last night, I fed her some applesauce (it was the first time – she LOVED it), nursed her, and took her to her room where I read her a book (“Snuggle Puppy” by Sandra Boynton) and sang her a song (“The Longest Time” by Billy Joel), gave her a smooch and put her in her crib. She played for a minute or so. Then the tears started. Ay yi yi.
Hubby sent me downstairs so I wouldn’t have to listen to it. She cried for about 30 minutes and then zonked out. Woke up an hour later with a dirty diaper, and I quietly changed her and then told her it was beddy-bye time. She was sleeping again within five minutes. She cried out around 10:15 and calmed herself down within a minute.
THEN SHE SLEPT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!
Beginner’s luck, I guess. Wish us luck and sleep for tonight!
I didn’t want to let my daughter cry it out, but at some point you have to just let them figure it out themselves. It was so hard, and for the little while she did cry, it broke my heart. Fortunately, my husband is stronger than me and helped me through it. It only took a couple nights. By the 3rd night, she was A-OK. Same for my little boy. 3 nights makes a habit.
That’s the method that worked for Eric and I. I’m a big Babywise fan and it proved itself TWICE for us 🙂 Good for you guys – keep up the good (but hard) work!
Congratulations! But isn’t it one of the hardest things you’ve ever done? It’s really good for them and you, but it’s really, really hard.
Let’s hope the luck continues 🙂