On the road to success

First, thanks for all of the sweet comments and words of encouragement! It really means so much to have support from dear friends and family.

So here's the update.

After doing the regular bedtime ritual last night, I laid Elizabeth down in her crib as I explained that if she stayed in her crib then I would leave the door open. She liked that idea. I tucked her in and left the room leaving the door wide open. Two minutes later she was roaming the house. I picked her up, tucked her back into the crib, said I love you and walked out, locking the door behind me. She immidiately climbed out, started crying at the door. After less than 30 minutes she was quiet. I went into her room expecting her to have crashed on the floor, but found her asleep on the mattress. Plus, she had pulled the blankets out of the crib and over the the bed where she tucked herself in. Yes! Also, she slept until 6:30 am.

It's only been one night but I already feel like shouting, "SUCCESS!"

Keep it up little cutie face. 

"Open the door please!"

Since Elizabeth is currently yelling this, it is flooding my mind and scaring my memory, I swear.

Oh, I'm also hearing the occasional, "Where are you Mommy?"

What makes this situation even more fun is that Richard is out of town for work all week, again. Oh man. Can't he be here to share in the nighttime fiasco with me? Getting 8 hours of sleep in the last 48 is not my fav.

Just so I can remember what's been happening longer than an hour from now...

Two nights ago, I sat in a chair next to her crib until she fell asleep. I silently crept out and locked her bedroom door. She woke at 4:00 AM. I let her cry it our for 45 minutes, until she woke Mark and he started crying too. I gave Mark his Binky so that he was settled for the moment. I went into Elizabeth's room and found she had climbed out of her crib (expected) and removed her snap-up footie pajamas (unexpected). Poor little thing was cold. I changed her diaper, put her pj's back on, laid her back down while explaining it was still night time and she was going to sleep, walked out and locked the door. She promptly was out and screaming again, 15 minutes later the sun was up and I knew she wouldn't go to sleep, so the day started.

Last night, I put the twin mattress back in her room so that she might crash on it after she had climbed out of the crib. I put her in T-shirt and pants pajamas, did our bedtime ritual, and ended up having to stay in her room for an hour while she fell asleep. (RIDICULOUS!). She woke at 3:30 AM. I let her cry until 4:30 AM, again until Mark started crying. Gave the poor baby boy his binky and went to get Elizabeth. Her pj's were still on, that's good. I changed her diaper, explained it was nighttime and she and I were both going back to sleep. I laid her down while she begged for storied and songs. I said no and walked out locking the door. She hopped out in 2 seconds and resumed the crying. She got quite after about 20 minutes. That lasted about an hour, during which time I fed Mark, and she woke again at 5:45 AM. And thus my day begins.

Can't wait until you get home Richard!  So that I can get some sleep.  :)

 

The getting back on a schedule/sleep training is totally working. 

Hazzah!

I understand that it doesn't work for everyone, but it really seems to work for us right now. (I wish I could say that for her first 5 months of life, those days were all over the place.) It was also helpful that Elizabeth was sleeping so well for a while, so I felt more confidant that we could get back there again. 

Elizabeth's schedule:

7:30am - wake, nurse, solids

9:00am - nap

10:30-11:00am - wake, nurse, solids

2:00pm - nap

4:00pm - wake, nurse, solids

7:00pm - read stories, pray, pj's, nurse

7:30-7:50pm - in bed asleep 

(sleeps all night, at least 11 hours!)

For the past 4 days I have been planning everything around making sure we stick to this schedule, and it has been so worth it. 

Thanks for sharing in my joy about the matter, dear readers.