The baby didn't want to settle down and sleep tonight....again. Last night I gave up trying at the two hour mark and without reservation handed her over to D when she walked in the door at 9:15pm.
Tonight she started to play her game of nursing, almost falling asleep, popping her eyes open, twisting around and trying to crawl off the bed (she and I co-sleep on what used to be the guest bed, now "the princess' bed"). I tell her no, pull her back and lay her back down. And off she goes again. Oh yeah - it's all fun and games til' mommy starts to lose it.
So tonight I resorted to what I had to do for a few days a while back. I pick her up, kiss her goodnight, lay her gently in her crib (yes, we actually do have one in her room - we just never use it) and walk out of the room.
OY! The screaming that takes place. It breaks my heart but what can I do? I can't let her think she has the upper hand in the sleep game. The first time I let her cry for about 90 seconds because suddenly she started screaming "MaaaaaaaaMaaaaaaaa!"
Yep. The first time she calls me Mama and it's because she thinks I am being cruel and unloving to her.
Did you hear that? It was my heart breaking into a million pieces.
So - I snatch her up without saying a word and lay her back on the bed to sleep. She goes to the brink and............starts to play all over again. So I get up and we go to the rocking chair and rock. That works for a while and I feel her getting sleepy....then POP! Up snaps her head and she starts pointing and chattering at the nightlight. We try again to settle down but then she ups the ante and starts pushing against me to get down.
So...back to the crib.
Three minutes. I listen to her scream bloody murder for three long, heart wrenching minutes. "MaaaaaaaaMaaaaaaa!!!" over and over and over again.
It's all I can do not to run in there and pick her up and hold her. But we're 75 minutes into the sleep game and I'm exhausted and the poor prince has been in the livingroom watching TV waiting for me so we can play...and I still have two loads of laundry to fold.
When the numbers click on the clock I go in and collect her sweaty little body and lay her in the bed again. She nurses and......promptly falls asleep.
She is ok - no lasting damage, I'm sure.
I wish I could say the same for me.
2 comments:
Casey, you have one smart little girl, she knows how to push Mommies buttons. I think Robbie sent her notes. We have been there and still are. It is so frustrating trying to get him to sleep. Last night around 3:00 he started waking up every ten minutes and reaching for me, he would wake me up everytime i had just fallen asleep. at 4:30 I let him lay beside me but fuss a little, not a upset cry a whiny coughy cry. After 5 minutes of fussing and rolling he fell asleep on his own. I am going to try this method for all middle of the night wakings, unless he gets super upset, then I will help.
Sounds like you did great! It is so hard... really really hard.
This is what I do with Spencer when he's not on board with settling down for nap or bed. All it takes is a bit of time to get it out of his system then he is really ready to nurse and crash.
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