We are currently on night #6 of the new bed time routine. We are putting our little gal to bed earlier with the expectation that she will sleep longer. Now, in my world, which I do believe to be the "real" world, that did not compute. However, let me tell ya, it DOES work. At least, it has in our house.
Now, 2 weeks ago, if you would have told me that putting my sweet girl down earlier for the night would produce less night time crying and allow her to sleep longer I would have promptly told you, "Of course! And if I drink MORE Cabernet at night it will not make me feel like Sophie's dirty diapers the next day, but instead it will allow me to feel like Wonder Woman!" Definitely a study of opposites at play.
I must say, I don't rightfully know where to bestow credit here. The earlier bedtime certainly does not seem to be hurting anyone involved. In fact, I have been able to sit and watch evening television again, and cook dinner, and go to bed early. Ahhh bliss!
The other factor at play in Sophie's successful sleeping is the fact that I don't rush in at every peep. I must state again that I know that seems like an obvious step but it has been the hardest one. I liken my "rush to every cry" response to a story that my husband once told me. When he was young, a game that he and his friends liked to play consisted solely of throwing rocks at one another. I KNOW! But, no, I didn't marry a "short bus" guy. However, he and his friends would take refuge in the ditch-like gullies that flanked his friend's driveway. One group would take cover on one side of the driveway and the other group would be on the other side. They would then throw rocks as hard as they could at one another. I asked him what the purpose of this game was. Apparently there was none. In my opinion, the object was "Don't die." He fully admits that it hurt, that they knew going into it that it would hurt, and yet they happily played it anyway. Hmmm, maybe he is a short bus boy. I mean, how many lobs to the head can one take before they become a bit, shall we say slow. Just kidding, love you hon!
Anyway, my response to Sophie's night cries were much like this game. It hurt (both of us with fully waking up), I knew going in it would hurt, and yet I did it anyway. Well, I finally stopped the madness and acted like the cool, level-headed, haute mama that I always pictured myself to be. Turns out, Sophie didn't "need" me. What she needed was to be left alone to learn to go back to sleep. And, I must brag, she is a genius at this skill.
With absolutely no "help" from me (because my "help" was actually a hindrance), my sweet girl has become a healthy sleeper! Hallelujah! Now, it has only been 6 days but that is like a year in Sophie time.
Now I wonder if that whole "opposites" effect actually does work with increased Cabernet consumption.....
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