Sleeping...

Over my years of parenting, I have heard several horror stories about babies/children and sleeping.  Throughout all those stories, although I felt for the person, I was never able to relate. We had GOOD sleepers.  From only a few months of age, Darling would sleep 12 hours at night.  If I needed her up at 7, she went to be at 7,  if I needed her up at 9, she went to bed at 9.  She slept like clockwork.  Duke, became a good sleeper.  He had a rough go at sleeping, much like everything else his first few months but once he gained enough weight, wasn't needing to eat as much and in general grew up a little he began to sleep and sleep well.  Kayleigh followed in her siblings path and was an easy sleeper.   Now I am not sugar-coating, we had our rough nights, the cranky baby or the sick baby but never for nights on end or for a unexplained reason. 

That brings me to J.  This kid does not sleep.  He turned one in February and by his birthday I can honestly say he had slept through the night only a handful of times.  He would go on waves, a week or two of up once and night followed by a week or two of up 3,4 or 5 times a night.  I am not a huge fan of crying out but am willing to do it when necessary and it became necessary with him.  One weekend Joe was out of town.  I figured it was the perfect time to try this CIO thing.  The first night I put all the kids to bed and by 11 J was up.  So I let him cry.  I checked on him about 10 minutes later, let him know I was there and helped him find his blanket again.  Much to my surprise, he feel back to sleep. This might actually work!  Or so I thought.  Next time J woke up was 1:00am.  I let him cry, would comfort every so often without picking him up or giving him a bottle, but he cried, cried and cried.  The child cried for 2 hours!!!!  I finally gave in, picked him up and he was out cold in a matter of minutes.  What the heck!  How was I ever going to get this kid to sleep?

After much frustration, many sleepless nights, a few nights sleeping in the basement, Joe and I (mostly at Joe's pushing) we decided to move J into Duke's room to sleep. This is where he would be for the future, The Boys Room, so why not now.  I was super hesitant to put J in there because I didn't want him keeping Duke up all night and I didn't want to wake up the entire house multiple times by running down the hall 3 or 4 times a night to stop him from crying.  Feeling like my hands were tied and I was out of options, I moved J into Dukes room.  The first night J only woke up ONCE!  I was shocked.  Over the next few nights the boys got into a nice pattern of going to bed together, sleeping most of the night and then hanging out together playing in their room early in the morning while others slept in.  This was working out beautifully.  He still had his rougher nights but overall this situation was working out better.  My fear of J crying and waking up Duke was totally dismissed after a night or two of me realizing we could blast some G&R in their room at night and Duke wouldn't budge.  When that boy is sleeping, he is out!!  It's only been a few weeks but for the most part this is working, J is getting a little better at sleeping and I am hoping that soon he is sleeping through the night every night. 

The story behind todays post is last nights attempt at sleeping.  J is teething AND hasn't been feeling great the last few days so sleeping has not gone very well.  Well last night between bedtime at 8 and 11pm J had woken up screaming 3 times, two of which times I had to bring him downstairs.  The last time, he couldn't keep his eyes open but the minute I tried to put him in his crib, he screamed, blood-curdling screams.  I was getting frustrated, I was tired and I didn't know what to do for him.  My solution....the basement.  We have a finished basement which is the kids playroom and then a little guest area with a bed.  I moved him pack in play into that guest area and moved the monitor down there.  I put J in the bed down there with his blanket, left the light on low and went upstairs.  He screamed and cried but after 10 minutes or so was asleep.  Unfortunately that was only the beginning of the night.  J spent the night in the basement, I spent the night on the couch in the living room and we both were up at 6:00 am. 

Fingers crossed that today/night is a better night. Especially because Joe's little brother is coming into town tonight to visit for a few days so the basement guestroom will be occupied. 

Moral of the story...don't EVER take your "good sleepers" for granted!