I briefly mentioned in my first post that Chase is a gleeful little tyrant when it comes to bed and sleeping. Yesterday, we started to make a change. Hoo-boy, let me tell you what. If I weren't so exhausted, and so ready to have a routine that works, I don't know if I could do this. This being crying it out.
I did research, read all the no cry suggestions, all the cry suggestions, and came to the conclusion that we were slaves to an idea that Chase could not cry. Ever. And let's face it, babies cry. Chase has entered the phase of toddlerhood, so he cries when a toy doesn't work, he doesn't get his way, he'd rather have a graham cracker than green beens....you get the picture. Sometimes, I'm sure he's yelling baby-speak obscenities at me. Last night, he definitely was.
We started a bedtime routine. We eat, and then all settle in to watch Jeopardy. Chase loves the sounds effects, and it gives him some good Daddy-Son time. Since it's summer, Charlie works pretty late (HVAC in the South), so we can't do a very early bedtime. I mean, we could, but I'm not going to rob the boys of their time together. So then at Final Jeopardy time, we clean up the toys and start talking about getting ready for bed. Then, it's bath time. Chase loves the bath, but always hates getting out, and will cry at least a little while we're wrapping him in a towel. We dry off and sing "How'd You Like to Swing on a Star," making all the animal noises as we get into PJs. Then I sit in the rocker with Chase, and Charlie in the desk chair that we rolled into his room, and Charlie reads. We read books that we parents will enjoy, too. So far, it's been a Tolkein tribute - the LOTR trilogy came first, and now we're in The Hobbit. Next up is Peter
Pan. Anyway, then Charlie turns on the turtle (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Twilight-Constellation-Night-Turtle/dp/B000BNQC58), and says night night. I sing Chase two songs ("Lullaby" by the Dixie Chicks and "All Through the Night" - Peter, Paul, and Mary Version), and then put him down. At least, that's what we did last night. Before then it's been rock him to sleep, get up, walk slowly to the crib, pray he doesn't wake up, and e-v-e-r-s-o-g-e-n-t-l-y put him down. More times than not, he pops back up, and I would start over. Instead of being a smooth, simple process, bedtime was a battle....and a long on at that. But we didn't want tears...so that's how we did it. Now, the smart little munchkin knew that. He would work as hard as he could each night to not go to sleep, and to keep mommy or daddy in the room. Which then translated into needing one of us (ahem, me), to put him back to sleep if he woke up in the night. Seriously, 400+ days of this.
So, last night, we cried. Well, Charlie didn't, but I did, and Chase did. Chase was so confused at first, and then just plain MAD. But he went to sleep. It took around an hour, which definitely could have been worse, but it felt like an eternity. I played Temple Run so that I wouldn't watch the clock. We checked on him at 3 min, then 5 min, then 10 min, and then at the 15 mark, he started to calm down. We stayed out that time (Charlie's work phone rang and startled everyone), but then Chase was asleep. He stirred around midnight, but went back to sleep on his own. 3 a.m. he woke up, and was heavy wet and showing some signs of teething pain, so I changed him and gave him some Tylenol, gave him a big hug, but then laid him back down, when I would have normally sat and rocked him. I stood by his bed, and shhhed and said night-night, and then gradually left the room, doing the same thing. He whimpered, and cried a little, but went to sleep.
I hope that night 2 is easier. I know there are more pros on this than there are cons. We just saw the doctor, so I know he's healthy as a horse, besides the teething. But we treat that an hour before bedtime, so I know the medicine has taken effect. I look forward to quiet evenings with my husband again, catching up on my school prep, watching pointless TV, and, well...doing whatever I want, short of playing the tuba, knowing that my son is well-rested.
LC
P.S. Yesterday was hard for another reason. It was the 27th birthday of my best friend who passed away from a hard battle with cancer 6 years ago. I'll tell you about Lyssa one day, but I now have to take a moment to be thankful for the stress and battles of motherhood, because I lived to have this chance. I am thankful for the chance to complain, for the crying that wakes me in the night, for the baby kisses, because I am alive. So, in other words, I'm going to stop wallowing now.
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