Sleeping

I have been at my wits end for a couple of weeks now.  Violet just hasn't been sleeping.  Mark and I have been switching off "taking her" at night so that the other can sleep.  It's not sustainable... especially when he leaves for a week... again.

Mark left on Saturday morning for a week in Chicago (he was there for a week about 2 or 3 weeks ago).  I cried when he left because I knew it would be so tough on me to have him gone.  I was right.  Saturday night I sobbed for hours and called my mom because Mark was on a plane and I couldn't reach him.  I was just so tired and felt so daunted with the task of getting up every night for the whole week by myself.  Saturday night she woke up every 45 minutes it seemed.  I finally got her to go to sleep on my chest lying in bed and got a few minutes of sleep, but was very pessimistic about the week.  Sunday I just pulled her into my bed the first time she woke up and laid next to her all night nursing her anytime she woke up, which was often.

Monday morning I planned to sleep while she slept, but ended up going to my friend Julie's house to buy some Stella and Dot jewellery from her at a discount because she's no longer going to sell it.  She has a little boy exactly Violet's age as well as another one who is 2.  I told her about my last few days/nights/weeks and she told me she would send me a pdf of a book written by a night nanny on sleep.  I said I wasn't ready to let Violet cry it out.  I hadn't hit rock bottom.  Then I read the book.

It was perfect for me.  I could sit next to her and comfort her if she needed it.  I could listen to make sure she was ok.  It was exactly what I felt I needed to do, so I did it... Immediately.  I began with her nap before I had even finished the book.  I read while she was crying.  Her first nap was rough.  She cried an hour and 10 minutes and then I picked her up and brought her downstairs for a bit of nursing and distraction before trying again.  I followed this woman's advice to the letter.  When I put her back she cried 20 minutes.  At night she cried 30 minutes and then slept till 9.  At nine when she woke up I went in to comfort her and it took 3 minutes for her to calm down.  I went to sleep immediately afterwards.  I slept straight through until I heard her cry.  I thought it must be midnight........ but it was 4!!!  She slept straight through without waking until 4.  I was thrilled.  I nursed her and kept her awake and then put her down and she went immediately back to sleep with almost no fuss.  I was so excited that I texted Mark and my mom and emailed Julie and then called Mark and talked to him for a while.  By the time I went back to bed it was 5 and Vivian woke up at 5:55 a.m.  Violet slept until 7:30!  She must have been so tired from not sleeping all of those nights!

Today she took 3 almost perfect naps with minimal crying.  Tonight she cried about 6 minutes.  I am THRILLED.  After Mark gets home, I'll have him take her for the 4 a.m. wake up and not give her milk... if she's still waking up for that.  I can't tell you how excited I am about this, and how proud.  I have the best girls!  I am hopeful about the future.  Maybe I can handle being a mom after all!

Downward Dog

Violet has been doing downward dog all morning.  I can't believe it.  This girl is so strong!

I know there is a big difference between strength and coordination, but I wouldn't be surprised if she's crawling before she's 6 months old.  She's a determined little thing.  But so sweet.  Now if only we could get her sleeping through the night!