This morning we Celebrated my 16 month old sleeping in her crib the ENTIRE night for the very FIRST TIME. I know, I know ( I can feel the 'are you kidding me?' 'she's what 16 months?' 'you are doing this now?')
A little bit of background - before this SAHM Bliss...ha. I was a girl in the world that had planned to take over the World. Daughter of immigrant parents and humble beginnings - I had my goals already set for me of course (if you have asian parents - you know the drill) - very high.
So let's fast forward - I worked as hard as I could in school, and with the onset of my father's passing at 14 due to colon cancer - I tried THAT much more. I knew there was More to This life - and I was going to LIVE IT. I received a full academic scholarship to college, studied way more than partied and 4 short years later joined the rat race in corporate america; where I was to meet my unbeknownst to me - future Wonderful, Amazing Husband.
Then, a happy hour lead to a few more dates, lead to a move, then a marriage (yes still working!), then a house, a puppy, then another puppy ( bad idea BTW), to the apple of both our eyes - our gorgeous baby girl.
You know as much as I've studied in school, and worked hard to secure a place for myself in the working world - there are no books on this Earth that will tell you how much Life Changes after you have a baby. So after playing the Giant Juggling act like ALOT of parents do - I (actually my wonderful hubby) have decided that rather than giving everything a little bit of effort - it's best to give the most important people in your life - your BEST EFFORT. So with that said, my dreams of conquering that cube will just have to wait.
Live.Your.Bliss.
So Ok, Ok, Cookies for Breakfast!?!?!?
Finally after leaving the working world - I told you it is time to give it my Best Effort.
Step One - Clean and Keep a Tidy House like Company is coming Every Day
Step Two - Become a better Cook (BTW the books also don't tell you that you really can't go out to dinner when your kids starting walking, ours started at 9 months - joy)
Step Three - Crib Train Baby Girl (and thus get more sleep b/c she has decided the best place to sleep every night until then has been my head!)
Step Four- Become a Better Wife, Mom, Sister, Daughter, Friend (This one may be a Life Long Goal, lol)
Step Five - Lose that Baby Weight Once and For All!
Oh and in the meantime - my husband received a promotion which requires us to move ASAP to another part of the country (more on that later but adds to the timeline of why the Crib Training has taken THIS long)
So really....
Step 1.1 - Pack and get house ready for Market in DEAD of Winter
Step 1.2 - Travel to East Coast between PA to MA with Toddler in Tote to find a new home
Step 1.3 - #%$%!!! The HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET in the dead of WINTER? $#$!!
Ok so Step 1-1.3 - CHECK; Step Two - CHECK (more on that later), and now oh Crude, on to Step 3...
After hours of reading online, asking mamma friends, trial and error (more error than trial) and what seems to be Endless Hours of Screaming, Crying, 'Mooommmmiiiieeeee!!!!' I decided on a plan. Don't judge - I'm a huge fan of doing what fit's Your life (not what others think) and of course Tons of research.
So our plan is somewhere between 'CIO' (cry it out for the non moms out there) method and the 'No Tears Approach'
What's that you say?
I don't know if anyone else's kid is like this - but for some reason my daughter HAS to hold my hand, arm, face, body, foot - whatever quite frankly is attached to my body in order for her to sleep. It's probably the 16 months of co-sleeping.
So below lists my Sleep Regiment Journal for our New Journey to Sleep Haven:
1. Go in the room, change diaper, and put on Jammies around 830 PM
2. Turn off the lights, turn on soft music and story projection
3. Rock her to sleep then lay her in her crib
4. Since she was so accustomed to sleeping in a bed - we added a pillow and some extra blankets.
5. 9 PM - She wakes screaming. I find it is better to immediately respond before she is fully aware, and lay her back down, w/o making eye contact, patting her back to sleep and saying 'Night Night'.
6. Then Repeat the Above at 11, 12, 1:30AM. BTW - my husband was trying with all his might to ignore this as he is a softie and after one dare, since of course he knows what he's doing - has happily conceded...Ok back to my plan.
7. Finally - no sound, I finally fell Asleep.
8. 5AM - Screams - Mommy!!!! I slowly walk in there, attempt to repeat step #5.
20 minutes pass, and still no sign of her letting up. She would take my hand, 'sleep' if it is present, but immediately scream once I move it. What do I do? Insert New Step NOW
9. Kiss her on the head, lay her down, tuck her in, say Night Night - and Leave the Room.
10. She cries for around 30 minutes - then Nothing.
My husband checks on her at 7AM and she is still sound asleep.
SUCCESS. I actually had to wake her up so we could make the 8:30 spin class ( remember Step 5?)
So yes Cookies for Breakfast (for her, not me - remember Step 5)
Now not sure what tonight will bring - we will probably stick to the above routine and hopefully have some more Cookies for Breakfast :) But for now - SUCCESS.
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