What a way to start the New Year!

Both kiddos are taking a nap. As if that isn't miraculous enough, Rebecca is sleeping in her BED and not the (evil/wonderful) SWING! This is huge news.

In typical "parenting a 2nd child form" (i.e. path of least resistance), we have not followed "the rules" for helping Rebecca learn how to sleep well (i.e. long stretches, by herself, in her bed). She's pretty much been napping exclusively in her swing for a couple of months. And though she slept in her bed in her room at night, she woke up a LOT to nurse, and the 3 weeks or so before Christmas I just started bringing her to bed with me. I know, I know...

So New Year's weekend was the weekend of tough love for our little girl (i.e. the Ferber method). It worked wonders for Owen at 3.5 months but I was a little more reluctant to do it with Rebecca. I think its partly because she hasn't been nearly as difficult as Owen and partly because she's my little girl. Plus, what's hard about cuddling up to your baby all night long? Okay, but we knew it was time...

For those unfamiliar w/ Ferber, please note that it has been mischaracterized as the "cry it out" method when that's not really how it works. Yes, the baby cries, but you go in and comfort them every few minutes, in increasing intervals. The goal is to take away their sleep associations (i.e. need to nurse, or swing, or be held in order to fall asleep). They learn to fall asleep on their own and ultimately, everyone is happier.

Night #1: Put her down at 11:21, cried until 1:27, slept for 30 minutes but woke up again. Started over--she cried for less than 30 minutes and then slept from about 3 until 8am. (Rebecca cried a lot less "violently" than Owen did, but the sweet thing also through up 3 times too...every baby is different.)

Night #2: Put her down at 10:50, asleep by 10:59, slept until 9am! The next day was trickier (and that's likely to continue for a while...she wouldn't go to sleep in her bed during the day even though she was soooo tired. After 30 minutes (or sometimes less) we'd pick her up but end up starting over again b/c she'd fall asleep in our arms. The lucky girl got a reprieve because we held her (and she slept) during our Sunday evening Bible Study group.

Night #3 (last night): Put her down around 10:15, cried for less than 5 minutes and slept until 9am! She didn't wake up once, that's incredible! And the surprising part is that she's been asleep for about 45 minutes (in her bed, on her own) today!!! So, she's definitely getting the hang of it...and I can feel some normalcy (or atleast sanity) returning to our lives.

Yea for kids who sleep!