sleep training, actually this time!

Crew had just turned 9 months old and we were doing pretty well with his sleep schedule, and by well, we were really just putting up with it. We were used to it at this point. Used to replacing the binky 5 times a night during dinner, used to going up to his room and rocking him back to sleep while we would try to unwind and watch a show, and used to getting up with him every 3 hours to feed him throughout the night. It wasn't the best situation but we were just used to it.

The day after he turned 9 months old we had his 9 month check up. We told the doctor his sleep schedule and she said "you know he is old enough to go throughout the night without being fed right?" I just hadn't realized that he was already old enough for that! I used to think he was starving every time he would make a noise if it had been more than 3 hours. She suggested that we have him cry it out so that he can learn how to fall asleep on his own.

I felt good about that suggestion and decided that it was the right time. That night everything changed. He cried it out for FORTY FIVE MINUTES. THIS WAS HELL ON EARTH. Like seriously if I was sent to Hell, that would be my reality, just having to hear my baby cry and cry and cry. Ugh. I was weak and picked him up one time in the middle of the 45 minutes but then he fell asleep. I decided I wasn't going to go cold turkey on the feeding. He was used to eating every 3 hours. So I chose to just feed him one time so about every 5-6 hours.

The next night got better! He only cried for 18 minutes going to bed, BUT then he woke up when it wasn't feeding time and had to cry for 50 minutes (crying face). It was horrible. Even thinking about it makes me sick. It was like from 4-5am. We weren't crying it out for naps yet, thank goodness so he didn't cry it out at all the next day.

Day three he only cried it out for 6 minutes! Then he woke up when it wasn't time to eat and he only cried for 12 minutes. BUT then he woke up again, cried for less than 8 minutes. Then AGAIN, and had to cry for almost an HOUR. That was SO hard.

Day four we started implementing naps because I didn't want him to get confused that he was rocked to sleep only sometimes. He did well, only cried for 8 minutes the first nap. But then 27 minutes the second nap. Putting him down to go to bed he only cried for 1 minute! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. Then he cried for 45 minutes in the middle of the night (sad face).

Day 5 he only cried it out for one nap for 13 minutes. He didn't even cry it out for going to bed. He woke up three hours after he went down and cried for just 6 minutes (YAY!). Then only 7 minutes the other time it wasn't time to eat and he woke up.

Things were FINALLY working!!

Day 6 was super great too. He only cried for 2 minutes for his first nap and only a couple seconds for his second nap. HOWEVER, then he got a nap in his car seat. I didn't think this would be a big deal but then he cried it out for more than a half an hour in the middle of the night. I have no clue why but I blame the car seat nap! hahaha

That leaves me to last night, day 7. Oh my goodness. Damon wasn't home and after a couple hours of sleeping he woke up and cried and then started getting on the crib bars which was pretty normal. EXCEPT, then he got all the way up them and stood up in his crib! The crib is still on the highest setting so he could very easily fall out. I didn't have the tools or the energy to try and fix the crib at like 11pm so Crew just slept in my bed with me. Thankfully he just went down for his first nap, didn't try and escape, and only fussed for 10 minutes. I thought we were going to have to start over after a night in mom's bed.

Damon gets back tonight and will fix the crib! I'm so happy that this is actually working for Crew. I just really want him to have healthy sleep habits. I want him to get a good, long full night of rest. I want him to be able to fall asleep on his own.

There are a ton of mom's who refuse to do this method of sleep training. I TOTALLY understand, 100%. If there is a way to get a baby to fall asleep on his own without this method, sign me up. But, a week or two of some fussing is what actually worked for us. Nothing else really worked, it was always me helping him fall asleep in some way. Now it's all on his own.

*Next baby: for my next one, I want to try and do this earlier without tears. Like train him or her to fall asleep on their own in the bassinet. Try to not hold them for too many naps. I want to try and avoid this method like the plague.

DAY 8 OH MY GOODNESS. You guys I thought it was going to be a horrible night because he had slept with me the night before but he slept through the whole night in his crib !!! He went down at 7:45pm and he wrestled around at 5:30am and I HAD to feed him because my chest was killing me. I think he probably could have slept in later but I was just super full of milk. I was up the whole night worrying and kind of in pain but he was sound asleep. Damon and I both had to check if he was breathing. My prayers have been answered. This sleep training processes did work for my little angel.

The next day he was so happy. He took two good hour and a half long naps! He cried for like 13 min for his first nap but then 30 seconds for his second nap and under a couple minutes to go down for the night. I feel like timing is everything for him to not cry for too long. I love my baby boy.

Hopefully him sleeping through the night will be a common thing from now on! I just need to sleep train myself to not wake up every 3 hours and worry about him!

07.26.17

9 months old and CRAZY

Starting to write this post stresses me out because I feel like I'm going to forget everything he's done this month! He has a whole new set of "skills." He is crazy!

He's been eating a lot more solids. Nothing has been irritating him at all so it's great. He doesn't seem constipated and now he will eat almost anything (baby and table food, yay!). Unfortunately, it means his stool is becoming a lot more adult-like, yay. He doesn't breastfeed a ton anymore which I thought would be easier but it's kind of harder! Going down to the kitchen and finding something baby-safe isn't always as convenient as just sticking him on. He now has two teeth so hopefully that is helping him with his solids.

Sleep is... whatever. I have a belief that babies need consistency to help them learn how to sleep through the night. That just isn't a top priority for us right now since we are traveling a lot. I'm just used to getting up with him. Crying it out, or any form of it really takes it out of me and its just not worth it to me at this point in time. We will worry about sleep when summer is over!

Just recently he has been waking up in his crib on all fours. Sometimes super happy and sometimes crying, like he still wants to sleep but he doesn't know how to get back to his back. It's really cute but this whole rolling over thing has made naps and diaper changes a lot more difficult.

He's been giving me SO many kisses. Just wide-open, slobbery mouth kisses. He "talks" so it makes noises on my face. It cracks him up. My favorite is when he laughs at me laughing. He has the best giggle when I'm actually really laughing vs my fake, silly mom laugh. I think its amazing that babies can pick up on that sort of thing.

We've been traveling a lot this month. We went to Cle Elum with the Chlarson/Anderson gang, the Pink House (twice), and to Ephrata.

July 12 at the Pink House, Crew learned to scoot! We got there around 8:30pm (past his bedtime) and set him on the floor and he started to go. He had never done that before. He used all his arm strength to scoot his whole body, like an inch-worm. 

July 14, two days later, he started to wave to everyone there. It was like he was holding back at home but once he got to the Lake it was time to show off his skills. Its so cute paired with his little scrunch face where he scrunches his nose and squints his eyes. It kills me.

The lake was a blast. That trip he also went on his first wave runner ride with me and Dame. At first he was a little skeptical but there was no fussing so we kept going. Once he got used to it, he was all smiles. He was OBSESSED with the water that trip. He loved to walk in it with us holding his hands. (Oh yeah he became a speed walker, with some assistance, overnight at the lake.) We sat him down in it and he splashed and ate some sand (mom's fault).  He wasn't too happy about the sand but was over it once we walked him around in the water some more. To every person he saw he was doing "the face" probably because he knows what reaction it will get. He does it so much you'd think it would be kind of painful haha. He was such a chill babe at the Lake, he really already loves just being there.

This month he has been extremely into his dad. Its not super fair because I'm still getting up with him a couple times a night.. BUT it's really cute. He now reaches for people and it's almost always to Damon. They have so much fun whenever they are together, I guess it makes sense. It works out that Crew LOVES the water just like his dad.

After the last lake trip we made a pit stop in Ephrata. Crew enjoyed watching all the kids running around. Him and Allis look pretty close to the same age now which it nuts because Crew used to look HUGE next to her. Ephrata is so gorgeous in the summer when the corn is in bloom. I never thought I would enjoy farmland as much as I do now. I can't wait to bring Crew there to enjoy summers each year.

7.18.17

the new Crew

This last week was the Fourth of July! We took our annual trip to the Pink House. Crew and I arrived Wednesday with my mom and Damon came Saturday.

Oh my goodness, the moment Damon arrived Crew's personality came out like crazy. He babbled non-stop and was the happiest baby. He didn't stop the whole trip. He constantly made this noise like he was surprised/ couldn't breath. It was really cute. He smiled at everyone in the room but got so excited when he saw Damon or I.

He rolled over every chance he got, including during diaper changes. One time he was napping and he rolled over on to his belly when he woke up. He just chatted. When I went to get him he had fit his leg through one of the crib bars! Whoops.

Another time in the morning we woke up and he was on his stomach and both his hands were on the bars like he was trying to get out hahah. The cutest thing he did was lift his blanket to cover his face and take it away to play peek a boo. We have videos, it was the best.

The ride home was actually really horrible. He screamed for two hours. He fell asleep for like 2 hours but then these people were blasting there music in Monroe and he woke up crying again. It was so sad. Usually he doesn't mind the car seat but he definitely did on the way home.

We are now home and he's been loving being back in his element. He's been sick for over a week so I'm hoping that will subside soon. I hate hearing him coughing. Poor baby has been such a good sport though.

7.06.17