Got my Head in the Game...

   As I was explaining our crib blues in a past post, things have really turned around over here. Once a Upon A Time Stella hated her crib.  We could put her soundly to sleep by rocking, singing lullabies and feeding her and go to lay her down and it was like you turned the ON switch. She would cry and cry as Rick and I watched her on the monitor. As she was crying I would not take my eyes off the clock, giving her 5- 7 minutes in between Rick or I walking up and soothing her. As I would watched the clock and would wait for the next 5 minutes to go by with her screaming I would find myself biting my lips. I knew I was doing the right thing for her, but in the heat of the moment it felt all wrong to let her cry. She would cry herself into an oblivion.  45 Minutes would eventually go by..and that was it! I couldn't bare to let her cry anymore! Her eyes were bright red, cheeks drenched in elephant tears, and she was so stuffed up she couldn't breathe out of her nose. A couple days went by and I kept telling myself "tomorrow- I will try again tomorrow'.

    I began all over again by putting her rock and play in her room for her naps and decided to give it a whirl one night..it was an ok night,  the usual probably because I slept right next to her on the nursery floor.  

Time to Get my Head in the Game....  

  Friday rolled around and I sat down and went over the list; the LONG list of things that I have tried to make her cozy in her crib. The list went on and on, but I knew there had to be something! The last couple things that I have tried were the pillow between the mattress and springs, the head rest pillow cut out of her rock and play, wrapping Houdini tight in the HALO sleep sack, and putting a pillow under her legs . Oh yea and I can't forget the womb bear! It was time for Stella's morning nap on Friday morning. I remember reading (in so many places) to put the baby down sleepy but awake at the first sign of sleepiness. So I did. I said to myself "What the hell? Let's give the crib a shot." She had a full belly and a dry diaper.I wrapped her tightly in the sleep sack, placed her in her crib, turned her womb bear on softly and told her that I loved her. I walked right out, waiting for the cries. This was the very moment I saw light at the end of the tunnel. There were no cries. She fell right asleep. She never looked so cozy. It was a rockin' nap too. The afternoon nap? Same ordeal! Since we had such a great day in the crib, it was time to try and have her sleep the night in it. I was sad. If she slept in her crib, there was no turning back. There was no more her sleeping right next to me. Rick and I followed our typical nightly routine. We carried her upstairs at 7:30, wrapped her tightly, turned the womb bear on, and both kissed her goodnight. Whaddya kno?  She put herself right to sleep.

Let's fast forward to today...the rock and play is folded up and put away. I can step out of bed and not trip on shit (water bottles from the nightly feedings, the rock and play, etc) All sleeping is done in the crib. Believe it or not? She won't sleep anywhere but her crib. Go figure! We keep bedtime the same every night...7:30. Some nights she wasn't in the state of sleepiness yet; but we still put her in her crib. On those nights, we turn on this little dome shaped contraption that shines hundreds of light blue stars and a sliver of the moon on her ceiling. It makes her entire room look like something of a wonderland. She stares at the stars and quietly drifts off to sleep. So peacefully. You may be wondering what time she sleeps until in the morning because she goes to bed so early. Well, like I said, she is in her crib by 7:30 and is like clockwork, up at 7 am, full of ear to ear smiles!

Sleep for me? ...Let's just say it's getting there. Since she only gets up once a night (sometime between 2-3) to eat, I still get up to pump, and look at the monitor once in a while....okay not once in a while..all the time.

I also need to add that last night (Wednesday night) she went to sleep at 7:30 and didn't wake up to eat until 3:50!! Say what?!?  Yup..8 hours and 20 minutes baby!

I also just have to share this....I bought Stella her first pair of shades from BabyGap :) We are both starting to get a severe case of cabin fever! Thank you everlasting Winter!  This is proof that we are already in warm weather mode.  We can't wait to get outside, suck up some sunshine, of course wearing our shades, stroll around the town and shed some of the million layers of clothing that we have had on lately.