Waiting... and Sleep Issues

Yes, Waiting... My Ladybug wheel is due to arrive home today. Knowing UPS, it probably won't get here till late afternoon, but it doesn't stop me from being all antsy about it... I just can't be patient, this close to it being here.

And the DH is completely "fibered out" he doesn't want to hear anything fiber related... at all. Oh well.

On other fronts, we are shifting out of co-sleeping mode. For many reasons, we choose to co-sleep with our children when they are infants. they sleep better, we sleep better, and we feel it protects them. I know it does, because I have seen both my children stop breathing at night, and a light breath from me immediately gets them going again. For that reason alone I will never put a newborn in a crib.

But, as they get older, well.... we moved Beeba 1 to a twin mattress on the floor at about 1 year. it took 2-3 weeks, and he was fine. within 2 months, he slept through the night. We moved him because he was kicking us at night too much, and I was having terrible back pains.

Beeba 2 is not a year yet, but we are also working slightly differently with her. She has recently gotten into standing in the middle of the night and dive-bombing herself to sleep on us. and them sleeping anyway she falls. That isn't comfortable for us (I wound up sleeping halfway in her sidecar-ed crib multiple times), and we don't feel its safe for her, especially with the winter blankets still on the bed.

So, we are trying something new. we didn't move the crib, it is still right next to the bed. But we put the 4th side up. after a reasonable nursing session (which ends when she starts crawling on me), I put her in her crib, complete with a couple little animals (they are small, and though stuffed are not super soft, so not a hazard as far as I can see) and she must rest.

I am less than 6 inches from her right now. I can stick my hands into the crib through the bars and hold her hand, or rub her belly.

Right now, she is getting mad about it though. she cries, but not the, "I'm hurt" or "I'm scared" cries, its the, "I'm not getting my way" cry. Yes, at almost 11 months old, she most certainly has a very distinct sound to this particular cry.

Saturday was the first night. I think neither of us slept much. at 2 or 3 in the morning, after she had slept some in the crib, I was too tired to keep fighting. she came into the bed with me.

Last night, at 2-3 am again, she came into the bed.

But, we are making progress. It was easier to get her to sleep in the first place last night. and when she does better with going down, I will try to be more consistent with the late night coming into the bed. Eventually, we'll move the crib a few inches away, then a few more... and eventually, though not probably for a few months yet, right into her own room.

And I know we will all sleep better. I know that her brother did not start to take regular naps till after he was in his own bed. and she has started fighting sleep during the day, instead of falling asleep often as she did for so long. Her need for naps was another big push that led us to do this.

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