Wednesday, February 27, 2008

It's About Time


















Yesterday, my baby girl turned twenty months old. That is not particularly significant, except for the fact that she has obtained a new skill that I just had to share. After twenty months of life, Kate has finally started sleeping through the night! I am recording this, so that when Kate is a mama herself and is complaining about how her children will not sleep, I can show her this post about what she put us through for nearly two, very long years!

Emma slept through the night at seven weeks old. I thought I had the sleeping thing down pat. Then came Kate. The first two months were long, as she woke every two hours for feedings. But that's normal, right? No big deal. But then three months passed, then four, and not only was she waking up at two am to eat, she was waking up to play, for a good two to three hours. And then she would crash at five am, right when the rest of the world was waking up. Around the time she was five months old, Kate and I started sleeping at my parents house. My mom and I loaded up on how to make your baby sleep through the night books, and we set out on a mission to conquer Kate's sleeping habits. Boss slept with Emma and the house kids at our house. We could never let Kate cry it out there, because the older kids had to wake early each morning for school. We started the plan where we lessened her feedings and would go in to soothe her, but not get her up out of her crib. After about three weeks, we had her sleeping until four am. A complete six hours every night. But all the charts in the books seemed to stop there! What about the mama's who like to sleep, oh, say eight hours a night? Or ten, or even twelve (okay, so I'm dreaming with twelve)? But no matter what we tried, Kate woke every morning at four am and would not go back to sleep.

This is how we have lived for the past year. Somehow, we have managed to get through it, loving relationships and sanity still in tact. Then, magically, last month things started to change. Kate slept in until six am. We were awake at four am, holding our breaths, but she has consistently slept from nine pm until six am for the past month! It is incredible. We are new people. Life is good! The trick has been monitoring her naps and not letting them run too long, and she is also done teething, so that might have something to do with it. So tired mama's, take heart. Stressful times do pass. Seasons change and babies grow up. Little girls play so hard all day, that they eventually sleep hard all night. And then the former tired mama decides she wants to do it all over again.

4 comments:

Paula said...

Yea for Kate (and you and daddy). What a hurdle. I read those get your baby to sleep books too and was shocked to read that the "experts" consider sleeping throught the night as 5 hours at a stretch. What, I don't know who these people are, but I'm with you, I consider 8 hours a full night. Glad things have sorted themselves out.

Anonymous said...

hey i got you beat chase just before christmas had been sleeping all night in his own bed. almost 4 years old. and which kori was our favorite sleeping all night has now turned into chase and comes in to our bed every night so hopefully by the time the 3rd one comes in about 3 more months we will have her back in her bed all night. keep up the good work

Anonymous said...

I love that first picture with the kitty laying there between Ben and Kate. That cat is such a cutie - but not as adorable as your girls!! Good luck with your adoption! I love reading your blog!!

-Jeana

Ryan and Angie said...

I am so glad you are finally sleeping like a normal person. I wish I could say the same. Even though my wonderful children sleep a minimum of 10 hours a night, I have been sleeping a maximum of 4!! I can fall asleep but wake up shortly after. I think my meds are causing the horrible thing but my dr. wants me to give it a month. I have been researching jobs around your area. I am in desperate need of some Kendra time. Today we went to KFC and Carter said "Last time we went to this place it was with my girlfriend Emma!!" I laughed. He is so funny. I will stop rambling now! Love you and miss you more than I can ever express. Friends like you are hard to come by.