so last post i mentioned that joy never cries or fusses unless she's hungry or tired..."both easy fixes", i said. spoke too soon!!!
here's the latest:
naptime used to be dreamy. i'd cuddle and rock little miss miniguinny for a few minutes until she was in "sleepmode" and then put her in her crib. worked like a charm. we would even "set the mood/create a routine "-- as the books all say to do...dim the lights, swaddle her up in a blanky for warmth, and glide away to my amazing sing-songy voice.
well well...someone figured out reeeeeeeeal quick what we were setting the mood for and decided she was going to throw a fit when we either a. turned off lights, b. cuddled with a blanket, or c. sat down to glide.
maybe she doesn't like my songs. FALSE...
she's just getting smart and learning manipulation...
here begins baby-bootcamp. i'm in charge, joy avery! ;)
i'm telling you, i would be sitting in the glider and my child would be in a complete arched position screaming. i couldn't even get her back to a normal position to calm her. she did NOT want to take a nap. this is not a matter of being tired. she is tired. she just doesn't want to take a nap.
anyway, all i can do is set her in her crib crying and walk away. this morning begins day one of crying it out. never needed to cry it out previously. but if that's what it takes, we're doing it.
so i put her in bed, kissed her goodnight, and walked away.
she screamed.
it's 11:08am. i tell myself (and texted shelly ;) i cannot go back in until 11:13.
i sit...
stare at the video monitor. she's now looking back at the door screaming and crying wondering where i am. SO HARD! i hold piper and we talk about it. ;) piper looks at me tilting her head side to side like "aren't you going to do something?" no, pipes. not just yet.
11:13. goin' in! pipes on my heels.
i arrive. "joy, it's mommy. you're okay. i love you."
i pat her little chest. [with the intention of leaving soon after and letting her cry it out for 7 minutes this round]
she calms. grabs my arm with both hands and holds on and doesn't want to let go.
she's happy.
i don't want to leave.
i don't.
1 minute later she's sound asleep.
it's 2:00 pm and the girl is still out.
there's so much to learn in this parenting world. and this is the very very beginning of a long road ahead. but with each thing we tackle, learn, or go through i feel that much more equipped to be mama-jules. it feels good. so hard at times but there is nothing greater in life than being someone's mommy!!
Good Job Mommy Jules! "Let em cry" is our motto! It has worked like a charm 4 kids in a row:) Bed time is quick and easy (we never fed, held, rocked or sang the kids to sleep), we just put the baby in bed when it's time (sometimes with a bottle when they were old enough). There were definantly screaming nights- I recall crying myself at times (with Gavin)- and I did the go in there after a certain amount of time a few times. We did start books around 3, but other than that nothing! Every family is different, this has worked for us, we never made a big deal about bed time and the kids never did either- even now. Keep up the good work and always know you are never alone, there's another mom out there going through the same thing! You should join a MOPS group- so much fun to hang out with other mommy's and get a break!
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