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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Oh precious sleep

Gavin has finally stopped waking up during the night again. For the last month or two, he's been waking at least once during the night, around 1:30AM at first, and then around 3:30AM for a while. I'm not sure why. For a while, we were convinced there was something in the house or in his room that did it since it was exactly 1:30am every night. We searched for stopwatches, secret alarm clocks, and other possible night noise culprits. Must have just been his internal alarm clock. I'm so happy to report we've now had about two weeks of solid sleep through the night.

Of course, I have now been waking up at 3:00 or 3:30 every morning for the last two weeks. : (

Oh, AND I don't know what secret Cliff had up his sleeve, but he seems to be able to get Gavin to bed at night with no crying. About a month and a half ago, when I left for five days to go visit my sister, Gavin started a tough habit. He started wanting us to lay in bed with him until he was asleep. No can do! I was absolutely not willing to do this! ...until my baby started sobbing like his little sweet heart was breaking before our eyes, calling "Mommy, I need Mommy" in an almost undecipherable wail. We tried leaving him in his bed, assuring him through his door that things were okay and it was time to go to sleep. THAT sure didn't work! We tried just popping into his room to give him another hug and kiss, tuck him back in short and sweet, and walking back out. THAT didn't work! We tried promising to lay with him for just a minute and then reminding him that we would need to go back to our own bed soon. As soon as I reminded him that I was going to have to go back to my bed, he'd grab me tighter around the neck and say "No Mommy. Stay Here". When I left his room, he cried and cried, convulsing, snot-nosed, red and puffy-faced. I couldn't handle it. I had to go comfort my baby. The moment I would walk into his room and give him a kiss, he would quickly wrap his arm around my neck, pull my head down to the pillow next to him, lay his head down and close his eyes and whisper "I need a mommy" (he often adds that "a" to his sentences - is that normal? I think the "a" actually goes with "need" like "I needa mommy"). How can you walk away from a teary-eyed baby telling you that he needs you and holding on to you with all his might? Oh, good gracious I am bad at this!

Well, for three nights now, Cliff has done the bedtime routine and there has been no crying. I was around - did supper, played, gave him a bath, and then handed him off to Cliff for stories and bedtime. Cliff was in his room for a bit, long enough for the two bedtime books, a prayer and a little snuggling and then he nonchalantly walked out. I waited for the crying. There was none. I waited and waited. There was no crying. Is he slipping him sleeping pills? Is he rocking him to sleep? a sedative? bribing with candy? What is the secret?

I cornered Cliff last night. After I finished cleaning the poop out of the bathtub (yup - another story for another time) and getting a start on the supper dishes, Cliff nonchalantly walked out of Gavin's room, pulled his door closed, and went out to the garage to work with the lathe for awhile. I stayed in just long enough to determine there was going to be no crying. Nope, Gavin was quiet as a mouse in his room. I marched out to the garage and said "what's the secret? what are you doing that he isn't crying?"

"Nothing" he says. "I just read him his books, laid with him for a bit, and then told him I had to go"

whatever, clever! whatever it is, it works!   

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No Sleeping pills, just routine dear... :) CJ

Dreams and Designs said...

Oh my gosh, to me it is a million times worst when they actually plead and say "Mommy!" It's impossible to harden your heart to that and walk away!

We were just the opposite when Gracew as that age, she could get her dad to stay FOREVER at tuck in, but if I did it, I could just make it a 5 minute gig and walk away. Who knows!

For some reason my Millie loves to go to bed and reaches for her crib when we walk into her room! Funny kid!

Kristin said...

btw, Just based on the people that comment, I'm pretty sure you have more than four readers.
But, I might only have four readers, and that's ok by me.