Pequita is going through some kind of developmental shift. That is a kind way of saying that she screamed like her fingernails were being pulled out last night as I tried to leave her bedroom after an hour of reading, nursing, and singing. She scaled her crib twice when I tried to put her in it since she refused to stay laying down in her big girl bed. Finally I left her screaming "don't leave, mommy" in between great raspy sobs and went downstairs to where grandpa was holding her whimpering brother to try to put him back to sleep. I could hear her leave her bed, and the screaming stopped. I was hoping she was snuggled in a cozy place and not at the desk beginning her tell-all memoir. Homestead Mama went up to her 10 minutes later and found her on the top stair, having scaled the baby gate. I heard her tiny voice say "I big girl, Mama, no cry". Then I cried because the whole thing was so draining, and I never know if we're putting her through all this 'sleep training' for nothing. All I want is for her to go to sleep in her own bed somewhat by herself.
Today was a wonderful 2nd birthday for Monito. We had a nice group of people to celebrate with us, and the kiddie pool, sandbox, swingset, toys and yard were all in hot rotation. We ended the day with a family cook out, hot dogs and s'mores over the campfire. All day I was dreading a repeat of last night. I let Pequita have her village help her get to sleep - Mama and I stayed with her the whole time, and grandma read a chapter of Winnie the Pooh, and was followed by grandpa singing a medley of Stephen Foster songs. Both Pequita and Mama are asleep in Monito's toddler bed; Monito was asleep in his crib an hour ago. Why can't kids come with a manual? How can I allow a kid to need four adults in the room for her to go to sleep? [Insert sigh of futility.]
FUN-IN-A-BOX!
About Me
- Homestead Mom
- I'm a suburban woman on a quest for the simple life on our 10 acres in the Fingerlakes region of New York. I am living the dream and staying home to raise my two kids while my wife and I try to renovate our 150 year old farmhouse and keep the grapevines from consuming the house. We are a free-range family, and I spend my days with the kids crafting, gardening, canning fruit, and keeping the peace. Some days I'm lucky enough to fit in a little knitting.
My life, my writing, my pictures.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Posts
2 comments:
Hang in there. If she gets no attention after bed time, it WILL work. Watson was no dummy. Somewhere I read that you are not MAKING your child cry, you are allowing them to cry. I have been known to chant it to myself with my fingers in my ears... Good luck!!!!!
Teaching her to sleep in her own bed is hard but good! Hang in there. It will benefit the whole family when you have your evenings free again and can focus on yourself and your relationship.
Post a Comment