Sleep: boos and woohoos

Woohoo!: 8am bedtime has been in place for two weeks now. It rocks. After three nights of crying torture (re: 30 seconds of crying then sleep, or a minute of crying, 10 more of cuddles, then sleep), Bella has taken to a bedtime like Nemo to Pixar.

Boo.: Whether Bella is rising earlier now that she is caught up on sleep, or whether she is rising with the sun, it is hard to tell. Praying for the former so that we do not wake earlier every day. [updated: now she wakes up about 6 times a night to throw a full fledged tantrum, so she's back to sleeping in til 8... hmmm.]


Woohoo!: Bed time is no longer my sole responsibility. It was for about 21 months of Bella's life, and now Dave can easily put her to sleep and we have time to ourselves again.

Boo.: I find myself staying up way too late and still having to wake up at Bella's new early hour.


Woohoo!: We figured out that Bella needs an earlier nap time (see above, duh. we're brilliant), and now she wakes up when it's still light outside.

Boo.: Actually, we've only been successful at this new naptime twice. All prior attempts at napping resulted in hours of tantrums and often no nap at all. But here's hoping the streak will continue!

Woohoo!: We got a stroller! That reclines! Yaaaay! Now Bella can settle down for a nap while I get exercise, instead of wasting our time in front of the tv or computer or just lying in bed.

Boo.: Well, actually, it's still a novelty to her and not a nap inducing device. The only time she has fallen asleep in it was during an hour-and-a-half-long walk. Not sure I'll be able to do that every day. (But here's hoping...) [update: today she fell asleep in it after just a half hour - it's working!!]

Woohoo!: I now get to watch my little bear fall asleep willingly by herself in her crib (still our bed) after copious cuddles. This is MY novelty and I'm in love. She's fought sleep since day one, quite literally getting combative over it. Sigh, I could watch her drift off to sleep for hours.

Boo.: Nothing, actually! Now when she wants to drift off in the rocking chair or cuddling, I don't mind indulging one bit. The belly still makes room, and she's only going to be my littlest baby wanting cuddles for so many more weeks. Sigh.