Sleep?

Cohen,

Because this blog is basically your baby book, I'm going to document the week's events as pertaining to your sleep...or lack thereof.  Plus, most of mommy's friends and family at this point are ready to sedate her, and you, so that both of us are back to our normal happy selves.

Here goes:

Tuesday - your 9 month appointment (blog coming soon...as soon as mommy gets some sleep).  Our doctor said you needed sleep training, and mommy agrees.  Here was your sleep 'schedule' for the past month or so:
7:30 start bed-time routime
8:30 pm in bed, no fuss usually
9:30-10 wake and feed
11 - same
12 - same
1 - same
2 - same
3 - same
5 - feeling good, had a two hour stretch
7:30 - ready for the day, another two-hour stretch

Needless to say, I was DONE with not getting any more than a 2 hour stretch.  Co-sleeping made your feedings closer together.  The pack in play in the room was too close, so this was our last resort.  I mean, our LAST resort.  I have been resisting the cry-it-out method because I don't believe in it, I think its cruel, and I think you are too stubborn ;-)

Tuesday night - Day 1 CIO
Normal bedtime routine.  You cried for an hour and 15 minutes before falling asleep, then woke another 6 times that night.  The second time took 30 minutes to calm down, and each subsequent time a bit less.  You did not eat all night since your Daddy tried to soothe you.

Wednesday - Day 2 CIO
You resisted naps with about 20 minutes of crying before each one, but did sleep.  This night you cried for an hour at bedtime, but slept for FOUR hours straight!!! Bravo!  Then you cried another hour but gave us another FOUR hours. 

Thursday - Day 3 CIO
Naps?  Nah, you cried for an hour and a half in the morning and took a whopping 25 minute nap this day.  I didn't know it but our friends had planned a surprise party for me that night, so the schedule was off.  I was ready to throw in the towel and skip dinner (good thing I didn't!).  You went to bed this night at midnight, woke up at 4 and SOOTHED YOURSELF TO SLEEP.  I watched the monitor for 30 minutes as you fussed and tossed and turned, but you did it.  I really had high hopes that we had made a turning point.....

Friday - Day 4 CIO
Fussy all day, clingy all day, and only slept if I drove you around in the car.  The crib and nursery would make you cry as soon as I walked in there.  We did another normal routine and you fussed for an hour and fell asleep (less crying than before, but still not happy).  You woke up at 10, cried for 1 minutes and went back down.  You woke up at 12:30 and CRIED FOR 2 HOURS STRAIGHT before sleeping at 2:38am (yes, that number is ingrained in my head right now). 

We are done.  I don't know where we are going from here, but I certainly am not listening to you cry for three hours during the night to get three hours of sleep. 

In our eyes right now, I would rather be up every hour at night with a happy baby than do this ;-)  We are both emotionally exhausted and this isn't worth it. ;-) Love ya, we will try again in a month!

Big News

No, I'm not pregnant!  Geez, why is that the first thing everyone asks???

For our family and friends that are far away, this blog has become our 'conversation' and an easy way to stay in touch.  Some of you have already heard the news, many of you have not, but we ask for your prayers and blessings in the coming months.

Patrick has accepted a position with Bank of Oklahoma.  Yes, you read that state correctly.  We will be leaving Texas and moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma by the end of this summer.

Before Cohen, the hours between us and family were do-able and realistic.  However, Cohen deserves to be a bit closer to both sets of his grandparents, six of his aunts/uncles, and two of his cousins.  We have been 'chewing' over this move for many months now and it seems, with Patrick's new job, to be really happening!

I have turned in my resignation to my school district and plan to pursue a different path in Tulsa.  I will be opening my own retail store - and eco-reusable-crunchy-baby awesome sort of place - and am excited to eventually have the flexibility to do things with Cohen and my family.  (If you are interested look at the Nappy Shoppe or the Green Bambino for more of an idea.)  I haven't really come to terms with leaving the profession that I love just yet.  I am hopeful that eventually I can work music back into my life - maybe performing, teaching, who knows!?  Patrick's job here in Dallas was being sold, so he was looking for a new job already.  This BOK position is really exciting for him and he will start on July 1.  Basically, we were in a transitional period and the timing just seems right for us to do this now.

I would say of the 3 moves we have done thus far, this one is the hardest one but will have the best reward.  When I think about leaving our friends and church here I get so emotional- I'm just not ready to say goodbye just yet.  So I'll save the sappy stuff for another post :-)

Tomorrow we are off to Florida to celebrate my family, my grandfather, our fathers, and my big 3-0.  Fun times ;-)

Blessings,