I was going to write this joyful post about how various sleep crutches were falling by the wayside. Our trip seems to have jump-started it. Daniel was napping in the crib instead of the swing. Both kids were sleeping flat on their backs instead of propped in the Boppy. They were going down for both naps and nighttime easily, even looking like they were going to drop an overnight feeding.
Well, apparently all of that forward progress was just too much to handle, because we seem to be heading into a hideous regression. Daniel, in particular. I think that Rebecca, who has always been the easier sleeper, had more subtle gains. So her steps back are equally minor. Annoying, perhaps, but minor.
Daniel, on the other hand, I’m trying not to kill. I think the mere suggestion that I was going to try to stop swaddling was enough to send him into a tailspin. Suddenly we’re back in the swing, refusing the pacifier, and screaming bloody murder. My usual tricks to get him to sleep, like rocking in the chair, now only make him scream louder. Rebecca, on the other hand, simply wakes up from all naps after precisely 45 minutes and flat-out refuses to go back to sleep. Charming.
Where did my two-hour naps go??? I know it’s not uncommon to have regressions in sleep patterns, but it’s just so cruel. You give me a taste of something so delightful, and then you snatch it away! Back to the part where I thought I’d lose my mind. Why, why, why?? So not cool!
As I write, Daniel has been fussing/crying in the swing for about 30 minutes. He’s fried, I’m fried. There was a dark moment this afternoon when all three of us were crying hysterically. It wasn’t pretty. Even the poor dog was cowering in the corner.
Looks like an early bedtime, I guess. Of course, early bedtime means solo bedtime, as M is apparently incapable of coming home from work before 7pm, no matter how many times I try to explain how shitty a solo bedtime is. Awesome.
Anyways, I’ll get them to bed tonight (hopefully), get a shower, and hopefully get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’ll just have to hope it’s better than today. And hope this regression is short-lived and that I’ll soon be writing about what awesome sleepers my kids are. Bleh.
I’m sending wishes your way for a quick and easy bedtime and a good night’s rest for you.
Schedule a girls night out and leave M with the task of solo bedtime and he’ll be home from work from then on.
Oh, days like the one you are having just suck! absolutely suck! I am so sorry that the naps are wonky…I bet it straightens out soon…my kiddos seem to regress whenever they are learning a new skill set. We are all miserable until they do (roll over, sit up, etc) and then things are good until the next skill. Hang in there. And really, the girls night sounds like a great idea!
Ditto on hanging in there! Definitely make M do a solo shift on his own… that will help him get home so you do less solo shifts at bedtime!