As we approach September, we're starting to notice more of the "terrible two" phase. There have only been a few occasions (usually when she's been sick) that Persephone's sleep was interrupted. She comes by sleep honestly, because I can nap with the best of them.
Saturday she went down for her mid-morning nap perfect. That afternoon she was restless, cranky and we attempted nap number two....uhhhh no bueno. She stood in her crib, stomped her feet, cried (without tears) and screamed to be rocked. We haven't really ever rocked her, not on a daily/nightly basis anyway. Not that we don't enjoy holding her, but we didn't want to start a habit we would regret later. It's been nice to be able to put her to bed and carry on doing whatever we needed or wanted without worry.
Despite our past, Hardy and I both took turns rocking her for that second afternoon nap on Saturday, once we knew she was asleep we laid her down and VOILA! she's magically wide awake screaming again. Obviously the second nap didn't occur.
Saturday night at bedtime she whined to be rocked for a minute or two, but stopped and went to sleep. ****On a side note, we have recently noticed on the weekends if she takes two naps they aren't very long. At daycare they only take 1 nap mid-day after lunch. I assume it would be best for us to adjust to that schedule since she already does it 5 days a week.
Cue Sunday, she takes her Sunday morning nap fine. Afternoon nap was a no go again. That evening she goes to bed with a little fight, but wakes up at 3:45am screaming and stomping like she had Saturday. I tried to rock her (since that's what she was begging for) and I succeeded, but as soon as I laid her down she stood up. I tried bringing her into our room, but she just laid there staring up at the ceiling. I eventually took her downstairs so Hardy could get some sleep and she finally fell asleep with me on the couch.
Last night we put her to bed at 9pm, as she was absolutely exhausted. Actually, let me phrase it as we "TRIED" to put her to bed. Cue screaming, stomping and a nice tantrum. Hardy tries to rock her, but she repeats her pattern from the weekend. I try it too, this time I put a pillow under her head so that when I do go to pick her up she's not touching me as much. I thought it was clever...but she's smarter than that. I gently patted her, told her it was okay and to just go to sleep. We left her in there crying for 10min before I decided it was enough. I don't agree with the full on CRY IT OUT method, but I also don't like jumping the gun too soon. I know she's at the age of testing our limits, but no one was getting any sleep with the way she was acting.
So at 10pm, I crawled my happy 200lb ass into the crib with her and we both drifted off to sleep. Just before midnight I woke up and snuck out...it took me almost 5 minutes because I would move an inch then stop, a spring would pop and I'd stop, slightly move her limbs so I wouldn't step on her, then stop. I would like to say I was doing a triathlon. Lucky for us she slept until 6:15am.
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Another *new* development is her milk kick. Every time we ask what she wants to drink it's milk, milk, milk. Doesn't matter if it's chocolate or plain she just wants milk. Several times I've tried tricking her by telling her I put milk in the cup but really switch it for water or juice - no go. She knows what milk doesn't taste like.
Then this weekend happened....
ACT I
Sleep distruption
Saturday she went down for her mid-morning nap perfect. That afternoon she was restless, cranky and we attempted nap number two....uhhhh no bueno. She stood in her crib, stomped her feet, cried (without tears) and screamed to be rocked. We haven't really ever rocked her, not on a daily/nightly basis anyway. Not that we don't enjoy holding her, but we didn't want to start a habit we would regret later. It's been nice to be able to put her to bed and carry on doing whatever we needed or wanted without worry.
Despite our past, Hardy and I both took turns rocking her for that second afternoon nap on Saturday, once we knew she was asleep we laid her down and VOILA! she's magically wide awake screaming again. Obviously the second nap didn't occur.
Saturday night at bedtime she whined to be rocked for a minute or two, but stopped and went to sleep. ****On a side note, we have recently noticed on the weekends if she takes two naps they aren't very long. At daycare they only take 1 nap mid-day after lunch. I assume it would be best for us to adjust to that schedule since she already does it 5 days a week.
Cue Sunday, she takes her Sunday morning nap fine. Afternoon nap was a no go again. That evening she goes to bed with a little fight, but wakes up at 3:45am screaming and stomping like she had Saturday. I tried to rock her (since that's what she was begging for) and I succeeded, but as soon as I laid her down she stood up. I tried bringing her into our room, but she just laid there staring up at the ceiling. I eventually took her downstairs so Hardy could get some sleep and she finally fell asleep with me on the couch.
Last night we put her to bed at 9pm, as she was absolutely exhausted. Actually, let me phrase it as we "TRIED" to put her to bed. Cue screaming, stomping and a nice tantrum. Hardy tries to rock her, but she repeats her pattern from the weekend. I try it too, this time I put a pillow under her head so that when I do go to pick her up she's not touching me as much. I thought it was clever...but she's smarter than that. I gently patted her, told her it was okay and to just go to sleep. We left her in there crying for 10min before I decided it was enough. I don't agree with the full on CRY IT OUT method, but I also don't like jumping the gun too soon. I know she's at the age of testing our limits, but no one was getting any sleep with the way she was acting.
So at 10pm, I crawled my happy 200lb ass into the crib with her and we both drifted off to sleep. Just before midnight I woke up and snuck out...it took me almost 5 minutes because I would move an inch then stop, a spring would pop and I'd stop, slightly move her limbs so I wouldn't step on her, then stop. I would like to say I was doing a triathlon. Lucky for us she slept until 6:15am.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Another *new* development is her milk kick. Every time we ask what she wants to drink it's milk, milk, milk. Doesn't matter if it's chocolate or plain she just wants milk. Several times I've tried tricking her by telling her I put milk in the cup but really switch it for water or juice - no go. She knows what milk doesn't taste like.
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