Report on Night #3

Just wanted to let y'all know how the cry-it-out is going...well I think I have sort of broken some rules and approached this in a kind of hybrid between cry-it-out and the sleep separation technique. The first 5-10 minutes I let her cry, then go in and change diaper/give bottle (I know, first rule broken!) then as soon as I decide she's ready for a transfer to the crib after some cuddles I put her in there, and she protests very much to this. Since she's used to be transferred pretty much while she's konked out. I'm just getting so sick of the transfer-cry-pickup-cuddle-transfer-cry-pickup-cuddle routine that I need to teach Kaylee to do the soothing herself now. So I sit next to her in the rocking chair and won't pick her up again after that. I do encourage her to sit down which she doesn't want to do and cuddle with her blanket. I give her hugs after her standing there screaming a few minutes. She calms, we hug, then I try to lay her down. Then she might cry furiously again, and I'll let her cry and then in a few give the standing hug again. Then lay her down still awake and eventually she caves in, cuddles into her blanket and goes to sleep. The sleep routine has been cut down from 2 hours to about 1/2 hour now. What a relief. But what's happening is my body doesn't know what to do now. I am not used to going back to sleep so fast and last night, I laid awake for a long time afterwards. Not really sure if it's biological or if it's guilt...I'll get over it and adjust I'm sure.

In this process, I am pursuing being very consistent. I wish I wasn't giving her the bottle and guess I know how much I'm breaking the rules with this, my only explanation is that I'm trying not to change everything at once for Kaylee. Though integrating the changes together may have made some sense...I'm obviously hoping she'll decide all the screaming and crying isn't worth the effort to wake up anymore at all.

We are getting very good reports from daycare the past 3 days that she's taking longer naps and eating more at lunch! Hooray!

Kaylee had a fun night last night, I had to work late so we met at Rosedale and had dinner at Panera (her favorite, bagels and apples). She was in love with the little girls next to our table and made eyes at them the whole meal. When they left, she asked "Where'd they go?" She was so excited to put on a show for those around her, she danced near our table and jumped (with one foot off the ground only - still can't master jumping yet) and then straight onto her fanny followed with a giant laugh. And then we went to the play area and she played for a long time. Then back home to take a bath and go to bed. Very nice night.