All Aboard the Sleep Train

The first step was admitting we had a problem.

She needs to sleep in her own bed.

We all know that we don't co-sleep, but since day one home with us, Little Miss has simple slept better near us.

I know, there are studies for and against this.  I was terrified some nights and made sure she slept on my chest, facing up, but she slept, and so did we, so let's all move on, shall we?

Fast forward non-months, and I've woken up a few too many times with a baby sleeping across my neck, a toddler under my arm, and a dog at my knees.

Only the dog can stay.

My husband was ready months ago, but I swear to you, when I put the girl down, her cry was totally different than my son's had been. It was pained, lonely, angry. Plus, she would sit up, throw her arms in the air, swing her head back and wail for me.  Nope.  Not doing it.

I enjoyed snuggling with her for a couple of hours before attempting to set her down.

Until, that is, she went to full-fledged twerking at bedtime, face down, nursing, wiggling, and fighting off even the slightest inkling of sleep.

When I walk into her room, though, gently rocking her and singing some of our favorite hymns? Oh, that girl falls asleep in two minutes flat.

I set her down.

Sometimes it works right away. Sometimes she cries, the frequency steadily spreading apart until the final, "Uhhhhhhhhhhh" trails off, and she's asleep.

Last night, she didn't sleep in our bed at all. Don't get me wrong, she didn't sleep through the night. Goodness, no, we're months, maybe years, away from that, but she was ready to stay in her room, to be put back in her bed when she woke in the night, to have a bit of space.

So, I'm feeling like a pro. I've got a full week of her being in her bed under my belt. She's currently taking her second nap of the day in her own bed.  I feel free. I feel supremely accomplished. I feel scared that I'm gonna jinx it.

Most of all, though? I feel glad that I held my ground and waited.  Her cries were different. She wasn't ready for her own bed. Now she is.

And it's glorious.

I mean, seriously, both of my kids napping on a rainy Saturday afternoon? It's like I won the lottery.