Sleep

So we've hit a new point with Quinn's sleeping. Trust me, if you don't have kids yet, you will someday keep track of when they sleep and for how long, especially if it involves waking up at 5:30-6:00am on the weekends. Anyway, for a few weeks he's been screwy. Waking up early (5:30ish), taking short naps, needing to go to bed earlier. Well, the past few days with me home from school I found something out. The little stinker wasn't sleeping at all when I layed him down for his nap. No, he'd just lay in there (or stand, I don't know) and sing, play, talk. Yesterday I overheard the following, "Santa Claus. Ears. Quinn's Ears. Quinn's nose. Quinn's toes. Santa. BaBa Edie. Baba George. Cookies. Quinn cook cookies." After about an hour, I went in there, changed a poopy diaper, and told him it was time to sleep. He then slept for almost2 hours! Wow! I haven't had a 2 hour break in my day in such a long time! So, we figured he's ready to stay up until 1 or so and then take a nap, instead of right after lunch. Trial Run One was today and he went right to sleep. And to add to that...with his new nap schedule, he can stay up later and then SLEEP later in the morning. Today I was blessed with a 7am wake-up time and a much more cheerful Quinn then when he wakes up at 5:30 (and I was a bit more cheerful as well).
Anyway, my friend sent me the following. It's the baby's point of view on sleep training. That was the hardest thing I've done yet, but oh so worth it. If you've sleep trained your child you will appreciate this.

Baby's point of view> > Sleep Training...> > OK, here's my situation. My Mommy has had me for> almost 7 months. The first few months were great--> I cried, she picked me upand fed me,> anytime, day or night. Then something happened.> Over the last few weeks, she has been trying to> STTN (sleep thru the night).> At first, I thought it was just a phase, but it is only> getting worse. I've talked to other babies, and it seems like it's> pretty common after Mommies have had us for around 6 months.> > Here's the thing: these Mommies don't really need> to sleep. It's just a habit. Many of them have had some 30 years to> sleep--they just don't need it anymore. So I am implementing a> plan. I call it the Crybaby Shuffle.> > It goes like this:> > Night 1--cry every 3 hours until you get fed.> I know, it's hard. It's hard to see your Mommy upset over your crying.> Just keep reminding yourself, it's for her own good.> > Night 2--cry every 2 hours until you get fed.> > Night 3--every hour.> > Most Mommies will start to respond more quickly> after about 3 nights.> Some Mommies are more alert, and may resist the> change longer. These Mommies may stand in your doorway for hours,> shhhh-ing. Don't give in. I cannot stress this enough: CONSISTENCY IS> KEY!!> If you let her STTN (sleep through the night), just once, she> will expect it every night. I KNOW IT'S HARD! But she really does not> need the sleep, she is just resisting the change.> > If you have an especially alert Mommy, you can> stop crying for about 10 minutes,> just long enough for her to go back> to bed and start to fall asleep.> Then cry again. It WILL eventually> work. My Mommy once stayed awake for 10 hours straight,> so I know she can do it.> > Last night, I cried every hour. You just have to> decide to stick to it and just go for it.> BE CONSISTENT! I cried for any> reason I could come up with. My sleep sack tickled my foot. I> felt a wrinkle under> the sheet. My mobile made a shadow on the wall. I> burped, and it tasted like pears.> I hadn't eaten pears since lunch,> what's up with that?> The cat said "meow". I should know. My> Mommy reminds me of this about 20 times a day. LOL.> Once I cried just because I liked how it> sounded when it echoed on the monitor in the> other room. Too hot, too> cold, just right--doesn't matter! Keep crying!!> > It took awhile, but it worked. She fed me at 4am.> Tomorrow night, my goal is 3:30am.> You need to slowly shorten the> interval between feedings in order to reset your Mommies' internal> clocks.> > P.S. Don't let those rubber things fool you, no matter how long> you suck on them, no milk will come out. Trust me.