Lately we've (and by that I mean Afton) been having some sleeping problems in our home. Up until the last month Afton had been a pretty good sleeper. Even if she woke up at night we could usually get her right back to sleep.
Then August happened and suddenly Afton started waking up at least once a night and sometimes it took us more than an hour to get her back to sleep.
This usually involved rocking and soothing and even sometimes feeding when we got desperate for sleep.
This last week Afton has been waking up 3-5 times per night and it is HARD to get her back to sleep. It gets to the point where I'm so frustrated and half asleep that I just put her in her crib and crawl into bed (plus I usually stomp back to bed. I have to take my frustration out somewhere right? It might as well be on the floor.)
So last night was no different. We finally brought Afton back to bed with us after 2 hours of unsuccessfully trying to her back to sleep in her crib.
So today I called the Kaiser nurse line to get some advice. This was hard for me because I am not a ask-other-people-for-advice kind of mom. I am a google it or read a book or ask my sister(she doesn't count as other people. But both of her kids sleep like angels so that was out.)
After explaining the situation to the The Kaiser nurse, she immediately said it sounded like "Developmental Crying." In a nutshell it just means that babies start to abruptly wake up in the night often around 4-12 months of age after they have been sleeping through the night. There is no real reason. And she told me what I really was already thinking and dreading: you are going to have to let her cry it out. Go in and check on her every 10-15 minutes or so. Comfort her, pat her back, kiss her and lay her back down. Then leave. Repeat X amount of times until she goes to sleep.
Tonight I put Afton to sleep at about 7:30. She woke up crying at 8:30 and so it started. We are now on about the 4th cycle and she is half halfheartedly crying now off and on so I am thinking it shouldn't be too long until she falls back to sleep for good. Not too bad.
Now let's see how I feel about it at 2 in the morning. That will be a whole different story.
So, the moral of the story? I have learned since becoming a mom that life will NEVER be the same. Not only does life change once you have the baby but then it KEEPS changing after said baby gets older and older. I will certainly not take for granted my precious sleep ever again that's for sure. I got used to sleeping 8-10 hours straight and then WHAM, Afton throws developmental crying at me. Ha.
But, through it all, seeing her beautiful smile in the morning after a long night still makes me happy. And her laughs make my heart melt and throb at the same time. And her weird one legged crawl makes me continuously laugh. And... I could go on but I think you get the picture.
What I am trying to say is she could wake me up 2-3 times a night for the next 18 years and I would still love her. Because that's what being a parent is all about. Selflessly giving your precious sleep up and then not being grouchy about it in the morning.
(And Afton if you are secretly crawling out of your crib at night and sneaking onto the computer and reading this, it would NOT be cool if you woke me up at night for the next 18 years. I wasn't serious about that.)
Sometimes I make a little room on my mat for one more.
And I think she has pretty good form.
Who says babies can't do Yoga?
We threw a beanie in the mix while watching Uncle Jake's foot ball game.
Ahhh Fall. We love you.
(She can this cute little smile on her face the entire time.)
Goodbye summer.
Goodbye.
Of course Afton was the center of attention. Not trying to brag but she IS pretty cute. Luckily Cody didn't mind sharing the attention :-)
My brother and I are only a year and a half apart and have always been very close. I love having him live so close. Happy birthday little brother!
This is what Afton did while I sewed... Doesn't it look fun?
I also made an accompanying headband.
I just love my girl and I love making cute clothes for her. Even if she takes the headband off after a minute and loses a shoe every other minute. I just keep telling myself it's worth it.
And what is a new pair of shoes without a new pair of jeans?
Jeggings look ridiculous on most adults but VERY cute on my baby. Don't you think?
It was bittersweet. While I won't miss trying to get Afton out of her carseat in and out of a two-door vehicle, I will miss my first car.
She drove my around with my wonderful friends during those said BYU years.
She was there when Chad and I met and drove us to Utah to pick out my wedding ring.
She lived in Salt Lake with us for the first 3 years we were married and endured the snow and salt.
She moved us back to California and spent the next few years driving us from place to place.
She was there for us when others weren't...ahem...The Audi who we do not speak of.
She brought our first baby home safely from the hospital.
And she took Afton and Oliver on their first road trip to Idaho and Utah.
She saw many great scenery and mountainside views.
But alas, all good things must end someday and unfortunately Flora's days were numbered. But I am sure she will make some other family very happy.
Say hello to out 2012 focus. Not sure what we will name her yet. Any suggestions?