Sleeping like a baby

We started some "sleep training" with the little guy last week after our pediatrician recommended it. The first few nights were tough, but not that bad and I'm happy to report that we've had much success. Wes has gone from eating every 2-3 hours to now only 1-2 times per night. We actually have a schedule now! At 8 o'clock we give him a bath and then upstairs to the nursery for the last feeding while Dad reads a book. Instead of sneaking the baby into the crib, we kiss him good night and tell him we love him. He goes into the crib awake, tuck his bear "Bo" into his arm and he watches his aquarium as he drifts off to sleep. Lullabies from Sarah McLachlan, Kenny Loggins and The Little Series play all night. Unfortunately, naptime doesn't go as smoothly even with replicating all the elements as best as we can. At this point, we're happy with our nights, so we're done with sleep training.

Without a doubt, it has been the hardest thing we've had to do as parents. Our philosophy is sometimes you have to do things (and not do things) so your child has the opportunity to learn and grow. If we always carry him, how will he learn to roll over and crawl? Sleep training is a controversal subject and everyone is entitled to their opinion. In our house, everyone (including Wesley) is sleeping better these past few days. The best part is when he wakes up with a smile and plays in his crib in the morning. The couple "difficult" nights at first were worth the effort when we see him refreshed after getting the sleep he needs.

Now, if only I could get myself to stop waking up every few hours!