Quote from the book Captivating by John and Staci Eldridge:
"We have all heard it said that a woman is most beautiful when she is in love. It's true... When a woman is loved and loved deeply, she glows from the inside. This radiance stems from a heart that has it's deepest questions answered, 'Am I lovely?'... When this question is answered yes, a restful quiet spirit settles in a woman's heart.
And every woman can have these questions answered yes. You have been and you will continue to be romanced all your life. Yes. Our God finds you lovely. Jesus has moved heaven and earth to win you for himself... The King is enthralled by your beauty. He finds you captivating."
I read this quote when I was single and I just read it again today... and it created the same longing inside me. Matt is a wonderful husband and provider and he completes me in many ways, but he can never fill the hole inside of me that God created for Himself. I had heard this when I was single but never truly understood it. There was always a part of me that thought marriage would make me feel that "restful, quiet spirit" that the quote above talks about. But when I am not living in intimacy with God, even being married to a wonderful man like Matt cannot create that spirit. Living selfishly causes a spirit of want, of unease, of jealousy... Only God can bring peace inside of me.
That's all. Just something I was thinking about and wanted to write down. Now I'm off to bake cookies!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Schedules (or lack thereof)
I am a scheduler. I like to-do lists. I like to know exactly what's going to happen in a day. I thrive on accomplishing what I've planned. I don't like change. I don't like surprise drop-in visits (I'm working on this because I believe this is not a Christ-like attitude)... in fact, I usually need 24 hours notice for any socializing. I don't like to be interrupted from something that I'm working on. Needless to say, these character traits do not mesh well with parenthood. (By the way, Matt has these same traits... double bad!)
When Brooke was born, I had read the literature about putting my baby on a routine, the "cry-it-out" method, etc. I was determined to have Brooke on a routine by Day 7, and she would be taking scheduled naps and sleeping through the night by Week 12. Brooke had other plans. She did not (and still does not) see any need for routines. Or sleep, for that matter. She really didn't do much but cat nap until 6 months. She did not have a decent nap schedule until 10 months. And then she dropped her morning nap at 12 months, once again throwing off her (and my) schedule. She DID sleep through the night at 4 months. And stopped at 5 months. And then started again at 7 months. And then stopped at... whenever. Now, at 2 1/2, she's on a naptime/bedtime schedule (naps at 1:30, bedtime at 9), but there is no rhyme nor reason to how well she goes down or how long she sleeps. Some mornings, she's up at 7 and others, she sleeps until almost 9. Many times, I have to stay in her room and repeatedly tell her to lie down, just to get her to go to sleep. If not, she will play in her room for hours, until she's so exhausted, she will cry if you look at her funny. I now know this is how God made her, and I love her just like she is (even if she drives me crazy sometimes!) She is hyper and happy and adventurous and crazy and smart and perfect. Just how she is. And I'm learning to deal with our differences (although I'm sure there will still be many difficult moments ahead!)
Chloe was born when Brooke was 14 1/2 months old. I didn't know what to expect with Chloe after Brooke. Brooke cried the entire night after she was born. Actually, she cried most of the first 8 weeks after she was born. (I believed, at that time, that I was the worst mother ever!) I remember the nurse telling me, that first night, that she thought I was going to have a difficult baby. Not helpful! So when Chloe was born, I anticipated the worst. Chloe slept the entire first 2 weeks of her life. Seriously. I could put her down anywhere and she would sleep. I used to carry her while she slept because I felt guilty laying her down so much! Chloe put herself on a schedule within a couple months old. She self-soothed... no "cry-it-out" involved. She didn't sleep through the night until she was a year old, but she would eat for 15 min and always go right back to sleep. Even now, she puts herself to sleep within minutes of laying her down. She's crazy addicted to routine, and falls apart if her routine is off in the slightest (wonder where she got that from!) So completely opposite of Brooke... it's hard to believe they have the same parents!
So anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot recently. I read an article the other day on pinterest about babies that would not follow the steps to be on a schedule. With Brooke, I always felt like I was doing something wrong. I was following the steps! Why weren't they working? I used to think other "better" mothers could get Brooke on a routine. I was just no good at mothering. And now I know... the "steps" do not always work. So, for any mothers out there that are frustrated, I hope you can find comfort in my story. If the "steps" work for you, great! But if not, don't get frustrated. The first year is tough but it WILL get better. Every baby is different... you have to find what works best for you!
And that's all. I'm off to get ready for our annual Halloween party....
When Brooke was born, I had read the literature about putting my baby on a routine, the "cry-it-out" method, etc. I was determined to have Brooke on a routine by Day 7, and she would be taking scheduled naps and sleeping through the night by Week 12. Brooke had other plans. She did not (and still does not) see any need for routines. Or sleep, for that matter. She really didn't do much but cat nap until 6 months. She did not have a decent nap schedule until 10 months. And then she dropped her morning nap at 12 months, once again throwing off her (and my) schedule. She DID sleep through the night at 4 months. And stopped at 5 months. And then started again at 7 months. And then stopped at... whenever. Now, at 2 1/2, she's on a naptime/bedtime schedule (naps at 1:30, bedtime at 9), but there is no rhyme nor reason to how well she goes down or how long she sleeps. Some mornings, she's up at 7 and others, she sleeps until almost 9. Many times, I have to stay in her room and repeatedly tell her to lie down, just to get her to go to sleep. If not, she will play in her room for hours, until she's so exhausted, she will cry if you look at her funny. I now know this is how God made her, and I love her just like she is (even if she drives me crazy sometimes!) She is hyper and happy and adventurous and crazy and smart and perfect. Just how she is. And I'm learning to deal with our differences (although I'm sure there will still be many difficult moments ahead!)
Chloe was born when Brooke was 14 1/2 months old. I didn't know what to expect with Chloe after Brooke. Brooke cried the entire night after she was born. Actually, she cried most of the first 8 weeks after she was born. (I believed, at that time, that I was the worst mother ever!) I remember the nurse telling me, that first night, that she thought I was going to have a difficult baby. Not helpful! So when Chloe was born, I anticipated the worst. Chloe slept the entire first 2 weeks of her life. Seriously. I could put her down anywhere and she would sleep. I used to carry her while she slept because I felt guilty laying her down so much! Chloe put herself on a schedule within a couple months old. She self-soothed... no "cry-it-out" involved. She didn't sleep through the night until she was a year old, but she would eat for 15 min and always go right back to sleep. Even now, she puts herself to sleep within minutes of laying her down. She's crazy addicted to routine, and falls apart if her routine is off in the slightest (wonder where she got that from!) So completely opposite of Brooke... it's hard to believe they have the same parents!
So anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot recently. I read an article the other day on pinterest about babies that would not follow the steps to be on a schedule. With Brooke, I always felt like I was doing something wrong. I was following the steps! Why weren't they working? I used to think other "better" mothers could get Brooke on a routine. I was just no good at mothering. And now I know... the "steps" do not always work. So, for any mothers out there that are frustrated, I hope you can find comfort in my story. If the "steps" work for you, great! But if not, don't get frustrated. The first year is tough but it WILL get better. Every baby is different... you have to find what works best for you!
And that's all. I'm off to get ready for our annual Halloween party....
Monday, October 22, 2012
Don't judge a book (or a church) by it's cover
I have SOOO much laundry and dishes to catch up on, but this has been on my heart a lot recently. I love my church so much; I am so blessed to be worshiping and ministering there. But I didn't always feel this way. Two years ago, when we left Summit Church, it was because we were looking for a church closer to home. We wanted to find a church in OUR community, where we could invite friends we met in our town. Plus, we had a young infant who wasn't keen on the 25 min drive so it was hard to get involved, as I'm sure other moms can testify! So we started searching for churces closer to home. There aren't many contemporary churches in Conway, so most churches were ruled out right away. There is nothing wrong with traditional churches (I went to Pensacola Christian College and know about "traditional"!), but Matt and I both prefer contemporary services. So there was New Life Church. I had heard negative things about New Life, and went in with a skeptical, judgemental attitude. New Life was too much like a production. Too big. Too "open-minded" (although never about clear black and white Biblical issues). Too trendy. Too FUN. And I compared every detail of the service with Summit's services. Matt loved New Life right away and so we took the membership classes and started the process of joining. And I went right on judging and being unhappy. And then God started to show me my attitude. How others around me were worshiping and I was too busy being critical to worship. He reminded me of the dozens of people being saved EVERY WEEK. He showed me pastors whose hearts were in love with Jesus and their fellow church members. He showed me a worship team that wasn't just performing, but LOVING Jesus. And He showed me my negative attitude, my critical spirit, and my worldliness. Oh my. Who was I to judge? And so I started coming into church with a humble attitude. And remembering that I was entering into a building of sinners saved by grace and all at different points in their relationship with Jesus. I certainly am not the measuring stick of spiritual perfection! And my place in the church is to worship, to serve, to love, to learn. And maybe my relationship with Jesus will cause someone else to grow and maybe their relationship with Jesus will cause me to grow.
So anyway, I'm so thankful for New Life, the pastors, the small group I'm involved in, the Little Life ministry that my kids are involved in (and that Matt and I volunteer in once a month), the worship, and everything. It's not a perfect church but it's the perfect fit for us. :)
That's all. Off to do dishes now.
So anyway, I'm so thankful for New Life, the pastors, the small group I'm involved in, the Little Life ministry that my kids are involved in (and that Matt and I volunteer in once a month), the worship, and everything. It's not a perfect church but it's the perfect fit for us. :)
That's all. Off to do dishes now.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
A story about dinner
On Thursday nights, Matt goes to his kickboxing class and likes to eat light. To accomodate this, I make some bacon and hardboiled eggs and chop up some veggies for a salad. Of course, my toddlers aren't going to eat salads, but I make a couple extra boiled eggs. Chloe hates boiled eggs. I know this. I attempt sticking the egg inside a piece of bread to trick her. It doesn't work. She takes one bite of the egg sandwich, and then uses her hand to sweep a majority of the egg/bread mixture onto the floor. Boiled egg is very hard to sweep off the floor. Matt tells Chloe, NO! in a stern voice. Brooke, my little sensitive soul, detects anger in Daddy's voice and bursts into tears. Then, Chloe gets upset that everyone is eating but her and begins to cry as well. So I stuff my salad down as fast as I can (eating fast has become an art-form around here), and get up to warm up some frozen ravioli. Very healthy, I know. While I wait for the water to boil, I pull out the extra-special treat I had made earlier in the day: chocolate covered apples. I hand a couple slices to Brooke. She eats the chocolate off. I tell her to eat the apple. She starts to cry again. Chloe eats both the chocolate and the apple. Both kids smear chocolate all over their face, hair, hands and arms. This I expect. What I don't expect is that Brooke somehow manages to smear chocolate across her stomach and back. So now the ravioli is done. I take it out, cut it up, and set it aside to let it cool. Chloe starts to cry because she wants it NOW. I blow it to cool it quicker and then hand it to her. Brooke starts to cry because she doesn't understand why she must eat boiled egg while Chloe gets ravioli. So I hand Brooke a couple pieces. While they eat their ravioli, I attempt to sweep the egg off the floor. (I repeat: boiled egg is very hard to sweep). Just as I get it clean, Chloe drops her milk cup. Milk splatters everywhere. I clean that up. Then I grab Chloe's tray right as she starts to throw the remaining ravioli onto the floor. I start the process of cleaning chocolate off both kids' entire body surface areas. Both kids cry throughout the cleaning process. Just another dinner around the Schrand household. Gotta love it. The end. :)
Sunday, August 26, 2012
This and that
I blog so little now-a-days (aka since Chloe was born) that I don't even know what to blog about when I do post! Life has been really, really good recently. Everyone always told me that 2 kids would get easier when the younger one was no longer a baby... and they were so right. Brooke is now almost 2 1/2 years old. I'm ashamed to say that she is not potty-trained... nor am I currently trying. I DID try for a few weeks and, though I believe she's physically ready, she was so opposed to it that I just gave up trying for awhile. She loves to sit on the potty with her pants ON, but if I take her pants OFF, she jumps up and yells, "NO!" Okay, ya can't force the child! So my plan is to start up trying again next month. Her sleeping has been great. She goes to bed by herself now with no (okay, very little) complaint. She can get out of bed and play, but she knows she has to stay in her room. So she pulls the stuffed animals out of their bin and the books off the shelves and then eventually climbs into bed and goes to sleep. I have so much more time at night now that I don't lie next to her while she falls asleep. So nice!
Chloe, 13 months, has officially been tagged with a "developmental delay." Usually I'm a huge worrier, but God has given me such a peace about this whole thing. Six weeks ago, at her one year check-up, her pediatrician ordered physical therapy for her, and her first P.T.appointment is at the end of this week (it took forever to get an appointment!) Meanwhile, she has gone from being completely immobile (besides some rolling) to now crawling, pulling up, and cruising along furniture. It's so wonderful to see her finally moving around, that Matt and I can't ever tell her no about anything. She could basically tear apart the house at this point, and we would clap our hands and say, "YAY, Chloe!!!" Her other development is right on target. She is off breast milk AND baby food completely now except baby cereal in the mornings. Other than that, she eats what we eat and is quite accomplished at it! She says "mama," uh oh," "all done," and "bye bye." And she's just as happy and good-natured as ever! Oh, she also started sleeping through the night after she weaned herself from nursing about a month ago. So if there are any moms out there, frustrated, and wondering if their baby will ever stop wanting midnight feedings, take heart! Babies know when they are ready!
Matt and I joined a small group at our church finally. Between having babies and dealing with separation anxiety and such, we've been going to New Life for a year and a half, but have never really gotten involved. We are starting in a group doing the "Love and Respect" study. I wanted to do a study focused on marriage; it's easy to get so focused on kiddos that we don't focus enough on strengthening OUR relationship. Know what I mean?
I've been on a little bit of a health food kick recently. I still eat fast food and drink soda occasionally, but I've just been more conscientious of labels and such. Been trying to homemake more of our snacks and breakfasts. Using more whole wheat ingredients. That kind of stuff. It makes me feel good to provide healthy, yummy meals for the family. Plus, I love to cook and bake. I made homemade fruit-filled cereal bars yesterday that are SO good. Both kids love nutrigrain bars so I was trying to replace them with something homemade (something in which I could pronounce all the ingredients!) Unfortunately, Brooke is so picky that she won't touch the homemade bars. The other problem is that I like them a little too much... I keep going and snatching them from the fridge! Chloe loves them, but she's not a good food critic... she loves just about everything! (At least one of my kids is a good eater!)
So, yeah, life is good. God has really blessed me... He's given me so much more than I could have ever imagined for my life. I'll try to update my blog more frequently in the future. Hope everyone is well... :)
Chloe, 13 months, has officially been tagged with a "developmental delay." Usually I'm a huge worrier, but God has given me such a peace about this whole thing. Six weeks ago, at her one year check-up, her pediatrician ordered physical therapy for her, and her first P.T.appointment is at the end of this week (it took forever to get an appointment!) Meanwhile, she has gone from being completely immobile (besides some rolling) to now crawling, pulling up, and cruising along furniture. It's so wonderful to see her finally moving around, that Matt and I can't ever tell her no about anything. She could basically tear apart the house at this point, and we would clap our hands and say, "YAY, Chloe!!!" Her other development is right on target. She is off breast milk AND baby food completely now except baby cereal in the mornings. Other than that, she eats what we eat and is quite accomplished at it! She says "mama," uh oh," "all done," and "bye bye." And she's just as happy and good-natured as ever! Oh, she also started sleeping through the night after she weaned herself from nursing about a month ago. So if there are any moms out there, frustrated, and wondering if their baby will ever stop wanting midnight feedings, take heart! Babies know when they are ready!
Matt and I joined a small group at our church finally. Between having babies and dealing with separation anxiety and such, we've been going to New Life for a year and a half, but have never really gotten involved. We are starting in a group doing the "Love and Respect" study. I wanted to do a study focused on marriage; it's easy to get so focused on kiddos that we don't focus enough on strengthening OUR relationship. Know what I mean?
I've been on a little bit of a health food kick recently. I still eat fast food and drink soda occasionally, but I've just been more conscientious of labels and such. Been trying to homemake more of our snacks and breakfasts. Using more whole wheat ingredients. That kind of stuff. It makes me feel good to provide healthy, yummy meals for the family. Plus, I love to cook and bake. I made homemade fruit-filled cereal bars yesterday that are SO good. Both kids love nutrigrain bars so I was trying to replace them with something homemade (something in which I could pronounce all the ingredients!) Unfortunately, Brooke is so picky that she won't touch the homemade bars. The other problem is that I like them a little too much... I keep going and snatching them from the fridge! Chloe loves them, but she's not a good food critic... she loves just about everything! (At least one of my kids is a good eater!)
So, yeah, life is good. God has really blessed me... He's given me so much more than I could have ever imagined for my life. I'll try to update my blog more frequently in the future. Hope everyone is well... :)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
My typical day
So some people wonder what stay at home moms do all day. Here is my typical day, raising 2 girls and managing the household duties:
6:00-7:00 Girls wake me up, I get them dressed and start breakfast
7:00-8:00 Breakfast time and clean up, start laundry
8:00-9:30 Get ready, drive to gym, and work out (the work out is only 30 min... it's the getting 2 young girls back and forth to the gym that takes so long!)
9:30-10:00 Morning bedtime routine for Chloe
10:00-10:30 Shower while Brooke watches Veggietales (incidentally, it used to take me an hour to get ready but those days are far over)
10:30-11:00 Brooke is wanting some one-on-one time from mommy!
11:00-12:30 Chloe wakes up; time to change diapers and feed lunch, then clean lunch dishes
12:30-1:30 Spend time with girls (usually play outside, stroller rides, etc)
1:30-2:00 Start afternoon nap time routine, Chloe's down by 2 usually
2:00-2:45 Finish getting Brooke ready for bed; lie down next to Brooke and wait for her to fall asleep
2:45-3:30 Read Bible, laundry, try to pick up the toys that have exploded all over the house
3:30:4:00 Chloe wakes up, usually fussy so she requires some one-on-one
4:00-5:00 Cook dinner (I need to think of more meals that take less than an hour to cook!!!)
5:00-6:00 Matt gets home, we eat, and clean up the mess
6:00-7:15 Family time, water plants outside, run errands, etc
7:15-7:45 Bath time for the girls
7:45-9:30 Bedtime routine. Chloe's in bed at 8, Brooke between 8:30 and 9, but then I have to lie next to her again while she falls asleep
9:30-11:00 Finish cleaning up toy explosion, dishes, folding laundry etc. And hopefully a moment of time for myself before I go to bed.
So if you come over to my house and wonder why it's a mess when I'm home all day... well, there ya go. That schedule leaves no time for cleaning toilets or vacuuming floors. Thank you, God, for a helpful husband! :)
6:00-7:00 Girls wake me up, I get them dressed and start breakfast
7:00-8:00 Breakfast time and clean up, start laundry
8:00-9:30 Get ready, drive to gym, and work out (the work out is only 30 min... it's the getting 2 young girls back and forth to the gym that takes so long!)
9:30-10:00 Morning bedtime routine for Chloe
10:00-10:30 Shower while Brooke watches Veggietales (incidentally, it used to take me an hour to get ready but those days are far over)
10:30-11:00 Brooke is wanting some one-on-one time from mommy!
11:00-12:30 Chloe wakes up; time to change diapers and feed lunch, then clean lunch dishes
12:30-1:30 Spend time with girls (usually play outside, stroller rides, etc)
1:30-2:00 Start afternoon nap time routine, Chloe's down by 2 usually
2:00-2:45 Finish getting Brooke ready for bed; lie down next to Brooke and wait for her to fall asleep
2:45-3:30 Read Bible, laundry, try to pick up the toys that have exploded all over the house
3:30:4:00 Chloe wakes up, usually fussy so she requires some one-on-one
4:00-5:00 Cook dinner (I need to think of more meals that take less than an hour to cook!!!)
5:00-6:00 Matt gets home, we eat, and clean up the mess
6:00-7:15 Family time, water plants outside, run errands, etc
7:15-7:45 Bath time for the girls
7:45-9:30 Bedtime routine. Chloe's in bed at 8, Brooke between 8:30 and 9, but then I have to lie next to her again while she falls asleep
9:30-11:00 Finish cleaning up toy explosion, dishes, folding laundry etc. And hopefully a moment of time for myself before I go to bed.
So if you come over to my house and wonder why it's a mess when I'm home all day... well, there ya go. That schedule leaves no time for cleaning toilets or vacuuming floors. Thank you, God, for a helpful husband! :)
Monday, April 16, 2012
Toddler struggles
I'm writing this to not only clear my mind, but also, in hopes that someone with more toddler wisdom and experience can help me out.
Brooke (who turned 2 yesterday) has fought sleep since she was a newborn. Most newborns sleep 16-20 hours/day. Brooke slept maybe 10 hours. And spent much of the remainder of the day crying (she was colicy!) Someone asked me when she was a newborn, how I liked being a mother. I said that it was difficult. That person then asked me if Brooke was a good baby. I told her, "Not particularly." The girl looked at me like I was crazy. Of course, I loved Brooke, and wouldn't have traded her for the world, but I'm not a very good liar, and I was extremely sleep-deprived, and, well, there ya go!
By 4 months, Brooke started sleeping through the night. But it was only on-and-off for the next 6 months. And on nights she did wake up, she wouldn't go back to sleep (even more frustrating then a baby that gets up and eats every night then goes back to sleep; believe me, I've had both!) At 10 months, she fought sleep so much, that she was staying up until 2 or 3am almost every night. It was such a difficult time in our lives and marriage. Finally, to preserve our sanity, I started the "cry-it-out" method of sleep training. 2 1/2 hours of screaming the first night, 1 hour the second night, and slowly, things started to get better. I was still nursing her to sleep. But if she woke up at night and wouldn't go back to sleep, she would "cry it out." At 12 months old, I weaned her from nursing, and she had to learn to "self-soothe." This was actually a fairly easy process; within a couple weeks, she was easily falling asleep for naptime and bedtime. Then came a blessed 10 months where she slept well (most of the time!) In that time, I had another baby (Chloe), so I wasn't getting any sleep, but at least Brooke was!
Well, about a month ago, Brooke learned how to climb out of her crib. And that was the end of that... she wouldn't stay in the crib for any reason! I was worried she was going to break a bone, so we went out and bought her a toddler bed. I know other people who have put young toddlers in these beds with few issues. It hasn't been so simple for us. We can't keep her in bed unless we stay in the room with her. But she's learned to fight sleep by playing in her bed, fingering the mini blinds, talking to her stuffed animals, etc. Sometimes it's taken her 2 hours to go to sleep. So I'm stuck in her room anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours until she falls asleep. So Matt and I decided to be firm; we would leave the room, but she got a little spanking on her bottom if she climbed out of bed. But the spanking doesn't phase her. I've figured out that she WANTS me in the room; and is willing to endure the spanking to get me back in there. Today she fought her nap for an hour and a half, before I finally laid down with her. She was so exhausted, she fell asleep almost instantly. She's been much fussier during the day recently because she's not getting enough sleep. And poor Matt and I are so frustrated. I can't get anything done. And Matt and I hardly get any time alone because we spend so long trying to get her to sleep at night.
So here are my options I guess:
-Let her play in her room until she's so exhausted that she finally goes to sleep. Deal with excessive fussiness during the day but less frustration during nap/bed time.
-Continue to lie next to her and make her go to sleep. But deal with frustration over her fighting sleep and my lack of time to get anything done.
-Get the crib back out of the attic and buy a crib net. This is something I never thought I would do. Never say never I guess because here I am seriously considering it for my sanity's sake. It seems cruel to "cage in" a child, but is what I'm doing now any better?
So...thoughts? Anyone else deal with an "anti-sleeper"? Brooke is the sweetest, happiest girl in the world... if she gets her sleep. It's getting her there that causes the problem. :)
Brooke (who turned 2 yesterday) has fought sleep since she was a newborn. Most newborns sleep 16-20 hours/day. Brooke slept maybe 10 hours. And spent much of the remainder of the day crying (she was colicy!) Someone asked me when she was a newborn, how I liked being a mother. I said that it was difficult. That person then asked me if Brooke was a good baby. I told her, "Not particularly." The girl looked at me like I was crazy. Of course, I loved Brooke, and wouldn't have traded her for the world, but I'm not a very good liar, and I was extremely sleep-deprived, and, well, there ya go!
By 4 months, Brooke started sleeping through the night. But it was only on-and-off for the next 6 months. And on nights she did wake up, she wouldn't go back to sleep (even more frustrating then a baby that gets up and eats every night then goes back to sleep; believe me, I've had both!) At 10 months, she fought sleep so much, that she was staying up until 2 or 3am almost every night. It was such a difficult time in our lives and marriage. Finally, to preserve our sanity, I started the "cry-it-out" method of sleep training. 2 1/2 hours of screaming the first night, 1 hour the second night, and slowly, things started to get better. I was still nursing her to sleep. But if she woke up at night and wouldn't go back to sleep, she would "cry it out." At 12 months old, I weaned her from nursing, and she had to learn to "self-soothe." This was actually a fairly easy process; within a couple weeks, she was easily falling asleep for naptime and bedtime. Then came a blessed 10 months where she slept well (most of the time!) In that time, I had another baby (Chloe), so I wasn't getting any sleep, but at least Brooke was!
Well, about a month ago, Brooke learned how to climb out of her crib. And that was the end of that... she wouldn't stay in the crib for any reason! I was worried she was going to break a bone, so we went out and bought her a toddler bed. I know other people who have put young toddlers in these beds with few issues. It hasn't been so simple for us. We can't keep her in bed unless we stay in the room with her. But she's learned to fight sleep by playing in her bed, fingering the mini blinds, talking to her stuffed animals, etc. Sometimes it's taken her 2 hours to go to sleep. So I'm stuck in her room anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours until she falls asleep. So Matt and I decided to be firm; we would leave the room, but she got a little spanking on her bottom if she climbed out of bed. But the spanking doesn't phase her. I've figured out that she WANTS me in the room; and is willing to endure the spanking to get me back in there. Today she fought her nap for an hour and a half, before I finally laid down with her. She was so exhausted, she fell asleep almost instantly. She's been much fussier during the day recently because she's not getting enough sleep. And poor Matt and I are so frustrated. I can't get anything done. And Matt and I hardly get any time alone because we spend so long trying to get her to sleep at night.
So here are my options I guess:
-Let her play in her room until she's so exhausted that she finally goes to sleep. Deal with excessive fussiness during the day but less frustration during nap/bed time.
-Continue to lie next to her and make her go to sleep. But deal with frustration over her fighting sleep and my lack of time to get anything done.
-Get the crib back out of the attic and buy a crib net. This is something I never thought I would do. Never say never I guess because here I am seriously considering it for my sanity's sake. It seems cruel to "cage in" a child, but is what I'm doing now any better?
So...thoughts? Anyone else deal with an "anti-sleeper"? Brooke is the sweetest, happiest girl in the world... if she gets her sleep. It's getting her there that causes the problem. :)
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