Sunday, June 11, 2006

Sleep

Posts about sleep are everywhere in the blogosphere.

K (2) and T (9.5 months) are really doing us in. T is up in her crib right now crying screaming. It's killing me, but if I give in and go get her I will only be teaching her to scream longer. She's only been screaming for about 2 minutes.

Well, actually she screamed for about 2 minutes, then settled for 5 and then started up again. I'm giving her another 10 to settle. When she stopped before I reset the clock. I said 12 minutes originally. I was delighted when she stopped after two. I was very sad when she started again. Oh, this is hard.

Last night was harder though. I think I went to sleep around 12:30-ish. At 1 am, K woke up and asked mem to put her in the portable crib in our room. She likes to sleep near us. At 2:30 T woke up to nurse. At 3:15, K climbed out of the portable crib and crawled up in bed with us so I got up to put T back in her crib.

We interupt this story to tell you that T has stopped screaming 5 minutes after she started. That's a grand total of 7 minutes so far. We'll see if she falls asleep now. And now back to the story of last night....

K slept in the middle of our bed from 3:30 - 7. T woke up and wanted to nurse at 6-ish. I brought her in and nursed her and then took her back to her room right after. She went back to sleep. K woke up at 7 and wanted to nurse. I did in the hope that I could get a little more sleep.

10:04 pm T's whimpering again. (At least she's not screaming.)

After 20 or so minutes K begged for the "other side." I was so tired and so hopeful that she'd fall back asleep that I gave it to her. I never do. (And I shouldn't. T was not happy when I got up and was empty on both sides. K just DRAINS me.) At 8 am, despite my nursing efforts, K decided it was time to get up. I poked my husband and told him it was his turn.

10:07 pm It's quiet in T's room.

K and he got up. A little bit later I heard T. I wasn't sure I'd get back to sleep. I must have because the next thing I knew, it was almost 10 am. I slept late the other day (Wednesday I think) and I felt miserable. I felt crappy again this morning and all day until about 6 pm.

Anyway, all this boring sleep talk. I don't know what to do about K. She just doesn't need that much sleep. She didn't get a nap today. She fell asleep in the car for 10 minutes and thought she was done. At 7:30 pm she was losing it. She was out cold at 9 pm (usual bed time). (We usually get her to bed at 9, but she usually doesn't fall asleep until 10.)

I don't know if we just need to only let her nap about an hour or so (and not longer) in the afternoon. She's so young. Just 2. She should still be sleeping a lot. She's just not a sleeper.

I remember how little she slept as a newborn. She'd lay peacefully in your arms with her big blue eyes wide open. She was taking everything in, but she would NOT sleep.

My N (4), now she was a sleeper. She still is. Champion Sleeper!

Once when N was sick, first time she threw up, I asked her if I could do anything for her...Sit with her, keep her company... read to her.

"No," she replied. "My tummy has a fever and I just need to sleep."

N is why we are having sleep issues with K and T. We have to have some sleep issues to keep balance in the universe. N was and still is too good of a sleeper.

Neither T or K are horrible sleepers, but they tag-team us. One won't go to sleep at night and then the other will get up early. That makes it so hard.

That's the answer. I'm just going to have to get everyone on the same schedule. Yikes. Schedules are so hard for me. I'll let you know how it goes.

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