Last Tuesday marked a big event in our life: We decided to let Asher “cry it out” in his crib. After over a year of little sleep for all of us, months of mulling over the options offered in “The No-Cry Sleep Solution,” and about a week of staying up into the wee hours working on Christmas projects, I decided on the spur of the moment that night exactly what our new sleep plan would be. It did involve a bit of crying, but thank goodness, not much.
We arrived home from Nate and Taylor’s Christmas program about 11 p.m. Asher had been asleep in his carseat on the way. As I carried him into the house I decided tonight was the night. I tried to lay him in his crib. He woke up, so I nursed him back to sleep, then tried to lay him in his crib. He woke up… a total of four times. And then I left him to cry.
He cried for about an hour in his crib in our bedroom, and we set up camp in the living room. After he fell asleep he slept all night. Wow! I had expected so much worse after hearing horror stories from other parents who made their baby cry it out. Beau and I spent an uncomfortable night on the couch and in the recliner, but it was worth it to take a first step down the path towards improved sleep in the Blake house.
The second night, we slept on the hide-a-bed in the living room. I actually got Asher to stay asleep as I moved him to his crib. That night he woke up at 12, 2, and 4, and we made him cry it out each time, for about 15 minutes or so each time. Being on the other end of the house definitely helped. Also, being exhausted really helped.
Since then we’ve been sleeping on the hide-a-bed, and Asher has been sleeping through the night. Most nights he’s cried in his crib for about 5 minutes after I’ve left him in it. On Christmas Eve I laid him in his crib at midnight, after a full evening of playing with the cousins, and he not only stayed asleep when I put him in, he slept until 9 a.m.!
Tonight we’re making another big step — we’ve moved Asher’s crib into his room, and we’re planning to sleep in our own bed tonight! I helped him fall asleep in our bed, then carried him to his own. He woke slightly and looked around as I lay him in his crib, then rolled onto his belly and snuggled in. No crying! Our boy is growing up.
Asher is the best Christmas gift we could ask for, but Asher sleeping through the night is more like a Christmas miracle.
PS: The title of this blog explained: On Christmas morning, after nearly 8 solid hours of sleep (to which I am still growing re-accustomed and to which I am reacting alternately with giddiness and grogginess), I rolled over, looked at Beau, and slurred, “Mornin’ Christmas, Asher.” Beau probably won’t let me live that one down.
Enjoy the Christmas photos!
Love to see the advances Asher, you and Beau have made. Love ya’ll. Miss ya. God bless. Ms. B.