Zzzzzz......

So, I think I mentioned that we were doing sleep training with Sawyer again. We had a couple of rough nights, and about a week of rough days with figuring out naps, but WOW, what a difference I have seen in my son! After reading about a billion books on sleep (ok, not a billion, but I would say that I probably did read between 15-20) I found one that worked and I loved. The Sleepeasy Solution is what we used, and it worked for us. I think we timed it just right for Sawyer, and he is now a sleeping CHAMPION. He goes to bed between 7-7:30 at night and stays in his crib until 6:15-6:30 in the morning. He does not nurse to sleep for naps or night time, which is a HUGE step for him. He has been taking two naps (morning nap has been 2.5 hrs! afternoon nap 1.5) and he is a whole new baby. Happy ALL the time. He has been walking everywhere. I think talking is just around the corner. He has been eating so much better. And, I really think it all is due to the fact that he is getting enough sleep. Now that we are all getting enough sleep, being a mom is fun again. I look forward to Sawyer getting up and playing with me. It's amazing.

So, what made this book so different? A few things. First off, it had worksheets to fill out. I was diligent and did every one (there were only about 4, but still, I didn't skip a step).  It also told you step-by-step how to get your child to sleep. Other books make suggestions or give you ideas to try, I feel like this had actual directions. It told you what to look for if you are having trouble (is your child teething? separation anxiety? etc.) and broke down each problem by age group. It was great to see what problems Sawyer will be facing later and how I can help him cope.  It also told me what to look for with teething. Every sleep book I read said not to start training if your child is sick or teething. Well, great. But, how do I know if his fussiness is due to teething or just lack of sleep? This book helped me figure out the difference. Also, this book had a chapter to read for when the sleep training was tough (ie. your child is crying). While I didn't read that when I was up at night, I did read it multiple times before I started the training with Sawyer and really appreciated it.

Honestly, I am probably going to take all my other sleep books to the used book store and only leave this one on the shelf. It goes through age 5, so I feel like it will continue to be useful should any problems arise.

I am just so proud of my little boy.... and myself, for sticking with things even when they were tough. While I do miss my morning baby cuddles, I am now teaching Sawyer to give kisses and hugs, so that is fun and cute. Better sleep for everyone is worth it!