Sleep %&#@ issues

I was thrilled! Last night Lilly slept from 8pm - 6am. Straight...no waking! It was a delight to have uninterrupted sleep. I had planned on sleeping until 7, so 6 was a little early, especially since I was up late cleaning, doing homework and then reading a bit, but that was okay. Now tonight...she woke up at 1:30. I nursed her in her room, tried to put her into the crib and she screamed. I finally brought her into my bed with me. Around 3 she started fussing again. Mostly to let my husband sleep I took her out and brought her back into her room. I tried the crib again - screamed. I took her out and rocked with her in the rocker. Wide awake. We go downstairs and lay together on the couch. She starts talking to the cats. "hi cat" while waving. Eventually I gave up and put Blue's Clues on and we are now watching Sesame Street. So, considering I went to sleep about 12:15, I have gotten a total of 2 hours sleep.

What the heck? This is not the first time this has happened. In fact, it is a pattern. Randomly she will sleep through the night and the next night, maybe 2, is hell. It is bad enough now. How will I handle this if/when I start a full time job in 2 months???

edited to add: She had Motrin right before bed for teething so I do not think that is it.

haha! Life is laughing at me....

So I spoke/wrote to soon. Lilly woke up around 2:30 and slept fitfully form then on. I ended up going into her room with her and trying to get her to sleep in the twin bed with me. Every time I tried to put her in the crib she screamed her head off. When I took her into the bed with me she cried or fussed. I finally spoke very sternly, saying "Lay down." I was at the very end of my rope. I would have actually just let her cry at that point but my husband needs to sleep so that he can go to work in the morning. The way she was screaming...there would be no sleep in our house. And maybe even in out neighbor's house!

The other thing is that she was crying as if something was wrong. I just could not figure out what the heck it was. She had infant Motrin before she went to bed, so I did not think it could be that. I was probably wrong. This morning I was playing with her and I saw a 3rd point poking through her top gums. So at this point she has 2 on the bottom, and on the top she has: 1 broken through, 1 just broken through, and 1 pointy eye tooth beginning to poke through. Poor, poor Lilly. I really wish there was more relief I could give her at night.

I have also remembered that we travelled to PA on Saturday. We had a lovely visit with my in-laws, but it definitely throws off Lilly's schedule. It takes a few days for her to come back to normal. I have also heard and read somewhere that car sleep is not quality sleep. Meaning it does not make up for lost naps. Obviously it is better for us if she sleeps in the car. But maybe it is not better for her? Something to think about.... I will have to try to find that study/article.

Sunday night wind-down

It is Sunday night and I am sitting with my two cats, Calvin and Mr. Hobbes, lying next to me on the couch. They have come to know that when Lilly is in bed I will give them rubs. Sometimes they even wait outside the upstairs gate for me. Sweet guys, even if they do annoy me at times! The best thing is that Lilly has been sleeping better. There are a few things at play there. Her top teeth are basically in. So the torture of the last 2 weeks had a reason behind it. I have instituted a bedtime routine for her. It is not perfect and sometimes, like tonight, she falls asleep before we can get to the routine. LOL I chose a quiet Baby Einstein lullaby CD that I won't want to pitch out the window next week. I play that every time she is going to sleep in her crib, even naps. I usually stop nursing her before she falls asleep so that she is a little awake when I put her in the crib. Sometimes I need her to nurse more than I need to put her into the crib awake, if that makes sense. I had moved up her bedtime by about an hour. On days when I am school, her schedule is totally messed up, but I try to get right back on track the next day.

I have been putting her down for 2 naps. And...she falls asleep on her own most times. I put her in her crib with her blankie and cookie monster and put the music on. I have even left her other toys in there. She will play for several minutes, then lay down and go to sleep. We have one of those video monitors so I can see exactly what is going on. Sometimes she will give a little protesting cry. The great thing with the video monitor is that I can look to see if she is down or up. If she is already laying down with her blankie, I don't need to go in because I know she will be asleep momentarily. If she is hanging on the crib rail, then it is time for me to go in. That was one of the best gifts I did not know I needed!

The good news is that I am slowly feeling that I am a little less sleep deprived. Hopefully over the next few weeks I can catch up on some much-needed sleep, a little at a time.

I am off to do that right now. Lilly will be up for her late-night feeding soon. I am so glad that I had 10 minutes to myself to unwind!