Over the last two weeks, we have gone through some really backward sleeping patterns, but then totally regained and have leapt forward many, many steps! I thought Caroline was experiencing horrible teething pains because she seemed miserable a lot of the time and wouldn't sleep. And when I say wouldn't sleep I mean that where she used to take about 15 minutes to settle down at night and then fall asleep, this process was now taking over two hours and producing many screams, shrieks and tears. It was miserable all the way around. Not to mention my poor back was getting quite the workout from trying to comfort her using the Baby Whsperer's method of "Pick Up Put Down." Naps were also few and far between. When they did happen, they were only allowing 30-45 minutes for me to regroup. Then one day last week something happened. I'm not sure what it was, but we definitely turned a corner. She started falling asleep much, much easier, sleeping more soundly through the night than she ever has, and is back to her full night's sleep of at least 11 hours and sometimes up to 13 hours. Another positive thing is that she is now happy to hang out and play in her crib for at least a good half hour before she starts protesting and demanding that I go in and get her. This gives me time to get myself up and get her breakfast ready.
I haven't been able to put my finger on why her sleep patterns went down the tubes for a little while, but I do know that there were several factors that probably contributed to it. These things all happened within about 3 weeks of each other so I think they finally culminated and this little body was trying to roll with all these changes and it just wasn't working for her. For 5 nights in December we were in hotel rooms and completely out of any sort of routine that she was used to. When we finally got back to town it was time for her 6 month visit to her favorite kid's doctor (yeah, right!) That meant shots. That also meant we went back the following week for more shots. That doctor visit also meant he laid down the law and pretty much demanded that we ditch the swaddling. Factor in some swollen gums and mom trying to run around and do all sorts of errands and get out of the house in the beautiful weather. How would you expect anyone to deal with all this?
Well last week the weather was really crummy. Cold and lots of rain. So we spent most of the week at home. This meant that I was really able to focus on her cues for hunger and sleep and get her back into the routine I could tell she was craving. I think unswaddling was a positive factor too (eventually.) Once she got used to these wild arms that were flapping around next to her, she was able to put them to good use: finding her pacifier in the night and sticking it back in her mouth, finding her loveys at the foot of the bed in the morning so she could spend quality time with them before mom comes in - she has a newfound independence!
The other thing that she has really mastered in the last few weeks is sitting up completely on her own. She's been sitting for a long time, but was really wobbly and would fall over pretty easily - especially if a toy was involved. But now she can actually pick up a toy, play with it, watch the cat walk by and reach for him, look around to see who is watching her and still not fall over!
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