Revolution

Not terribly long after my small whine, we had a watershed.

The boy dropped his day sleeps, just shy of turning two. Not decisively, but we encouraged it, and it has stuck. 

And we are now relishing a new, blissful routine. Our days - and nights - are vastly improved. For all of us. Our days are smooth, save the late afternoon melts. His mood is up. Our nights are *gasp* easy. He reliably goes to bed - and to sleep! - around 6pm, when he is so exhausted he asks for bed. And sleeps around TWELVE HOURS!* Last night it was THIRTEEN and a HALF!! People of the world!! 

I never in a billion years thought we would get here, not even close.

I am hesitant to type this, but our collective jubilation overfloweth. We have our nights back - huzzah!

I also feel apologetic as I type this, as I know some very lovely people in the bloggerhood are also struggling through horrible sleep woes, while I brag about my winnings.

I also realise that this could all change with the wind. 

In the meantime, we just hope and hope and hope that this new thing sticks, and relish the now.

I think we've earned it.

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*Not unabridged. There are still around three night-time stirrings / wake-ups, but this is small-fry in our world.

gripe

If lack of sleep is associated in any way with higher than average intelligence, as I have heard, then our child is EXTREMELY GIFTED. Though I suspect this is just an ego-petting line in the vein of 'if you suffer from morning sickness your baby will be healthy'.

I feel like we've had more than our fair share of sleep issues.

Catnaps. Nap rousings. Nap refusals. Extremely-late-in-the-day naps. Way-too-long naps. Will only be fed/rocked/driven to sleep naps. Nap wakings that set off seismic monitors along the Eastern Seabord. Bedtime refusals. Night-time wake-ups to the power of this-has-become-my-entire-life-for-gods-sake-just-sleep! Three AM starts. Five AM starts. Five AM starts. Five AM starts. And in the last week, night terrors. (Plus the usual chorus of wake-ups, nap refusals and early risings.) 

When I think back on his nearly two years of life, I recall small spells when the sleep was good. Meaning he only woke up twice at night. 

I am clawing out my eyes through lack of sleep, exhaustion, end-of-my-tetherness. And I am the (only) sound-sleeper of the three of us.

I want my evenings back.

Cancel that.

I want some time back at the end of the day without being so burnt out that I can actually do things.

I am pretty much down to feeding him once during the day - in a quest for a daytime nap - and at nighttime wake-ups. I have had an intense urge to wean. But then I think about the trauma it would inflict on him and give up the idea as fanciful fluff. And there's the small issue of how I'd get him to sleep... though in a very recent development I've had some success with guided meditation at night.

I probably could have just posted a very long uuuurrrggghhhhh. And spared you three minutes.

I am biding my time. And hoping his current spell of angst dissolves. Pronto.

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Oh and Blogger, why doth you change your font size settings so?