Friday, April 27, 2007

Millie Jane


So I stole just one, but Joe posted a few more pictures of Millie on his blog! She's beautiful, and puffy, and pink, and new- check her out. And if you didn't read my last post... yes, Lacy had her baby!

Now on to mine. Sophia has slept pretty well since the day she was born. She's gone through a few bumps here and there, but for the past several months she has been on a regular schedule, two naps before, now one 10 or 11 o'clock nap, 6:30-7:00 bed time. Both at which she reaches for her crib and wants nothing to do with us. Not a peep, unless perhaps some poop.

Well all of a sudden, about a week ago (and no, she's not sick) she refuses both. Screams for both. It's AWFUL! I haven't had to let her "cry it out" for so long... and when we did, it was for like 5 minutes. Last night, I let her go... 20! Gasp. She seems to do better with Ross, so I don't know if it's all a part of this new Daddy's girl thing she's got going on. He was at Basketball lastnight so sure enough, it was awful. Her naps are the same. And I've given in to timing the gym so that she falls asleep in the car on the way home and then I can just transfer her. But then I wonder if I'm creating a HORRIBLE habit, where she'll only go down for a nap if I drive her around the block. That's exactly what I've always tried to avoid-- dependency on something to fall asleep. Now I wonder if it's all going to go down the drain because I can't handle hearing her cry it out twice a day. Ugh. I can't believe how much stress I feel when her sleep is off... it's that butter-finger feeling, like the control is just slipping through your fingers. "But this is the one thing she does SO WELL!" And you keep thinking "what did I do to screw it up?!" I'm thinking I must take it for granted a bit when it's going just fine.

As I finished that paragraph I realized she stopped crying. Actually not nearly as bad today, only a few minutes. Maybe I complained like a crazy, over-stressed mom a bit early. Hmmm. Cross your fingers for me.

10 comments:

Crazy Lifferths said...

How adorable. How cute is her beanie?! I didn't realize that your sister was so close to delivery. And all natural? No IV?! I didn't even know you could do that?! My hat is tipped to her. Tell her congrats!

S.A.S. said...

wait! thought her name was camilla?? i'm confused. please carify. camilla or millie? and isn't camilla lacy's middle name?

she's so cute. congrats again to the healthy mom and baby girl.

sleepless sophia. sigh, i wish i could just tell her - look sophia, one day you're going to be getting up for school/work at the crack of dawn and wish more than anything you could cuddle up to a mid-morning nap or early bedtime. milk it while you can, love. do you think she'd listen? sorry you have to do the let her cry - there's a great mad about you on that (also in Babyhood).

Lillie said...

Sarah- It's Camilla and they're calling her Millie. So cute huh? And yes it's Lacy's middle name... even cuter. Seen the Mad About You- think about it every time we hover outside Sophia's door waiting for the crying to stop.

Missy said...

Millie is adorable! My brother and sister-in-law just had a ten pound baby so I'm a huge fan these days of chunky monkeys.

Weird about Sophia's sleeping! I wish I could help you out...I really do. We had sleep issues when Ave was younger, but not anymore. Is she going through a separation anxiety phase?

Jill M said...

Lillie, did you go by a book method to get sophia to become such a good slepper, which one? I am sure it is just a phase with the sleeping things, kids are weird.

Lillie said...

Jill- I did use a book for some sleeping advice. I know some people don't love it, but I went by Baby Wise. It's a little tough-but all in all, the guidelines are good. It makes you feel a little like, if you're too cuddly, you'll do your baby a disservice, that I don't really buy. But-- anyway, I think the basic schedule wake, eat, play, sleep-- is good. Too much info?

Michelle said...

Every time zane pulls some weird sleeping stuff, I CRINGE and remember that period in our lives when EVERY nap and EVERY sleep time was a nightmare. Seriously, I get a pit in my stomach whenever it happens occasionally now. All I can say is routine routine routine. As long as you keep putting Sophia down for a nap at the same time, she SHOULD pull out of the fighting. who knows what changes their happiness at certain times..but if you just throw in the towel and say, "well, I guess no more naps!" that wouldn't be good for mama or baby! So just hang in there... HOPEFULLY it will return to the good.

Hey, and I hesitate naming more books, but I have one that is worth dabbling in (after my baby didn't sleep through the night at 8 weeks with babywise, I thought I was doing everything wrong, and became a little anti-book, because it made me feel like all the blame should be placed on me, instead of thinking about how my kid was a month early and other logical factors...) ...it's called, "solve your child's sleep problems." basically about not leaving them for hours (a little too babywise) but instead starting at 10, then 11, then 12 minute intervals, going in, hushing, not picking up, but rubbing the back, laying back down, etc, then heading back out again. seemed a little more reasonable. and although I have more paragraphs about how this too didn't REALLY work on zane (but I'll save that for a phone conversation, as this is SO long already) I think it helped me do the routine thing, and hang in there with the naptime in general.

maybe reading this just helped you to think that sophia's sleep issues really ARE minor compared to some of us.

I too loved millie when I figured out it could be a nickname for camilla. zane would say, "boo-ful" (beautiful :) )

Unknown said...

Man, cute baby. I love the blogging world becuase somehow I can always find a newborn. And what says more about good in this world than a newborn?

And I completely echo Sarah on the wanting to make her understand that one day, she's really going to wish that she could take multiple naps a day and go to bed at a reasonable hour.

The Marriotts said...

We totally went through this same thing a few months ago! And I swear it's everytime we go to my parent's house, or out of town. We have her in the pack 'n' play, by the foot of the bed, and so she'd see us, and want to climb in bed with us! This sounds like the worst thing that you could do, but we totally gave in, for a whole week, just so we didn't wake the entire house up! SOOOO, when we got home, it was so bad. She would throw these tantrums, and kick and scream, and I felt like it was all our fault because we had "allowed" her into our bed. I felt like the worst mother ever. So we started slow, putting her down (at the same time), and they say it takes 5 nights to brake the habbit. It really did take about 4 nights to get back on track. And when she was throwing those fits, and screaming, (we'd let her scream it out for about 15-20), and then I'd go in there, and as hard as it was NOT to pick her up, I'd just reassure her, and put my hand on her head, and say, "mommy loves you, Lillie, but you have to go nigh-night". After a few more nights of that, she'd get better and better. I sympthathize with you, Lillie, and I hope it gets better. I, too, am such a schedule person, and when we're off, it's like I have no control and my whole world is crashing down!! Good luck.....by the way, little Camilla is so beautiful, and I love Millie for a nick name. Tell Lacy congratulations!! She is so amazing, pushing out an almost 10 lb. baby, all natural!! Hats off to her!!

The Marriotts said...

p.s. sorry about the ridiculously LONG comment.