Atomic Tonic

I'm going to talk about my kids' current sleep habits. I'm about to stab myself in the face and pour whiskey on the wound.

Matilda has never been a good sleeper. Too busy screaming! (In fact, I just typed that she's never been a good screamer. Had to go back and edit.) I can't bring myself to relive it and no one wants to hear it. Let's just say she has not been easy. Recently, I've been hating her naps. It was taking an hour to get her to sleep. I'd lie on our bed and nurse Linnea while Matilda lay on the other side of her sister and eventually get around to sleeping. Bedtime had morphed into about the same thing but with more books before she'd lay down and more kicking after she'd put her head on the pillow. Then she'd get up to reach the water in the cubby over our bed. Then to get chapstick. Oh, the games we had! If I was feeling calm and mellow and like a good parent, the rituals didn't make me want to scream. But if I was worn-out and thirsty and wanted to GET ON WITH IT ALREADY, the water and the chapstick and the sometimes Kleenex. Oh. Made my hair curl. And from there we'd have an hour to go.

I asked the advice of my friends inside the computer and the consensus was "get a grip." Or, "get a routine." Stick to it. Show no mercy. That was 5 days ago. We told her she'd be sleeping in her bed. We'd read her books and I'd kiss her goodnight and leave the room. Then Niclas would tuck her in and leave the room. We'd leave her awake. The first night, she stomped her Crocs-clad feet and screamed for 45 minutes. The next night, she half-heartedly called for Papa for 5 minutes. Last night, not a peep. Tonight, silence. Naps are the same. Books, kisses, tuck her in, pat her back, leave the room.

I've got to say, it's nice not having her roll all over me all night, but that's not the point. It was the getting to sleep that was giving me a twitchy eye. It she joins us at 3am (she hasn't so far), that's ok. I like cuddling with her. I'm just not lying with her waiting for her to fall asleep anymore.

This brings us to the little big one. Linnea is a better sleeper. Last night she slept for 8 hours straight. I'm still shaking my head over it. This morning, she fell asleep nursing so I wedged her into the Boppy pillow and tucked her in. She woke up and looked around the room. I assumed she'd be squawking soon enough to be picked up but she went and fell asleep on her own. She's better at this. I don't get 8 hours out of her every night, but I'm clearly going to have an easier time of it on round two.