Jesse's sleeping habits changed SUDDENLY when he was about 6 months. For the first months of his life, I had to BOUCE that boy to sleep. I walked and walked and bounced and bounced. Don't you dare sit down to rock the boy to sleep. No sir. He was a walker/bouncer. He also was a very long time swaddler, and he liked it when I said 'sh, sh, sh'. Even though he wasn't making noise.
I would walk and bounce for a long time. He would seem to be asleep. I'd lay him down. He'd open his eyes. It was over. More bouncing and walking and 'shush-ing'.
Then one night, he was very squirmy in my arms, contorting his boddy this way and that. I didn't know what he wanted, so out of frustration, I thought I'd just try laying him down and see what happened. He got content. That's what happened. And he fell asleep on his own.
Ever since, he's just wanted to be put down in his bed so he can kick around, maybe talk to himself a little, then fall asleep on his own.
We've tried putting him in bed with us - we thought it'd be fun to sleep with him. But he is just WAY to excited by Mom and Dad to sleep. Heavens, no!
When it's bedtime now, I want to hold him and sway with him, sing to him, and pray for him, and he leans toward his bed. That's where he wants to be.
Scott has been saying for the last few nights that we should bring him into our bed once he's fallen asleep so he'll sleep with us. We tried it last night. He stayed asleep for not quite an hour, then realized where he was, that it was different, sat up, and got upset. I took him back to his bed. :(
The Lone Sleeper
Sometimes I try to rock Kermit to sleep...he doesn't like it either. He would rather lick himself and wander around the room until he decides if he wants to sleep on mommy or daddy's side of the bed. Last night he whined and whined. We thought he needed to go outside, but that wasn't it. I finally discovered that I had covered up his blanket on the floor with pillows. After I cleared the pillows he was calm and quiet and we didn't hear another peep until 6:00 am when he was ready for breakfast. Sigh...I am hoping I have more patience for a child.
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