So, she sleeps.
*cheers all around*
We've got a six step plan in place that assures her she is ready for bed:
Melatonin
Lovey #1 - ducky
Lovey #2 - Summer her dolphin
A night light with a blue light in it
A CD playing ocean sounds that stays on all night long
A picture on her wall of her happy thing - Cars 2, the movie
With these six (yes, six) things in place she is sleeping. Sleeping people! Some nights she resists falling asleep because she's not wanting the melatonin - which is great. She wants to not take it because she wants to have a sleep over. But without it she can't fall asleep. So she'll lay up there for hours - from seven until 11 sometimes, wide awake and talking to us every time we venture up there.
The downside: Regardless of how fast she falls asleep she doesn't want to wake up in the morning. She resists getting out of bed like a teenager. She pulls the blankets over head; I yank them off the bed. She buries her head under her pillow; I whip the pillow off. I turn her light on and light up her bedroom; she squeezes her eyes shut and burrows between the bed and wall. When she finally does get up she moves as slow as . . . Sarah. It takes her 15 minutes to dress. Five to brush her teeth. Five more to brush her hair. 20 to eat breakfast.
It's driving me batty.
Nothing makes me happy, right? Because SHE IS SLEEPING! And that was the problem. Next to tackle:
The last few nights, I've had a 3 step plan for myself:
ReplyDelete1. Take NyQuil
2. Do stuff for 30 minutes
3. Wake up the next morning and wonder what happened.
And hooray for sleep!
Oh my gosh. Progress is good though. That must be so hard. Poor sweet girl! And mom and dad!
ReplyDeleteHooray for sleep . . . it sounds like a bit of a production, but considering what you've been dealing with, that's far from a price I'd be unwilling to pay, if I were in your shoes (also, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to even pretend to fit into your shoes).
ReplyDeleteRight now, I'd actually love it if my kids would fight waking up . . . I'm, almost always, the first one up, but soon after I'm up, they are . . . and they're seldom content to just lie down & relax. They're movers & shakers, so they need their moving & shaking buddies (Me & Duffy)
She was up at 7 this morning, Saturday, just as happy as can be. No waking needed. However, it.is.saturday. I need to learn that I cannot win :) Oh, and I'd totally pay to see you wearing a pair of heels. THAT would be excellent!
ReplyDeleteI keep trying to focus on the fact that she IS sleeping. Also? I love when you read my blog. Gives me the warm fuzzies.
ReplyDeleteThat is an excellent sleep strategy!! One I've employed a time or two myself. Also, I read in the comments about what that woman said to you when your daughter was cranky -- good/great/amazing that you spoke up so quickly and shut.her.down. What a jerk that woman was!
ReplyDelete