Becoming Babywise: Day 2

Amazingly, MJ slept until 5:30am. I'll certainly take 5 1/2 straight hours of sleep. That sleep was absolutely glorious. We both woke up on Monday morning convinced that our Machaela had been replaced by another, better sleeping, child, yet there she was, moaning to be fed. No problem. The best part? She immediately fell asleep right after eating, and didn't wake up again until 7:30. That means not only did I get 5 1/2 hours of straight sleep, I also got an hour and a half nap afterwards. By 7:30, I was feeling pretty good, and like we had turned a corner in the eating/sleeping battle.

This feeling did not last long.

By 8:30, MJ had finished eating and was ready to play. I sang to her, read her books, and batted the stuffed jungle animals hanging from her baby gym while she stared on, enchanted. By 9:30, MJ should have been sleepy, but was instead showing her hunger signs. Since Babywise advises feeding if baby seems hungry (rocket science, I know), we headed for our favorite rocking chair and munched away. At 10:30, she really should have been sleepy, but was instead ready to play again. So, we sang, looked at black & white pictures, and mimicked one anothers' faces. MJ soon tired of playtime, and instead, decided it was time to cry. After all, she hadn't cried much that day. Apparently, this is not a cry-free zone (despite my attempts to tell her that there is "no crying for happy babies"). Anyway, I attempted to soothe her with all of my Happiest Baby on the Block tricks, the 5 'S'es: shushing, side-lying, swinging, sucking, and the swaddle. I actually pulled out the combo - all five at once - but still, MJ did not sleep.

After a long hour and a half, when I was just about to feed her so that she would just stop crying, she fell asleep! Magic! I knew better than to put her down in her cradle, because that is where she thinks it is time to wake up. Instead, I put her in her swing (I know, I'm just feeding the motion addiction, but I really needed a break). It was noon, and since I had eaten nothing that day, I tiptoed down the stairs to make myself a peanut-butter sandwich and some goldfish crackers. Yes, apparently I have the diet of a three-year-old. I wolfed it down, sure I would hear her wail come through the monitor. Yet, nothing. I flipped on the TV, thinking I probably only had a few minutes, so I might as well not get into anything that would take a long time. After an entire episode of CSI, I realized she was still asleep. Finally, I ventured back upstairs at 2:00, sure I would find her flipped out of her swing, unconscious and unable to cry, but she was fine. Collapsing into bed, I slept hard until she awoke from her amazing nap at 3:45pm. Wow. We both got a nap? Unheard of!

A quick feeding and then I buckled her into her car seat for a quick trip to the post office. I didn't know if she would behave, but I needed to go pick up a package. We had a very official looking notice with a threatening message that if it wasn't picked up that day, it would be returned to sender. No one wants that. Guess who slept the entire time? I was so excited, I extended the drive by going through the Wendy's drive-thru for a sweet tea. Glory!

She was up again once we got back into the house (see? movement addict!), but she was content to sit in her car seat on the table as I opened her packages and told her all about the gifts she'd been sent. Eventually, she started the lip-smacking, so I moved the party to the couch to feed her. We chatted for a bit afterwards (well, I chatted. She stared at me with one eyebrow raised and cooed every so often), and then she fell asleep in my arms. I wasn't about to interrupt her blissful slumber, so I watched an episode of Discovery Channel's "Life" until Mike got home.

So, two naps? Not bad! Bath time! This time, she actually enjoyed her bath. She gazed at us as we explained all the things we were doing to her, splashed her belly, and dripped water over her toes. She even smiled as I scrubbed the spit-up crust from under her chin. It was a very sweet moment.

At 11:30, she ate again, and immediately drifted off to sleep. We were both afraid to move, as though we would wake her if we even breathed, but she slept on. Finally, we were able to sleep too. Phew.