We’re Ruining Her

Since we first brought my youngest home from the hospital at two days old, she has been a good sleeper.  You could just lay her down and walk away and she would soothe herself to sleep.   Scott and I commented a few months ago that we haven’t had to go in the middle of the night to help soothe her back to sleep.   Even when she threw up in her crib in the middle of the night, she just rolled back over and went to sleep.  We never knew till morning.  She was my low maintenance baby.

Was being the operative word. 

Then we went on our grand Texas vacation.

Since we have gotten back, she has been incredibly clingy.  I was paged by the nursery at church on Sunday b/c she was crying so hard.   She wants held by me all the time and fights with her siblings if they are in my lap or arms. 

And bed time has become the battle to end all battles.   Since we returned home a week ago,  she has screamed and cried when we put her to bed.  I am talking screaming at the top of her lungs for up to an hour.  The first night,she was screaming, “No sleep, I want couch,in living room, to watch movie, monkey.” 

What?? 

Since when did she say living room?

And when has she ever slept on the couch while watching a movie?

The other morning at 3 am she woke and was screaming, “No sleep, No sleep.  I want down.  I want out.” 

I have gone in and soothed, but she then just screams louder when I leave.  I have given her a drink.  I have talked to her.  I have let her cry it out for HOURS, she doesn’t cave. 

This morning after she was up from 5-7am,Scott went in and took her out.  She came in to our bed and promptly fell asleep beside me.

I think we’re developing some bad habits here.

We’ve ruined our low maintenance, self soothing baby.

Tonight I am trying something new. 

Because our current plan isn’t working. 

I’m going to put all three kids together in the same room.  It is my hypothesis, that she misses being with her siblings.  I am thinking about moving her to the big girl toddler bed b/c every night she keeps asking for it.  Her big sister LOVES to sleep on the floor, so I think I am going to let her sleep on the floor until we get the bunk beds for the big kids. 

We’ll see if this works.

I could end up with a whole other problem of a three year old who doesn’t want to sleep in her bed but only wants to sleep on the floor. 

But desperate times, call for desperate measures.