When the baby cries, his mommy cries too.

Over the past several weeks, Conner has been waking up 10-15 min after being put down at night.  He often times does this during his nap times and is easy to get back to sleep, but it's mainly an issue at nighttime.  After waking for an occasional middle of the night feeding, he has no problem going back to sleep. And that is after sleeping for 8+ hours straight.  Sometimes he wakes, talks for a while, then goes back to sleep on his own.  But the initial bedtime for some reason has developed into a struggle with lots of tears.   As I posted previously, we have been using the Weissbluth method of sleep training.  We have been doing the graduated extinction method.  He cries for 5 min, then we comfort him.  If he cries again, we let him go 10 min, then we comfort him, and so on.  Well, I couldn't take it anymore.  After the last crying session that lasted 15 min last night, I went upstairs and rocked him and nursed him back to sleep.  Tonight he woke once, I comforted him, and he went back to sleep.  Then he woke again, and I let him cry...this time he went to sleep after 12 min.  I hate it that my sweet baby is crying himself to sleep.  This has to be one of the toughest aspects of being a parent during this stage of a child's life.

Conner had horrible reflux for his first 4 months of life.  During his 2nd month, he was officially diagnosed and he began medication, Prevacid and Zantac.  Starting at about 4 months, the reflux seemed to be getting better, so we started cutting back on his medicine significantly.  Then at his 6 month appointment, we agreed with the doctor to cut his medicine out all together.  I have noticed recently more spitting up/vomiting, so last night I gave him his medicine again.  If I am going to let him cry, I have to be sure it is for no reason other than wanting to stay up.

Except for the difficult bedtime, today was a wonderful day.  Graham got home last night after a 4 day trip and got to spend most of the day with us before having to go back to work.  This morning, I was able to have a little mommy time and went to get a pedicure.  Conner got to have his daddy for a couple hours and went to play outside.  Conner and I played on the floor for a while, after Graham left, and he sat up for about 3 min without me holding him up.



Then before bath time tonight, we played a game of peek-a-boo.  He was so very cute, pulling the shirt over his eyes.