CRB’s Bedtime Routine

Of late, I have been causing myself, ToolMan, and CRB (probably Colin too) extra grief by my desire to deviate from the bedtime routine. When we do not adhere to the plan, CRB does not fall asleep easily and this is bad for everyone.

Here's the routine that works:

5:30 pm: dinner for CRB (veggie, cheerios, puffs, & juice)

6:00-7:00 pm: active play with blocks, cars, stacking toys

7:10-7:30 pm: walk around the neighborhood with Colin and CRB

7:30-7:45 pm: bath, clean onesie and diaper

7:45-7:55 pm: bottle

7:55 pm: iPod stereo on (Jack Johnson or U2)

8:00 pm asleep baby

Probably when most people think of a bedtime routine, they think of the minutes surrounding the act of actually getting into bed, not what happens in the 2.5 hour leadtime. Lately I have been trying variants that include removing the bath, less active play (i.e. going to the grocery instead), not a onesie, not taking Colin on the walk, or no music. I am not sure why but each of the elements listed above seems to have tremendous importance for his sleep process.

Too much

I am slightly less zombie-fied. I am still having vivid nightmares, the kind that are quite frightening that stick with you all day. Colin the yorkie has had a rough week health wise, which bothers me more than you might believe possible, and I am quite upset about my friend with cancer and in general worried about my father-in-law.

Good news on the sleep: Last night I only took 40% of an Amb*ien, and tonight I think I might go with a quarter if I can manage to slice it that small. I have been pretty good about my Internet cut-off time and I have kept up with my distance learning students to keep my work-guilt at bay. I have not managed to go to the gym, but I have had lots of pool time and walking time with the boys so that may be helping.

I have had an extraordinarily boring day today and as such I have done way too much surfing. As always, I seem to feel very out of place in this world. One group of women where I occasionally lurk seems to be on a rant Dennis Miller-style about their husbands. I truly cannot imagine thinking or writing many of the things that were said. Most were quite unpleasant to read. I should not be too judgmental, but truly many were over the top.

I never post much about ToolMan but that is largely due to how private a person he is, and is not reflective of my interest in him. I think I may have to reconsider, as some sort of personal war to prove/show Husbands Can Be Awesome.

One Rainy Wish

The year to date drought for our town is over 19 inches now. I am not sure why, but our town has not been placed on water restriction yet. We need some rain. Badly.

Other than my wish for rain, I thought I would update my week's sleep progress. I am doing much better but honestly I am not sure if it is a change of routine, willpower or Amb*ien. My guess is the Amb*ien but perhaps I am getting my sleep routine back in order.

Two minutes to ten, so that's all folks.

-- Hendrix tune for my classic-rock challenged folks

To sleep, perchance to dream

To me it's rather incredulous that I cannot manage to sleep. Back in the spring, on nights before my classes, I had a hard time sleeping because I was overwhelmed with the day that was ahead. I understood that, it made sense. Also, no doubt some of my sleep problems then were the on-call nature of a new mom. But now, what gives?

Unlike last week, I am home, and unlike last night, no relatives are in health crisis. Why am I up and completely awake at 1:30 am?

Around 11:40, CRB stirred and began crying. This is a rare event at our house, but it was no problem, I was already up and awake. (I will try never to ever blog about my child's to good to be true sleep habits though I do have a few thoughts on the subject.) He was fast asleep again after a quick bottle.

Lately ToolMan has been in the same state as I have about the sleep problems. Like many other kinds of problems, people with similar sleep problems can compound each other's problems. Tonight we resolved again to do better. We each took some sinus medicine. ToolMan is asleep, but nothing here. As I have mentioned before, it's imperative that I fall asleep first, but once I fall asleep I can sleep through almost anything. ToolMan understands this, was really concerned that I could not sleep again tonight, tried to stay up, but understandably (and thankfully) fell asleep before I could.

It is time for me to make some sort of radical lifestyle changes. I am not sure where I can get the smarts to do this (lack of sleep = dumb bunny) but obviously it is past time. This has been going on for weeks. I spend a great deal of thought and energy perfecting CRB's schedule, I need to do the same for me.

Friday Favorites

Amberly, at Moments Amid Messes, has just started Friday Favorites where a participant posts about his or her favorite anything - recipe, tip, memory, etc.

This week I will offer up my favorite parenting technique for determing when to put CRB in his crib for sleep. At the moment, there is a bit of an absurd factor here, with the teething and late night trips to the store for Pedialyte, some of our friends (Wren!) are probably snickering but I digress...

At the end of my pregnancy, a co-worker recommended the Babywise book and told me in no undercertain terms that if I wanted any sanity to read it. She said it was rather hard core in parts, but that if I could take some from it, it would really help.

With the encouragement of the book, we are luckly in that we somehow never got into the pattern of rock/feed/hold him until he's asleep. More than 95% of the time, we put him in his crib awake. The big question is always when do you put him down?

I have some success if I pay attention to his breathing. Wait for it to slow a bit.

But I have my most sucess (my main trick I guess) is to look for the yawns. If the baby is not in the bed BEFORE the third yawn, in my experience you have a disaester ahead. The first yawn is a sign of relief for me, he's probably going to go to sleep. At the second yawn, I have to make the bed transition. In bed before the third yawn helps him be more receptive to the sleep process, perhaps because he is not yet overtired.

I hope that the third yawn tip can bring you or someone you know some measure of help.

Comfortably Numb: Sleep

Now when I seem tired or comment to others about how I am tired, people inevitably ask "Did CRB have a rough night?"

Well, you would think that. It would make sense. But with us, that is rarely the case.

CRB has to have a full tummy, the night light on, and not be dressed too warmly. With that, he's set for a good 8.5 to 9.5 hours.

Toolman is a pretty good sleeper, too, as long as his surroundings are just right. He's got to have 2 foam pillows with slick cotton pillowcases, taunt sheets, a comforter that is just the right weight, no extraneous light, and no house guests.

Me, I can sleep anywhere and through anything . . . if I can just fall asleep.

I can sleep:

• sitting up
• through the takeoff and landing of a trans-Atlantic flight
• on cold uneven ground with my feet higher than my head
• on a squeaky floor that squeaks each time I inhale, and again when I exhale
• on a cot while a transport truck backs into the parking place next to me
• in the presence of solid rivets that are being hammered and bucked
• with Toolman and his undiagnosed Restless Leg Syndrome

My sleep requirements are all emotional.

Tonight - err this morning - the problem is that I am too excited to sleep. Too many good things are going on, and I just don't want to shut the day off yet. How awesome is that? Yes I agree it is tremendously fantastic but come on, it is after 2 a.m. now...

Other nights, usually Monday or Wednesday nights, the issue tends to be that I am too overwhelmed with what I need to do the next day. I guess trying to provide a worthwhile educational experience to a large number of college students can stress a girl out.

Then there are the few nights I actually fight sleeping because I don't feel that I have had an acceptable quantity of fun in the day. Like somehow, tossing and turning is going to result in fun?

Tonight's headline is:

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New Mom Can't Sleep Because She's Too Happy
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