the sleepy and the restless

As some of you know, Acorn has been on a no-sleep rampage ever since she was sick a couple of weeks ago. Waking every 1-3 hours, screaming. I kept thinking/hoping it would stop the next night(when the tooth came in, when we put her to bed early enough, etc) but it didn't. I was so exhausted, this Wednesday, that I spent the whole day on the verge of tears, and I was DONE.
Two nights earlier, during the 3rd wake-up within 5 hours, in the bleary 3am time slot, Edward Olmos as Cmmdr. Adama(Battlestar Galactica)'s voice came to me, his constant words, "This ends NOW." echoing in my head.

On Wednesday night, Mr. S took the first shift(after I realized there was no way she actully *needed* food at 11/12 or 1). I went into the other room and slept with earplugs, and we agreed he wouldn't get me until 230. She was awake from 11-130, with him. He said he almost wavered, but realized how many nights I have had the screaming beast, so he kept with it. I woke at 230, went in, and found her on the bed with him, with a pillow fort all around.

The next night we implemented 'sleep training' where we did the whole minimal crying thing, allowing her 3 minutes of alone crying before one of us would go in and verbally comfort her, or touch her, but not pick her up, or nurse her. She used to go down at night easily, sleepy, but awake, so we knew she had the ability. She cried for about 22 minutes(with mild breaks) and then fell asleep. She slept until 230!!! The crying part sucked, as we are usually both very quick to respond to her. I tried to get the mindset I have when I am driving and can't pull over when she is crying.

And, last night she went down easily and slept EIGHT hours. Holy Moly. My body was like ?&%$?, I woke 3 times during that time period, but without the responsibility of nursing/changing, placing a baby in her crib to make me really wake.

Why didn't we start this earlier(like at the beginning of my two weeks of h*ell)??? Ah well. Hopefully things will continue in this improved vein.

Probably the cutest yawner in this house...