Friday, March 13, 2009

goings on

We've been a little busy, over here. things have continued to be rather challenging with the boys, so as of yesterday, everything came to a screeching halt as I instituted a Schedule. Here's what I've committed myself to for a week, to see how it goes:

  • morning wake-up
  • awake for 3 hours, then nap for minimum of one hour
  • awake for 3-3.5 hours, then nap for 1-2 hours
  • awake until bedtime
  • sleep in cribs (yes, part of my plan is for them to sleep in their new cribs)
  • upon waking, transfer to bed (hopefully without bouncing back to sleep)
  • one middle-of-the-night bottle (usually around 4)
  • sleep so that total bedtime is between 11 and13 hours (sleep about 11 hrs)

seems simple, right?

Day 1 was yesterday, and it went really well... but then, Day 1 usually goes well.

We had morning naps of an hour, though I had to bounce Max, my 30-minute napper, back to sleep. We had an afternoon nap lasting 2 hours, though admittedly, it was in the car. And bedtime lasted from 7:30pm to 7:50am, with a bottle at 4:50am, though Shoghi was up multiple times, requiring me to bounce him back to sleep three times.

Today is Day 2, and Max wouldn't go back to sleep after his 30-minute morning nap, despite being up for three hours, and me & Laurie both trying to get him back to sleep. I'm skeptical abut my chances for success already.

I'm actually going to talk to a sleep consultant on Monday. I'm ok with investing time in sleep training, and know pur changes must be gradual since I'm not willing to let them cry it out. I just need a Plan, and some level of confidence that we can succeed.

Meanwhile, we continue to grow teeth, roll, crawl, love books, love playsilk time, enjoy the exersaucer, and love, love, love our solid foods. We've introduced pears, rice, banana, oatmeal, sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli, beets, and mango. So far they like them all, with the following exceptions: Max doesn't like beets, and Shoghi doesn't care for broccoli.

It's 60* today, so we're headed out for a stroll on Hawthorne!

s's two little teeth

shoghi

the boys playing on the floor

a little pig pile

10 comments:

  1. "I'll eat you up I love you so!" oh, C, such sweet sweet pictures. Yes, I'm proud of you for instituting Banish the Bounce (!) and every success so far has been a great, great success. (hug)

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh a sleep consultant! I can't wait to hear what they say. who and where?? I hope she gives you great advice (that doesn't involve CIO), and that change is successful.
    xo xo xo
    ps. greatpix!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yummy pictures!!

    The family I worked for in Aussie went to "sleep school", which by the way, is funded by the national health care system so they didn't pay a dime, and got some great advice! I really hope you do, too, it's so hard with twins!!

    Meanwhile, I think there is a BIG, BIG difference between "crying it out" (which is awful) and "putting yourself to sleep that may involve a bit of fussing or whining" (which is perfectly fine, IMO!). Just to keep in mind.

    Love you!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds good. Will be sending positive thoughts for a great success!

    ReplyDelete
  5. both soooo cute! It only gets better...the hardest part for me was between when they start walking and they have sense enough not to touch everything they see! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm soooooooooooooooooooo tired. Tired tired tired. I think I'd just put in ear plugs and go to sleep if I wasn't committed to AP principles. We're all off our schedule since we're sort of transient right now and not in our own space. It's just so. stinkin. exhausting. With teething and sickness and Claire really working on walking they just won't sleep. I've resorted to the car for naps twice this week and I've NEVER done that in the previous four children. ANYTHING to get them to sleep as the better they nap in the day the better they sleep at night.

    Sigh.

    I feel you. You are NOT alone. *HUGS*

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a photographer you are dear C!! amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, sounds like "solids" are going great!! You guys are going to town! Are you making their food? (Like we have the time!)

    Not sure if I've recommended this to you before but I love the book Good Night Sleep Tight by Kim West. She also does phone consulting so you may try googling her. CIO isn't part of her procedure... but she admits there may be some fussing and such like Devon mentions.

    Good luck! I'm on to read how Day 2 went...

    ReplyDelete
  9. CUTE pics, as always.

    You'll figure out what works for you, but I've heard that a 2-3-4 schedule works for babies this age, and that seems to be what Rowan and Evan have developed into with their schedule.

    They are awake for two hours, nap. From the time they wake up from that nap (at least an hour) they are awake three hours, nap. And then from that last waking, they are awake 4 hours, then down for the night.

    Just a for what it's worth...

    ReplyDelete