Sleep

Achieving sleep is infinitely harder the more mobile Leland becomes. Now that he can go from laying to sitting and sitting to standing, it is so much easier for him to resist sleep. When all he could do was lay there – and maybe roll side to side – sleep would eventually come. But sleep is harder to come by when he is standing at the side of the crib.

Leland has always been a good night time sleeper. For the past several months he wakes at night to eat (usually twice a night), but goes almost instantly back to sleep when he is done eating. Bed time has been a breeze for months, making it one of my favorite times of the day – I just love the nursing, reading, snuggling, etc.

Leland has never been a good nap taker. It takes constant commitment to ensure that he takes naps during the day. When I was on maternity leave I just gave up on the nap battle. I was spending my days with him trying to get him to sleep and praying he would stay asleep rather than just enjoying him. Naps are still a challenge, but a challenge we are committed to taking on each day as we know just how important sleep is.

Leland was home with Robert on Tuesday and Wednesday. He napped a little for Robert, but only a little. Then yesterday at daycare he did not take a nap at all. Finally about 15 minutes before we picked him up he collapsed from exhaustion in one of his teacher’s arms. But a 15 minute nap does not count.

As a result of back-to-back days of poor napping, bedtime last night was difficult. It took 2 HOURS to get him to sleep. We rocked, we nursed, we snuggled. I would think he was asleep only to have his eyes pop open and him start crying again from the pure exhaustion. Finally, we lay down on the floor on a blanket together. Robert was on one side. I was on the other side. And Leland was in the middle. I let him nurse a will. We ignored him when he tried to play. Really, Robert and I were both pretending to be asleep ourselves. As difficult as it was trying to get him to sleep last night, lying on the floor together was really special and fun. Robert and I kept exchanging knowing glances through squinted eyes. Robert and I held hands and desperately tried not to giggle at Leland’s antics. One of the highlights of this was Leland trying to wake us up. He put his hands all over my face and attempted to shake me awake. He tapped on Robert’s eye repeatedly saying “da da da”. He tried to climb over me – out of the center of us – with no success. He nursed while sitting up and still trying to play. Finally, Leland gave in and lay down. Still awake, but drowsy, I put him in his crib and snuck out of the room. He finally gave into sleep.