So here's what's been going on for the past little while. Shawn has been going through a weird sleeping thing. See, for the last two years, we've considered ourselves blessed (OK...and a little, arrogantly, talented) to have a son who just has not struggled with the sleep problems that so many kids (and parents!!!) struggle with through infancy and toddlerdom. His first night sleeping through was at 1 month and 3 days old. He was regularly sleeping through the night around 2 months. We just never had a challenge with that. Then his 2nd birthday came...literally! On June 2 (his birthday), after the excitement of getting a brand new, amazing and fun bounce house:
...we did our normal evening bedtime routine, walked out of his room, shut the door...5 min later, Shawn's WAILING! So, startled, we assumed something was wrong and Bob (the "Baby Whisperer" as I call him) ran in to check...he was fine. Standing at the crib rail, staring at the door, looking maniacal, he immediately stopped, chatted with Bob for a few minutes, laid down and all was fine. Until he started crying again 5 min later. Bob went back in, calmed him down and went out...well, he finally settled after going in and soothing him three times. And so we began a pattern...good for us. That was a Tuesday night. He did it Wed., Thurs., and Fri nights. We tried letting him cry, going in incrementally...it wasn't stopping. Saturday and Sunday he slept well, exhausted fr
om all the birthday partying and late bedtimes...
...but commenced again on week 2... one night, we let him cry for 2 brutal hours, after which he finally fell asleep only to wake again 30 minutes later...Bob finally went in and he settled right down for the night. We decided crying it out ("CIO" as the message boards call it) was not for Shawn. Now we decided to Ferberize. So, Friday night we did...from 8:15 until 11pm!!! Are you kidding me?? And even then he still woke early in the wee hours crying again!! ARGH!
Well, my brilliant, baby whispering husband came up with a plan. After a really good nap yesterday (naps are actually not a problem, but a good place to start), Bob suggested we celebrate and give him an M&M as a special celebratory treat. It was his first M&M...needless to say, he loved it. We promised there were more where that came from every time he slept without crying. Last night...to bed at 8pm as always...out like a silent light and not a peep until 7:30am!!! And Shawn and I celebrated with a wiggle-dance, sing-song, and a red M&M, which he gripped in his little paw for five minutes (they DO melt in your hand!!) until he finally delighted in licking sweet, melty chocolate from his fingers and lips!! And he knew he was successful!!
I know it's bribery...my hubs calls it "positive reinforcement", as I also should, given my training and work experience...but ultimately, it's bribery. You know what, though? We can afford two M&Ms a day...and that much chocolate is probably not going to hurt him. This little man might be eating M&Ms first thing until he's 37, but if he's sleeping peacefully, that's ok by me. I guess sometimes you just have to find what works and roll with it. I'm quite positive all those perfect mommies would have something to say about the role I'm giving food in his life, or the way that I'm not really teaching him self-soothing but rather just behaviors for reward...and not everything in life is rewarded and blah blah blahdiddy blah. BUT...Shawn's happy, we can get a little more rest, and despite what all those mommies say, I'm pretty sure no one's the worse for the wear!!
