While I was putting her to bed, I could hear babyZachy crying. He really is a bit of a Mommy's Baby still and tends to rely on me even more at night for comfort, as he winds down from the day's activities. Perhaps I would have put him to sleep first, but it was hard to tell if he had gotten enough sleep for him during the day, since his napping needs have never been as well defined as I would like.
I shall forever remember the first year of his life as the Year of No Sleep. Totgirl was sleeping through the night at 10 weeks. She has always done better cosleeping, but she slept. But babyZachy was another story. He had normal infant sleep patterns until about 4 months old; Was not sleeping through the night, but was within the normal limits of what the 'books say' would be expected of a baby his age. Then at 4 months he started to wake up pretty much on the hour. I remember taking him to his 4 month appointment at the Pediatrician and saying I thought it was a 'phase.' That phase lasted for about the next 6 months. I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around how little sleep I got during that time.
At about 10 months his sleep 'improved,' meaning he was getting up fewer times a night, but still far from great. To clarify, he got enough sleep it seemed; he would fall back asleep while nursing; It was me who was not getting anywhere near enough. And, during the day, no matter what I tried, I could not get long naps out him. So, I was losing my MommyMind. At about 12 months I decided I just couldn't do the nights anymore and, very honestly, me getting so little sleep was not working well for anyone, especially since the days were long too. So, Dad took over night duty. Actually, Zachy does better when Dad responds to him in the night; with me, he would want to nurse and nurse and nurse. And, Zachy has moved to one nap, which actually seems to be working; Life is looking up on the sleep end! Sleep issues aside, Zachy has been a really easy baby. I guess they all have to have something to keep us on our toes! But man, I knew I probably wouldn't be lucky enough to have two that slept through so early, but honestly, never in my wildest imagination would his sleep be so erratic!
Even thought Dad has taken over the overnight duty, I still put Zachy to sleep at night. We have our special time, all alone. Last night I heard him crying when I was putting Mackenzie to sleep and by the time I got out he had cried himself to sleep. I was so sad. Not only because he cried to sleep (some would think this was a good thing, probably my Mom for one), but because it was the first night in a 265 plus 29 days that I had not snuggled with him before he went to sleep for the 'night,' told him good night, told him how much I love him and kissed him good night.
He is as happy and as fine as ever this morning and Mommy couldn't get in the room fast enough to wish him Good Morning when he woke up!
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