Sleeping on her own!!!

Omigod, this is such a big deal. I've finally trained her to go to sleep, in her own bed, all by herself! I couldn't figure out how to do this b/c she sleeps in a big-girl bed and she would get out and pound on the inside of her door and just wail for hours. Well, I followed the "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child" formula: every time she got out of bed, pick her up and put her back into bed, then leave. No eye contact, no affection, no talking, no playing. The first night we did it, I had to do it continuously for about 40 minutes. I didn't even try to count how many times, but I'd put her in her bed and then hear her footsteps behind me following me back to the door as I walked out. Second night, she only needed to be put back in bed six times, and she fell asleep after fussing for about 15 minutes. Third night (last night), she only needed to be put back in bed twice, but fussed for 25 minutes before falling asleep.

Tonight we followed our new routine. Bedtime at 7PM; we'd been doing 8PM but the book says she was probably overtired by then and that was hindering her sleep. Bath, brush teeth, hug/kiss Daddy nite-nite, then sit in the glider for a nice leisurely booby session with lullabies. Then place her in bed, hand her her Pooh and her stuffed puppy to hug, sing her one more lullaby, kiss goodnight and then leave. And you know what? Not one fuss. Not one time out of bed. She just closed her eyes right where I put her down and when I checked back 15 minutes later she was asleep in the same position.

Hallelujah.

Up until now, I'd been putting her to sleep for the night laying down on her bed with her, laying across my chest, drooling on my upper left arm. Often she wouldn't close her eyes, wouldn't allow herself to drift off. Other times she would go to sleep, but the instant I rolled her off me she'd wake back up and fuss and climb back onto me. So very, very many nights when I went to sleep at 8PM because I couldn't get free. For awhile that was OK, but I'm ready to stay up until the late, grown-up hour of 10PM now. It's only been 21 months, after all!

Oh yeah, and my little girl turned 21 months old yesterday. To celebrate, she had a growth spurt. Not really upwards, but filling out her lean frame. She's really eating very well now. And her hair is coming in too. I can finally put it up in those tiny little baby elastics - one at the crown of her head, one in the back, and one teeny little tail over each ear. The hair from all the various points of her head is too short to make it to one big ponytail, or even to two pigtails. Anyway, it's very cute. She looks so "big girl" that way.