One night down..

Well, thanks for all the support, especially on FB. We survived our first night. Maddie actually did pretty well. So, this is what our doctor told us to do. You put her in the crib, say good night, etc., and leave the room. When she starts crying, you time it from there, 5 minutes, and after 5 minutes you can go in, talk to her, reassure her, not staying more than two minutes, and then leaving (obviously not picking her up). If she's still crying you time 10 more minutes from when you left, and then go in again, etc. Then it is 15 minutes, 20 minutes, and 25 minutes...but never more than 25.

So, Maddie made it to the 15 minute twice yesterday (once at nap, and once at bedtime). We never had to go up after 15 minutes because she was out by then (barely, but out)!! So I will take any success I can. Granted, I had plenty of wine last night to help me through, but it worked.

She woke up around midnight and stirred for a while and around 145am, started crying. We did the whole process again, and she didn't make it past the 15 minute mark. Then she woke up around 415 and the Dr. said to keep her 1 feeding at night for this first week, and she was wide awake when I went in, so Kevin took her down, fed her (she ate about half the bottle), and fell asleep, and put her back to bed. Then an hour and 15 minutes later, she woke up for the morning, around 615am.

And, she's already down for her nap this morning, and I went in after 5 minutes, and didn't have to go back up!!! YEAH!!! I waited until she was so dead tired, but it worked.

So, thank you, Dr. Strauss for the plan; Kerin Brauer for the mobile, Kevin for his patience with me and for refilling my wine glass, and Morgan who slept downstairs in the new bed in the playroom for the entire evening (even when Maddie woke up and cried again around 145am), and even slept in until after 8am.

Morgan has soccer today at noon, so Maddie will be able to have her lunchtime nap in the stroller which I know she'll be happy about, and then we'll go from there. I do think the Dr. said to do 10 minutes the next day, but can't quite remember, so we'll play it by ear.

Just SO HAPPY the first night is over!!! Now...regarding my own afternoon nap....