Where did my sleeper go?

Logan has always been such a terrific sleeper. A month ago he would sleep from 8/8:30 at night until 8:30/9 in the morning. Sometimes til 8, sometimes till 9:30 - but regardless it was wonderful! It was especially terrific for me since I had icky morning sickness and sleeping in later always helped.

Well, like I said that was up until about a month ago...until he learned how to pull himself up and stand in his crib. Once he figured out this fantastic new trick, he stood up in his crib all the time - I swear it was even in his sleep! He was waking up an average of 3 times a night! Ack! Who was this child? My baby slept through the night ever since he came home from the hospital!

I prayed that this routine wouldn't last. I would go in his room and lay him back down, but he sprung up so fast, I wasn't even to the door yet! Sometimes in order to save his sleep and mine (because remember if I didn't get a good night sleep I would be super nauseous in the morning - which makes for a very blah morning for us all) I would rock him back to sleep - which would work. However, I didn't want this to become some type of game or habit, plus he would just wake up another hour later and we'd repeat. Part of Logan's problem was that he didn't learn how to get down once he was standing just yet. He would even take short naps due to this new skill.

I talked to a couple people about it and learned from my friend Kathy that when they learn a new skill (like standing or crawling) their bodies are so programmed to want to do it - even in their sleep. I decided that it was time for tough love - let him cry it out. I would check on the video monitor to see if he still had his pacifier and go in once to lay him back down. Well, wouldn't you know that the day I decide to do that is the same night that he learned how to get down by himself? I think he sensed that tough love was coming and thought it'd be best if we all just got some sleep. That night he woke up once and I put him back down with his paci and he fell back asleep til morning. The next night - he didn't wake up once!

Do I hear angels singing??? Yay!

Oh, I did forget to mention that during this time he thought it was best to get up between 6 and 6:30 - too early for me! He is still sleeping all through the night, but has kept this early morning habit. Some days I am 'lucky' when he wakes up at 7...but I think the days of him sleeping unti 8:30 are over (until he's a teenager and wants to sleep in all day!!!). At least until my morning sickness is all over (which should be only for another week or two) John does a lovely job of keeping Logan occupied while he gets ready for work so I can sleep at not be nauseous. :)

I just wanted to document this so when this next child (and future kids) learns to stand, I will keep in mind that it will be just a 2 week stint of little sleep. :)