Hello all--
Here's the update. We have been putting our son (Gabriel) down for naps after an hour and a half of awake time for two days now. He does seem like a happier guy and his hours of sleep during the day have increased from 3 to start, to 3 hours and 45 minutes yesterday, to 4 hours and 45 minutes today. I have been watching for sleepy signs and have seen very few at that hour/hour and 15-30 minute mark, so I think our little guy is just one of those who isn't quite as obvious about his sleepiness. This makes sense given that he has many characteristics of a Touchy Baby (but mostly a Textbook baby on Tracy's questionnaire-- a surprise to us! Maybe once his sleep gets figured out, we'll see more of those characteristics).
We've generally noticed less screaming and fighting during the "going to sleep" period, but it still takes a long time (20-45 minutes usually, sometimes more) and he still puts up a fuss. There have been several times in the last few days when I've said "goodnight", left the room, and he's babbled and cooed for 20 minutes before starting to cry. This is a change. There have also been two or three times when I've put him in his bed and eventually get him nice and settled, but he's completely awake and smiling at me. I have just figured that he's not ready for sleeping at that point, and each time, we play quietly in his room for another 20 minutes and he goes down easier after that.
Any feedback on those smiles and wakefulness after becoming settled in the crib? Should I do something different? I tried leaving the room a few times, and he starts crying, I do shush pat and PU/PD, and we get right back to the same place again five or ten minutes later.
Another issue that we could use some help on is his 4:30-5:30 am waking. He's just not going back to sleep when he wakes at that point, despite being fed, changed, shush pat, PU/PD, etc. In the last few days, we've just gotten him up and then put him down for a nap at 7 am. So much for the 7 am to 7 pm schedule.
Thanks-- Aaron, Lauren, and Gabriel