We had 4 nice nights...

[mari]

I'd say, get him up when he wakes and start your day.  Deal with that when you have sorted the night wakings. As you say, 6am isn't bad is it? 
How are the nights?  How many wakups are you dealing with on bad nights and how long is it taking to resettle himself?

As for the dummy, what do you think would happen if you didn't go in and pick the dummy up?  Does he cry for his dummy as soon as he throws it?  If he doesn't then perhaps he doesn't want it, maybe you want him to have it more than he really needs it?  Just a guess. 
Or if you didn't go into him until he cries for it, make him work at getting it back and maybe he will stop throwing it!

[DavidsMomma]

Hi.  The nights have varied, anywhere from 3 -6 WU's, last night was 5 and up just before 6 this morning.  99% of the time I only doing one WI, but then he is crying out again about 10 mins later... not all the time.  We did develop a runny nose yesterday afternoon, so sick, again?  This morning he is a bit runnier than yesterday, but other than that functioning on normal activity levels - wild man!  I want to be consistant here even if we are sick, but obviously gentler...  if he resettles after 1 WI, should I stay anyways?  If he tries to settle and can't seem to do, then I should stay... 
The naps and the pacis, if I didn't go in and get them, I think it would escalate.  I am certain he is doing it to get my attention.  Yea, he pretty much cries for them immediately after he throws them usually 3 of them, one from each hand and one from the mouth - he has 4 more in the crib with him.  As I WI, he is pointing to them and "uh, uh".  I could try making him work harder for them.  right now I don't hand them to him, if he wants them, he has pick them up from in the crib.  What I think is that he plays for a bit and then decides he is ready to go to sleep, but wants/needs me to help him get there, PD mostly...  ok, so that might be something I need to fix, huh?
Thank you Mari.

[DavidsMomma]

I wanted to add, I think it's teeth, not sickness... just figured that out...

[mari]

I think that if you WI and then he settles obviously leave him.  Soemtimes it seems like they are having probs settling but they will find a way.  As long as he isn't crying, then you should leave.

What you could try with the pacis is when he throws them and calls you, you see him point at the paci on the floor, you could say.  'oh dear, you threw your paci again, I am not going to pick it up for you, you have to find another, then go.  I think that he will eventually cotton on to the fact that you are not there to be his ball boy! (or paci boy in this case!)
What about one of those things that you can attatch the paci to his clothes with, are they safe to use at bedtime?  I've never used them myself but it just came to mind.
HTH.

[DavidsMomma]

Just having someone else who is listening to me vent about DS and our issues is helpful!  I don't think using the paci holder thing would be good at night (don't know if it says they are not recommended, but I wouldn't feel comfortable, plus, he needs to figure this out - and I need to figure out how to help him do that  )  But I do think telling him to find the others is a good plan, if he throws them all, well, we'll cross that bridge, but we haven't gotten to it yet...
As for the night time, maybe now that I have figured out it is teeth, we'll be doing better?  I did give more than teething tablets before bed tonight, Tylenol, so hopefully that will help.  I guess I just have to keep on, keepin' on and we will get there, right? 
It's just one of those days where all confidence is gone...

[mari]

Well, it does happen, but you have done a good job so far, so you know that it's possible, just don't undo what you have already done and it will all come again.

[DavidsMomma]

I think that is where my problem is, I am undoing what I have done...  it's all the sickness, and teething throwing me off...  so, now DS has a runny nose, I am almost positive b/c of teething, should I be staying with him to help him fall asleep??  Or is that undoing?  I am staying at naptime, which I am pretty sure is making it all worse.  He is just so sniffly and pitiful at naptime. 
He woke at 5 this morning and did not go back to sleep...  he also woke hysterical about 20-30mins after he initially went to sleep last night (that wasn't the only WU, just a strange one.)  I am just so frustrated.  I just don't have a clue about what to do when he shows any signs of illness, teething caused or not...

[mari]

Well, when Alex was ill a few weeks back she wanted me to be with her.  I lay her in bed and went to the door and stood just the other side of it, she cried and I popped my head around and said 'I'm still here, I haven't gone'  I kept doing this until she fell asleep. I obviously made her as comfortable as I could, plug in vapouriser and medised (a decongestant cold relief with paracetamol) she slept. 
You should be there if he needs you when he is ill and only do sleep training when he is well, but only do what he needs, try not to overdo it, you might even be doing more harm than good, he might sleep easier if you are not with him. KWIM.
HTH and hope that he gets well again soon.