Dont even know where to start {{And now we are finished!!!}} 5/12/07

[binxyboo]

Go Harvey 

Go Mama, go!!

[**Clare**]

For the first time in six months Harvey woke up in his own bed this morning!!!!

It wasn't easy and I feel like a zombie getting ready for work this morning but we did it!! Ive got to go now but to cut a long story short - No tears, just lots of wakings an callings, wasn't planning to do it last night but because Harvey had gone to sleep on his own when he woke he called, he didn't come into our room   DH slipped up at midnight but apart from that it all went well!! Harvey and I are exhausted an Ive had more hours awake than Ive ha asleep but things are looking very hopeful!!!

Will fill you in with details later!! Thank you xxxx

[Claire Anne]

Oh Clare that's brilliant!!! Delighted there's light at the end of the tunnel!!!

[**Clare**]

Thanks Claire, I feel this could be a long long road but we are making progress!

Monday night was different to last night! Monday night Harvey fell asleep alone at 8.30 after I told him I was going to the loo! He woke at midnight and I could here him moving around and saying 'wheres my blanket?' 'wheres my dummy?' etc so I left him, I heard his door open and waited to see what he did but then matt came up the stairs and Harvey was saying 'sit on sofa with daddy' so Matt took him down!!!!! He rocked him to sleep bought him back up and led him down and he started crying so matt stayed with him but then I heard him say 'night night' and shut the door and Harvey went to sleep on his own again! He woke twice during the night and called me but went back to sleep and I went in once and patted his back as he was getting upset. He woke at 7 and we made a big fuss, he was tired but very proud!

Last night it took half an hour to settle him by sitting with him and rubbing his back, we ha bath at half  till 7.45 then 15 minutes of stories then half an hour to settle so he was asleep at half 8 again. he then woke at 4.30 and it took me 40 minutes to get him back to sleep then he woke at 7.15.  He was abit cross when he woke at 4.30 that Id taken him back to his bed, he didnt cry just kept throwing his stuff around and wouldnt let me touch him

It wasnt ideal but I think the first thing we can do is to break the habit of him coming into our room and then we can do some kind of gradual withdrawl!

Its tiring, very tiring and my back hurts I am not sleeping well at the mo, it was 2 am before I fell asleep last night and then he was up between 4.30 and 5.10 then my alarm went off at 7.  I woke so many times when I was asleep as I thought Id heard him and wanted to 'catch' him before he made it into our room to save a major upset!!

Looking forward to see what tonight brings!!

[yaya]

ho sweety you're doing so well!!! am so chuffed to read this post!
keep up the fab work!!

[**Clare**]

I am?! I dont feel like it... took harvey up for his bath at 7 tonight as he was more tired than usual, stories at 7.15, lights out at half past... le there for 10 minutes, still awake, said I was going to empty the bath and left. He was fine with that so I emptied the bath and sat on the landing then I heard him up and about, then he came out! His covers, teddies, water and dummies were all on the floor so sorted that out and led back on the bed with him (after a little strop as he wanted to get out his room an into mine!!) After 10 mins he was asleep, that was 8.15   S bedtime takes an hour an fifteen minutes?!  

Sometimes I feel I cant be bothered but I cant give up now, if I can break the habit of sleeping in our be ill be very happy at least then its just a case of getting the independent sleeping right

Feeling abit down, have never felt so tired and fed up.  Am off to bed in a few minutes.  Thanks all xxxx

[yaya]

clare, it's really tough take it from me! which is why i say ur doing fab! It takes a strong person to crack those hard nuts! ou could always try the stair gate, nothing to lose there! Have u explainedto him that u can hear him on the monitor? this helped with T   how about a new toy, one who can only stay in his bed as he gets cold or whatever anywhere else (also did this with T who is now overprotective of  'green' his litle cushion ) have u tried brbery LOL??? worked well with us. Also, i wouldnt sit on the landing tbh   I have a feeling my kids can sense me when I'm nearby which made T focus on my being there rather than forgetting about it and falling asleep. I'd say u're going to get lovely, drink of water or whatever and go downstairs. COme back later with whatever it was aNd repeat only stay away this time, he'll think ur coming back with whatever it is and get distracted...(hopefully!) when he goes to slerep be sure to go and pop whateve rit was in his bed so he knows u will always come backif u say u do and its okto fall asleep!

[**Clare**]

Thank you Michelle, you give some great advice!! Always makes perfect sense!!! Ive only just read this so unfortunately I did use the 'Im going to toilet' thing but I didnt actually say I was coming back!! LOL I have been thinking of a new toy, just not sure what to get, he's not really into teddies or things like that, just loves his little quilt he drags around when hes tired

So!!! Huge sucsess last night, he ALMOST slept through!! I went out and Dh put him to bed, he managed to get him to sleep using the same routine as we've been doing by half past 8 (Despite a 3 hour nap yesterday!!!! ) This seems to be Harvey's bedtime.... we'll work on that later!!!

Harvey woke at half past 2 and I could hear him sorting his bed out LOL then tossing and turning, drinking his water, ropping an picking up dummis! This went on for about 35 minutes but the sucsess part is he only called for me once and by the sound of his voice it was when he was drifting off to sleep! He didnt attempt to open his door or cry or anything, he went back to sleep all by himself!!! I lay in bed wide awake listening and waiting!! (Also needed a wee but didnt want to disturb him!!)

Afetr half an hour after I heard him jump out of bed and run to his door like he'd been startled, I managed to meet him as he opened his door and he pointed to my bed, you could see he wasnt properly awake so I lifted him up and gave him a quick hug, put him into bed and tucked him in, thats when I said I was going to toilet!! By this time I was desperate, all was quite when I came back and I couldnt bare to open his door and disturb him!! Although I was desperate to see if he was asleep!

He woke at 6.45 then and he stayed in his bedroom for 40 minutes!! I dont think he thought he was allowed out or that if he came out he'd only be taken back which is possibly a good thing but I felt abit bad! Matt was downstairs but didnt hear him and I was in bed and wasnt planning on getting up till matt left at 8! I wanted to call him to come and sit with me like we used to in the mornings, read stories, sing and play but I didnt want to confuse him so I ended up getting up! I opened the curtains and showed him the light, said it was morning now and he could come out of his room!! LOL Bless him!! I picked him up and he was just staring at me grinning as if he knew what he'd done!! Of course I went OTT with praise and cuddles and kisses!! LOL

Really cant wait to see how he does tonight, he never fails to amaze me anymore.  We havent had a single tear so far and I never ever thought that would be possible!!

(P.S Sorry for the long posts!! Im using this more as a blog I can look back on!! LOL Ill understand if noone wants to read it or reply!! LOL )

[binxyboo]

Wow, it's almost like a fairytale come true!

You guys are doing just great 

[yaya]

hurrah clare!!!!!!! made my day to read this!!!!! wel done you, massive pats on back! lesson to be learnt: He CAN do it, so now u kno, and even if it should get tough in the future u can stick with it coz u kno he can do it. With T when he got over the hump so to speak is when i didnty look back ,didnt give in anymore!
re: new toy, could u get it as a rewards now? take him to a toy shop, lethim pick it out!
 

[**Clare**]

He went off like a dream tonight!! Literally took 2/3 minutes and I managed to just sit on the floor and stroke his head rather than lay on the bed with him snuggled up next to me!! LOL Matt did the same last night an took 72 strokes of his hair!! LOL LOL He said it was boring so he thought he'd count!! Funny man!!

He went at about 8.10 which is a little earlier than usual, think he would have gone much sooner but he was struggling to have a poo so we waited till he'd one that rather than put him to bed not feeling very good. Really hoping tonight is the night, Im definitely sleeping better, I was so on edge for the first few nights, I can relax abit now but I still hear EVERY movement!! I guess that will go in time...

Ive told him I will take him to see Shrek 3 tomorrow at the cinema as a treat for doing so well, he is SO excited!! As am I!!! LOL We've seen it once but I love it SO much!!!

Im off to bed now, fingers crossed that I have nothing to report in the morning apart from the fact that he slept through!! LOL

Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement!! You are so right Michelle, there is no going back now!! Until the next one of course!!

[yaya]

well done swweeeeeetttyyyyy

[**Clare**]

HE DID IT!!!!!!!


Last night he slept the whole night in his own bed!!!! And was asleep at 8 which is a little earlier than he has been going!! He woke at 6.40 this morning!! Going to work on getting him to be a little earlier as I have a feeling between 6.15 and 6.45 is just the time he is set to wake up regardless of bed time!!

I am so thrilled, I cannot believe its happened, Ive been sat thinking and dreading for months about how hard this was going to be and I'm so SO glad we've done it, there is no going back now even if last night was a one off we will persevere an crack this!!

I'm so proud of my little man, I'm sure this wasn't easy for him despite no tears or tantrums!!  We are still sitting with him at bedtime, takes a maximum of 5 minutes and if thats what it takes to get him through the night I'm happy to do this!! Hopefully I wont need to and he'll start to get so comfortable with his bedroom that he'll be fine on his own but we'll see.  I thought it may cause a problem with him waking in the night wanting us to do the same, if it does than we'll start some kind of GW.

Thank you everyone for your help!! Fingers crossed that it wasn't just a one off!!!!

 

[Layla]

Clare... I hope you don't mind but I am going to sticky this post as I don't want it to get pruned & its always great to have success stories to help others out who might be in a similar situation

&    to Harvey!!!!!!!!

Layla

[**Clare**]

LOL No problem... except he was awake for an hour at 3 am this morning, would not settle on his own so I ended up sitting with him

Going to spend the morning thinking of what to do next!!