Need help lengthening out day, currently 4:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

[alohahellokitty]

Oh what a great day! Yes your trip is going to go great!! Its always better than we fear. And yes all Mom's fear it will be horrid. We all do it.

Sounds like you are prepared for the trip. (we are headed on a trip ourselves tomorrow, with two kids! OMG! LOL! and I'm so nervous too!! For both of them LOL!!)

I would just make sure she's good and tired and go for it. She may surprise you and just pass right out for that nap and bt. If not nurse her down. It works like a charm and as soon as you walk through the doors of your house drop any AP you did while away. Kids understand that some of that stuff happens while away, but not at home. Don't worry if you have to AP for a few days while on vaycay. That's totally normal, she'll get back to the routine in no time once home.

Let us know how she does! And if she's good and tired I would NOT be surprised if she goes down by herself!!

Great job communicating with her. You guys are really starting to connect on a higher level of communication. It gets only better from here. Just wait till she can talk........ its precious!!!!!!!!! I remember the first time Anna told me 'nappy down time' I about PASSED OUT!! I had to have her say it 3-4 more times to make sure I WAS HEARING HER RIGHT!! LOL!!! Sophie sounds like a great communicator already!

Congrats again on the wonderful day!

[Tao]

Hi =)...

Just one quick update before I leave since I won't have internet over the weekend =). Interesting, Sophie woke at 4:30 a.m. today and I thought she would definitely go back to sleep given the fact that I put her down at 7 p.m. last night, kinda late but she didn't go back down but I still tried to push her to regular nap time because when we get to MIL, I know they will want to play with her etc., so we will need a late BT. Anyhoo, I'm wondering if it's due to the following:

1) Yesterday she woke after 1 hour nap, but then DH held her for another 40 minutes and she would've probably slept more if he let her so I'm thinking maybe it was too long of a nap before BT because she only had 5 hr 20 minute of A before bed at 7 (looking back I should have maybe pushed to 7:30?...so maybe wasn't tired enough to go back to sleep in the a.m.?

or maybe it was just a fluke... but I still pushed her this morning

430 wake but kept her in bed until 6 a.m. though she never went back down
11:00 nap (hopefully she wont have a 30 minute OT nap since I pushed her way out...) But Liana, i FINALLY saw her sleepy cues! After 6.5 hours of A time, she finally started rubbing eyes vigorously and really crying and fussing, but I'm wondering if I wait until she really shows sleepy cues if this means it's a bit too late...not sure. We'll see how the nap goes..

Have a great weekend Ladies!

[Tao]

Hi =) Made it through day 1 of our trip. You Ladies were right! I had all my little tricks prepared for our car ride as she is usually the type of person that HATES car rides. Well guess what?! She didn't sleep a wink but she didn't fuss at all! Every time it looked like she was about to fuss, I gave her something new to do or eat. It was great!

For bedtime, I did the same routine and just nursed her until she fell asleep. I didn't want to deal with fighting her. She seemed a bit OT since MIL wanted to play with her and we kept her up until a bit after 7. Twenty minutes into her sleep, she stood up and started screaming and looking around. I knew it was because she was probably thinking, "where in the world am I?" I did make an effort to show her her crib and have her sit in it for a while with her bearbear, but being that she is sensitive, she is aware of her surroundings...I was about to go in and APOP somehow but luckily my DH said just wait a few minutes and see what she does and indeed after a few minutes she passed out again. Thank goodness.

[katie80]

Not sure what to say on the 4:30 am wake, Christine.  I don't think it's a case of not pushing the bedtime out; the times you used seem reasonable to me.  I'm hoping it was just a fluke; let's see how the next few days go. 

How did the nap end up after that?  I think you're right about it being a little too late by the time you see those types of cues.   

But, YAY on the leaving her to settle on her own in the pack-n-play!  That is a victory in itself, I'd say!  I am always itching to go try to help Claire in those situations too, but I've found that if I do hang back and expect her to do it, since I know she can, it ends up better in the long run.

Hope the trip continues to go well!   

[Tao]

Hi There,

Liana--the way you explained how Anna-Li is on vacations is exactly the same as Sophie! I tried putting her down for her nap today and she would have none if it. She screamed like crazy probably thinking, "where in the world am I?" I gave it a good 25 minutes and finally went in and just held her to sleep as that seems to work (thank goodness!). She slept for only 45 minutes on me but I was glad I got ANY nap in. I just nursed her down for BT and she konked out from being absolutely exhausted. It was funny, the whole time i was gradually setting her down in her crib, I'm thinking "please don't wake up, please don't wake up!" She's so sensitive that sometimes any movement will get her up right away.

Katie: She went to bed last night at 7 p.m. and slept until 6:15 a.m.! So, I think the 430 wake WAS a fluke. I really realize that she just really needs to be tired enough and if she is she will sleep in...

Going home tomorrow. This was great practice for the next trip we're taking back up here in two weeks. That one will be a bit crazy. I'm going to be the bridesmaid of a wedding and there are 5 days worth of events back to back. Not sure what i'll do with Sophie but I'm guessing just to roll with the punches...Thanks for the support Ladies!

[alohahellokitty]

Wow sounds like the trip went great!!

Ya I'm not sure about the 4:30 ew'ing. Could be a fluke or maybe she needed a bit more stretching before bt the night before.

Yes Sophie and Anna-Li are soul sisters!! These two are so much alike its crazy!! We just got back from our trip and we had to APOP Anna for bt and naps (she's teething and WAS HAVING NONE OF IT). But I don't mind b/c we drop it no problem the minuet we walk into our house. And we know she needs the extra help (b/c she's so sensitive) while we are away... and really have no problem doing it. Its actually fab to get to do it. (Jace on the other hand just puts himself to bed no matter where we are at... so crazy!!)

Glad you wore her out and nursed her down. It works like a charm and as long as you only do it when your away from home she won't ever expect it at home. I KNOW what you mean!! I'm always praying in my head while I'm laying her down and covering her up!!! But if I've worn her out REALLY good its no problem.

The next trip will go great!! Just remember what has worked for Sophie before and do it again. Knowing what does and doesn't work for each individual child is half the battle. Its great you got her used to the new sleeping area before hand, that's probably what helped her go down BY HERSELF for that nap!! So FAB!!!!! Go Sophie!!!

I'm totally like you Katie (with Anna-Li) totally itching to help her... But the older she gets the more I realize she can mostly do it by herself... and that I need to allow her to grow up a little and do it. Of course I always help her if she can't, but I'm finding more than ever now she can handle it every time (when not away of course).

I'm soooooooooooooooo happy you are seeing cues now!! As she gets older you are going to really rely on them. As she starts nearing two years old they will be very helpful!! Its a WHOLE new ball game now (now that she's a toddler and not a baby), especially in the sleep department!!!

Okay really quick a horror story of our trip. (hope you don't mind) Last night we drove back (we always drive when lo's are ready for bed) We had just left her cousins bday party and.......... well my MIL and husbands fam had talked me into letting Anna-Li eat: ice cream, a WHOLE cupcake, 2 juice packs and TONS of fruit. All at 7pm. Let me first tell you that Anna does NOT eat sugar. EVER! Anyway, I thought I'd let her live a little... well a whole LOT! She immediately fell asleep in 2 min's of being in the car. A hour later she woke up SCREAMING her head off and shaking horribly. It was so scary!! I called my Dad (physician) and he told me her body was in shock and she was okay but to just give her some benadryl (we always have some with us b/c of her allerigies/eczema) to help her sleep through the sugar shock. So about 20 min's after giving the benadryl she passed back out. But by then she had Jace screaming his head off too!! It was the worst car ride EVER!!!!!!!

[Tao]

Hi Liana,

Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry to hear about the car ride. That IS really scary!! Sophie's never had sugar either and this is really good information to know. Her body was probably just not able to take it because she never has it. The shaking was scary. I am so glad you had your dad to reference because I probably would have flipped out from not knowing what was causing it.

How long was the drive?! I hope she's doing better now...We are finally home safe too. The trip went went really well overall. Just like Anna, we APOP'ed her the entire time. I am learning that for naps, she must be held to sleep and BT must be nursed and REALLY tired...Tonight we got back super late (way past her bedtime) but she immediately fell asleep after putting her in her own bed. MIL gave her her nap way too early this morning so she'd been up for over 8 hours! Hope she sleeps okay tonight...

Take care!

[alohahellokitty]

Only a 4hr drive

It's so nice to be home. Sounds like even though Sophie was ot she went down fine.

She's doing great!

[katie80]

Oh, Liana, that is crazy!!  Claire's not had much sugar at all either, and because of that, when we offer it to her, she doesn't ever really want it.  She'll take salty snacks (pretzels, goldfish, etc) over sweet things any day!  But, I know the day will come when she wants the sugar.   

Christine, it sounds like Sophie did really well, and went right back to independent sleep at home.  I really think they understand there are different 'rules' for different situations, so if helping her is what she needs while you're away, I wouldn't be afraid to do it. 

Hope you all get settled back into your home routine quick!!   

[Tao]

Yippeee! Today went down for her nap without a single peep! This trip has really helped me to be more calm for trips and to have confidence for them. Katie, I totally used your idea of buying one new toy and when she had enough of the car ride, I popped that out and she was good for another hour!

You guys have helped me so much with this. I'm not afraid any longer! Thansk!

[katie80]

Very cool, Christine!  You guys are doing so well!   

[alohahellokitty]

That's great!!! So glad you are more relaxed now about trips!! I am still not. It stresses me to NO END!!! So awful I feel I have to wait until the kids are older to enjoy trips. Its always something! Babies won't go down for their naps in some weird place, bt's, car rides exc............ LOL!! I'm just a worrier! Oh well.

Yes ladies if you don't give your girls sugar be VERY careful!!!!!!!!!! I had NO idea she would react this way. But why shouldn't she? She's never really had refined sugar before. Just give in very small amounts at first!!!!!!! I feel like a terrible mom. Everyone else was enjoying a cupcake, icecream and juice packs so I thought she should too. In hindsight I should have given her just a few bites of each and stuck to giving her more fresh fruit. Oh well I'll know for next time.

[Tao]

Liana,

You are NOT a terrible mom! You are an amazing mom, in fact. I know what you mean about worrying about trips. I, too, have come to the conclusion that trips don't become fun until they are older. I think for our next trip, I will not even try to put her down for naps...I know she WILL ONLY go down if we APOP! We will be gone for a whole week of wedding activities!! We'll see what happens =)

[katie80]

Liana,  You are NOT a terrible mom! You are an amazing mom, in fact.

Ditto!  We all make mistakes.  How would you have known that would happen? 

We are going to a resort next week with my parents and brother for my parents' 35th anniversary.  We're so looking forward to it, but at the same time know the sleeping could be quite stressful.  So, DH has been giving me pep talks all week to just relax and go with it and get back on track when we get home.  Easier said than done, I say!!   

[alohahellokitty]

LOL yes these DH's are always trying to get us to relax, ;)maybe they are right. Hmmmmmmmmmm