Sleep...Or Lack Thereof

Dear Ava,

You love to snuggle and sleep while someone is holding you. You look so cute when you sleep that way. However, sleeping in your crib at night is very much appreciated so that I can get some sleep myself.

The past couple of nights you seem to have a hard time going to sleep between 9 PM and midnight. Once that magical time hits you get very fussy unless I can figure out the right combination of nursing, bouncing, snuggling, diaper changing, and noise level. Should I fail at any of those or should the combination either change or your mind change about what the perfect combination consists of, crying ensues.

Once midnight hits you usually drift off into a deep sleep and I can safely get ready for bed and finally close my eyes for a couple hours.

I then can pretty much expect you to wake up and need to be changed and fed sometime around 2 AM (if you fell asleep before midnight), 3 AM, 5AM and then 7 AM. The length of time you are awake during those intervals varies each night.

On the good nights you quickly go back to sleep, which means I can go back to sleep as well. On the much less fun nights, you either only drift into a light sleep and wake up when I put you down, or you stay fully awake and alert for an hour or more.

The past two nights were rough nights.

Two nights ago you woke up around 3 AM and appeared like you were going back to sleep fairly quickly after being fed. In reality, you stayed awake for hours, occasionally drifting into a light sleep where I could put you down but you would squirm and make a lot of noise in your sleep (waking yourself up and not allowing me to sleep).

That lasted until sometime past 6 AM.

Last night you went to sleep very easily with only a minimal amount of bouncing/nursing/diaper changes/noise reduction needed.

In fact, I was in bed by 10:45 PM which is a new record for me. Though you did wake up hungry shortly after that, you went back to sleep very easily after you were fed. You must have laughed at my thought that it would be an easy night.

From 1:30 AM to 4 AM you were awake with what appeared to be gas pains. I felt so bad for you since you would fall asleep only to be woken a minute later crying in discomfort.

Finally, at 4 AM you drifted off while nursing and stayed asleep enough for me to put you back in your crib.

One thing that I can almost always count on is that you will wake up right around 7 AM no matter how much or how little you have slept.

The past two morning were no different. After 7 AM you may drift back to sleep, but only if I am holding you. Should I put you down and try to get some more sleep myself, you will wake up within about 10-20 minutes.

While holding you I am usually still in bed myself. Your favorite activity seems to be squirming your way up towards my neck and seeing how far into my neck you can burrow the top of your head. I'm not sure why you do this since you are usually asleep, but I find it amusing.

As much as I miss sleep, I am so glad that you are here. That fact that you are so adorable, especially in the middle of the night, certainly helps a lot.