sleeping
Maddie Revises Her Napping Schedule
Maddie is in the process of dropping her second nap, but it’s not shaping up to be a seamless process. We are trying to let Maddie guide the process, but so far, she’s changing the rules on a day-to-day basis.
The napping process is up in the air for now. There are days with short naps, longs naps and even days with no naps. The days with no naps produce one cranky little muffin who is ready to snap at a moment’s notice.
The transition period has been bumpy, but we are hoping the end is in site. As for Maddie, you know she wants to sleep, but she is fighting it left and right.
Baby Running on Empty After Trip to Grandma’s House
The trip to grandma’s house began with a long stint in a traffic jam of biblical proportions. Maddie kept a stiff upper lip for the better part of 30 minutes, but one by one, the wheels started to come off.
The baby finally started falling asleep despite the fact that we were stuck next to a rumbling cement truck with squeaky brakes. Just as she nodded off, some ex-con or possibly a wanted felon zipped by us on motorcycle. The chopper jolted the baby awake and she was nothing short of delighted. Thanks buddy, you’re the best! Maddie spent the rest of the drive sharing her thoughts with me on the depths of my ineptitude.
Just minutes before we reached grandma and grandpa’s place, Maddie fell sound asleep. I let the car coast to a stop so Maddie could catch a few more winks, but that plan didn’t work out either. Even though the baby was grumpy, her grandparents were delighted to see her.
Grandpa and I exited the premises while Maddie spent the next couple of hours playing with grandma. To her credit, the crazed honey badger fought back any and all attempts to put her down for a nap. When I got back to the house, my exhausted little muffin buried her face in my shoulder and wouldn’t make eye contact with me. Oh did this little girl need a nap!
I was worried about putting her back into the car, but she didn’t even put up a fight. Within moments, Maddie was passed out and dreaming of all the new ways she will find to beat down nap time once and for all.
All That Work Comes with a Price
After 14 straight days of standing, crawling, skydiving, bull riding and nunchuck fighting demonstrations, guess who finally hit the wall? That’s right, my little Maddie, the 10-month-old dynamo was forced to call a truce with the universe this morning.
I actually never saw this coming. Maddie roared awake at around 5am and was ready to take on all comers. She seemed even more anxious than usual to express some very loud opinions and get going with some rigorous full-contact outdoor activities. Right after we dropped her mom off, Maddie made it clear that I had about 10 seconds to storm the local Dunkin Donuts and liberate a whole-wheat bagel for her to destroy.
Within moments, the helpless bagel was struggling for survival as pieces of dough exploded out of Maddie’s stroller. Horns were blowing and rescue teams poured into the area as bagel pieces rained down on helpless commuters, pelting light rail passengers and shattering windshields within a 3-block radius.
“I need more speed,” demanded Maddie as I pushed the stroller towards the waterfront. The baby rolled her eyes with disdain and suggested that maybe it would help if she got out and pushed. She’s been dragging her feet on a decision to replace her dad with a more obedient stroller driver, but still hasn’t had the heart to pull the trigger.
As I quickened my pace to avoid any further controversy, I noticed that the stroller compartment had fallen uncharacteristically silent. I slowed my pace so that I could catch a glimpse of what Maddie was up to now. I almost tripped and fell over when I saw that she was actually sound asleep???
Maddie hasn’t fallen asleep in her stroller in months. I slipped the stroller into a lower gear and made a subtle break for home. 20 minutes later and the baby was still sawing wood. I found a quiet section of sidewalk and decided to let her sleep it out. More than a half hour later and Maddie hadn’t even budged. It appears that my force of nature has finally decided to take some time to recharge.
I’m glad to see her getting the rest, but I have to worry what she might be like once she catches up on her sleep. I know she’s contemplated running a marathon and scaling the Empire State Building, but for now I intend to enjoy this scant amount of downtime.
Mission Impossible – Don’t Wake the Baby
Mission: Extract paper bag without waking baby
Strategy: Snatch and grab with great stealth
Risk: Waking up ravenous honey badger
Baby Crushes Sleep in Super Bowl Romp
As we work on getting the baby into her crib and amending her napping schedule, decent sleep in our household is hard to come by. Maddie’s parents find themselves backed up on a 4th and long with only seconds on the clock. The ultimate goal is to get Maddie sleeping comfortably in the end zone, but that’s much easier said than done.
Any questions we might have had about Maddie’s tenacity have been swept away without any shadow of a doubt. Even at the tender age of six-months-old, she has a will and determination that is cast in iron.
There is no overlooking the fact that her parents are crazy “Type A” individuals – but Maddie is looking to up the ante and elevate things to a stratospheric level. Forget the dog with a bone analogy – Maddie has proven yet again that she is a force of nature.
As long as she is being laid down in the crib, Maddie is refusing to sleep. She is ignoring the mounting fatigue, the drowsiness and standing up to her parents on this one. Her dogged determination is certainly impressive, but it also more than a little intimidating. Our current sleep issues are far from being resolved, but it appears that Maddie might be digging in.
Improving the quality and duration of Maddie’s sleep is for her own good. It would certainly be much easier to let her sleep where she wants. The only real question is how much of a beating her parents will have to take in the process.
Even with her limited sleep schedule this weekend, Maddie was absolutely her charming self. But how long our luck will last remains to be seen.
Baby Perfects Takedown – Pins Unsuspecting Father
For the most part, being pinned is rarely recognized as an enjoyable state of being. However, it’s quite possible that young Madeleine might single-handedly overcome that negative stereotype.
Sure there are some negative connotations out there. Being pinned as sometimes happens to high school or college wrestlers appears to have several drawbacks. This includes having a “stanked up” sweaty human being driving your face into an unwashed mat as a ravenous mob cheers him on.
This negative idea of the pin is now changing thanks to the Amazing Madeleine. If you find yourself pinned under the weight of your sleeping baby daughter, you are really in very good shape. You can’t go anywhere or do anything, so your only task is to enjoy the euphoric company of that slumbering princess.
It never gets old and it’s a most delightful experience. The only problem is that it always seems to end far too quickly. This is true even when it wreaks havoc with your schedule, makes you miss a phone call or leaves you longing for the bathroom. Just one look at her tells you all you need to know – you’re in the right place.
Maddie’s nap time is also a great time to catch up on some of your own sleep. Sleep that is desperately needed due to Maddie’s erratic nighttime antics. The worst part of this process is the knowledge that is only a limited short-term engagement. Maddie is growing very quickly, so now is the time to soak it all in before she becomes too big, too bored or both!
Baby Burning Holiday Candle at Both Ends
Once again (just like Thanksgiving) Maddie has renewed her own personal holiday tradition of boycotting sleep. This weekend, Maddie used holiday activities like shopping and visiting friends as a platform to strike down naptime as completely uncalled for.
This nap drought was NOT due to a lack of trying by her parents – Maddie was put down in her crib time and time again, only to rise like a warring Phoenix from the ashes. She woke time and time again screaming and demanding liberation from the confines of her crib and the terrible injustice of naptime.
If there is even the slightest hint of any activity in the house, Maddie is determined to place herself in the center of it like she did this weekend. It doesn’t help that she is always more than happy to charm and delight anyone who enters our home. We had some friends come over for a little holiday cheer this afternoon, and the Madster was in full entertainment mode.
As soon as she spotted our friends Dan and Michelle, a huge welcoming smile spread across her face. She batted her eyes and let them know she was ready to play and ready to party.
Everyone was having a great time, but after a couple of hours, Maddie began to rub her eyes. This is the telltale sign that our little treasure is losing stream and needs a nap. Mom shuttled her away and began the unenviable task to trying to put our little lion club down for a nap.
It lasted for all of 15 minutes before the little war eagle was screeching from her bedroom yet again. Gina went back and forth with her until the angel was back out front with us living the dream.
It’s nice to fantasize that naptime will get easier with Madeleine, but we have actually come to grips with the fact that our little girl will likely be combating naptime for years to come.
Maddie Using Sleep to Combat Vaccination Blues
Two days after our vaccination misadventures, Maddie is feeling a little bit better, but still struggling to sleep off all the nasty drugs churning in her system.
The baby not only slept until seven this morning (WHICH IS A MIRACLE!) but is making sure to catch extended catnaps at every turn. The first nap came after we had a couple pieces of furniture delivered this morning, including a new recliner! As soon as the delivery guys left, Maddie and her PaPa raced over to check out the new recliner. We looked at each other and decided to take that bad boy for a drive.
We plopped down into our new seat and Maddie knew exactly what to do – she passed out dead asleep in my arms in less than a minute. It was an hour and half before she finally woke up, but it was clear that this little nap of hers was just an appetizer. It was also apparent that this new recliner might work out very nicely in our happy home.
I really had to prod Maddie during her afternoon feeding just to keep her awake. The baby was only half way through the bottle when it became obvious that she couldn’t finish. Just before Maddie fell asleep, we decided to pay one more visit to the new recliner in case it was feeling lonely.
The leather chair greeted us like a long lost friend. Maddie’s little temper was flaring, but as soon as we settled in, the chair’s comfort assumed control of the situation. Maddie and PaPa both succumbed to the charm of the chair as we were forced to take another nice long nap.
Maddie ended up sleeping for two full hours and indicated that she is a big fan of the new chair! Good job Mom!
Road to Better Sleep Runs Over Parents
Even though it’s only day one on the road to establishing proper sleep habits for the baby – it is taking a heavy toll on the parents. Maddie loves a good throw-down and a couple of wide-eyed, eager-to-help parents is just what the doctor ordered. This is in no way a stiff challenge for someone like Maddie, it’s more like an appetizer to get her warmed up.
It all started with the first nap attempt of the day. Maddie was giving PaPa all the right signs to show him that she was ready to sleep. She was relaxed and her eyes were heavy as I began to ease her into the crib.
Maddie was like a little angel straight from heaven as she settled in for what was potentially a nice long nap. About 12 seconds later, she went off like a booby trap on the side of the road. Screams, sirens and carnage now ruled the morning as Maddie lashed out against this horrible indignity. How dare you try to put me down for a nap, “Do you know who I am?”
I tried to soothe and reason with her and that only made things worse. It was now eight in the morning and Maddie already had me on the ropes – Good Times! The experts indicate that you must be persistent in pushing the naps, but they never had to go head to head with the Mad Madster.
After about 10 minutes of soothing, Maddie finally gave up, stopped crying and gave into sleep. My Lord, I’ve done it!
I strolled into the kitchen like William the Conqueror – hungry for breakfast after my epic victory. That’s when I noticed the walls of Jericho beginning to sway to and fro – the little girl was awake and was on the verge of bringing the walls down! Once again, Maddie was forced to communicate her extreme displeasure with the ineptitude of her father at the top of her lungs. Now the little girl is dug in and more determined than ever to put an end to this sleep nonsense.
By 8:20am, the signs of parental damage were everywhere. The vanquished father lifted the triumphant and sleepless baby out of the crib to show the throng of Maddie admirers the power and majesty of true defiance. Keep in mind this was only the first nap attempt of the day. Believe me when I tell you that things never got any easier. By 8pm, both parents were dead on their feet and already wondering what wonderful late-night plans Maddie had in store for both of them.
Start the Car, I Need My Sleep!
Maddie has always been very good at sleeping in the car, but lately it’s where she’s getting her best rest. Sad but true.
The baby has been boycotting sleep like it’s her job. A half hour here and 45 minutes there, but once the car gets rolling, she goes lights out. Keep in mind I said once the car gets ROLLING.
Even the briefest of stops leaves the occupants on pins and needles, terrified that the sleeping beast may awake and lay waste to all those in her path. Today was no different – we started driving and Maddie let out a huge snort of relief. The very first traffic light I hit, Maddie lit me up like a Roman candle. The light turned green, Maddie hunkered down for another nap. Do you see a pattern here?
Once we hit the highway, all of our troubles melted away in blur of perpetual motion. Yet 40 minutes later when we arrived at our destination, tragedy struck yet again. This time, I actually had to crawl into the back seat and feed her a couple of ounces to make sure she didn’t take me out.
Luckily just two ounces did the trick and baby was actually asleep on the bottle. I crept out of the car back into the driver’s seat, never once looking in the back seat to see if the little scream therapist had spotted me. A few miles down the road, I finally dug up the courage and took a quick glimpse in the back seat, but Maddie was out.
With Maddie at the tender age of four-months-old, we are reading a great deal of material about establishing proper sleep habits. We decided that we are going to dive in this weekend and set Maddie on course to a lifetime of wonderful and blissful sleep. The real question is who will making the rules, Maddie or her parents? If you are making wagers, I would make the baby as an early 3 to 1 favorite.
Stay Home PaPa 