The new drill - the babies and the willis

So it's time.. the babies are old enough and I need to do the hard work of parenting. We have decided to fight the sleep battle. It's what the babies need and it seems we are starting to be controlled instead of us taking the helm and setting the ground work. So thank you Meghan for your great advice.. we started last night.

I put J down after nursing... he was asleep around 6:30pm. While Idid that L fell asleep in Tom's arms. We put her down. As usual they woke up w/i the hour.. I think around 6:45pm. We started the "program" (haha) ... we let them cry, but went up to put the pacifier back in for them every so often (around 2 to 5min) and to soothe them if they were really over the top. After they settled down to just some whimpering we left them be to figure it out. J in the crib and L in the co-sleeper in our room. They cried on and off for about 2 hours or so, but were still awake in their perspective sleeping locations. L just laying loooking around and J babbling away. We went to bed around 9:30pm and left both babies to figure it out. L woke around midnight for her first feeding, J around 2 am, then L around 4am and J around 6:30am. It's now 7:30am, L is up for the day and as soon as I'm done here I'll wake J. Today I'll do the same for naps, but will only allow the crying to last an hour and we'll do it all again tonight. It was nice to get a little sleep by myself. I even put L back in the co-sleeper after her midnight feeding.. she was there till 4am.

It was really hard to hear them cry, but I know now that this is best for them.

Phoebe has a new drill too!! Poor willis is getting so stir crazy lately.. she really needs more exercise. So thank you Mom and Cesar Milan - Dog Whisperer. While mom was here she was reading through his book and on his suggestion bought Phoebe a lovely doggie back pack....





It works like a charm!!! It was tough getting it on her the first couple of times, but this a.m. was much easier.. she's starting to get that she gets to go for a walk when this thing comes out. The new drill is that I feed the babies and get up and take Phoebe for a walk before Tom leaves for work. :) This helps her to be more relaxed during the day and gets her (and I) some much needed exercise... and me some alone time as well.

This a.m. during our walk we walked RIGHT BY this big black dog that is chained in his front yard. In the past I would avoid the street entirely.. then when we first started "whispering" (training) her I would walk by the dog on the other side of the street to correct her when she got worked up. Today I walked right in front of the dog. He jumped up and barked at Phoebe as we walked by and she only needed ONE - O.N.E. - small correction as we went by.

So that's the new drill at the Mount household. Please wish me luck that this sleep thing works. It's going to be tough on me... Meghan said it took her's two weeks to get it.. Julie and Todd.. I hope my kids get it in a week so we aren't going through this at your place. I know we are running the risk of having to start all over when we get back from Tday then again at Xmas, but I've got to stop w/the excuses as to why I need to wait.. these kids NEED TO SLEEP!