YEAH!!!!

Here is a rundown of our last 2 nights with Bellaboo in her own bed:

After her last crying episode at 9:15 last night, she slept until 4:30 in the morning. She woke up crying and Jeff went to change her diaper. A few minutes later, he appears in our room with her in his arms. I did not want her to hear my voice, so I grunted and he figured I did not want her to come to bed with us. He brought her back to her bed and came back asking why. I told him I did not want to start training her to wake up in the early morning to get in our bed. It would defeat the purpose. She cried for 27 minutes and then fell asleep until I woke her up at 6:30 to get ready to leave for work!!!

Tonight: Jeff brought her into her room and she instantly started to wrap her legs tightly around his waist and hug his neck tightly, all the while shaking her head empahatically no. He put her in her crib and told her he loved her and "night-night". She cried and screamed and 7 minutes later it stopped instantly. I cracked the door to see what was going on and she was sitting down with her "dolly" loving it. Then she laid down on her other baby doll and put her cute little bottom in the air and actually went to sleep!!!!!!! I was amazed. 7 minutes!!!!

It is 2 hours later and I am pleased to report that she is still asleep! Now, I am not foolish enough to think it will always be this easy, but I will say I am truly at a loss for words that the first 2 nights went as smoothly as they did. The only difference between the first time I tried this a month and a half ago and now is that I am not going in to her when she cries. Of course, if she were to cry for more than 45 minutes, I will go reassure her that I have not left her. I really think that her seeing me and not being able to have me, made her REALLY mad and made it last longer. She has quite the temper!

Now, you may be wondering how it affected her interaction with me today. Well, it was actually much better! She was a lot happier and more content and did not get as irritable. I think she is sleeping so much better. I, too, was less irritable and much happier! :) Sounds like things are going to get a little easier around here.

I still can't post pics. FRUSTRATING!!!! I had some to post from Valentine's Day when we took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese. It was great. It is our family tradition to take Jake there every Valentine's Day Night and it was wonderful to have Bella with us this year! She has a blast and hopefully, I will be able to prove it with my cute pics one day. Also, back in January, there was snow in the next state of Mississippi one Saturday and so we decided to pack up Jake and Bella and go to the snow. That's right... we traveled a little over 1 and 1/2 hours to play in the snow for about 20 minutes and then turn around and come home. We stopped in a church parking lot and made snow angles and a 3 foot snowman. It was a blast! I will post those pics as I am able.

That is the latest in this household... stay tuned for more of the bedtime saga...