you are getting sleepy

dear funny boy,

after a full day of daycare, a bear gets sleepy. often at night you are so tired you can't wait for me to put you to bed.

most of the time i pick you up around 4:30 so you have time for a nap, a walk, dinner in your high chair, and a bath. you really want to be in bed by 7:00 and don't like it when i keep you up later than that. there have been many times that you would have walked yourself right upstairs and climbed into your crib if you were able.

at the same time, if we skip any steps in the routine, that seems to throw you. so instead of skipping steps, i just shorten them: we go for a walk just around the block instead of for half an hour, you eat just half a jar of carrots instead of a whole one, i dip you in the warm bathwater for a minute or two instead of soaping you up and letting you play.

last night you had a great sleep. you slept all the way through the night for the second night in a row, and the third time ever. you went to bed at 7:00, and when you woke up 11 hours later you had a nice long drink of warm breast milk. you were happy. i was happy.

tonight you went to sleep easily. you nursed a little bit after your bath, then decided you'd had enough. i put you in your crib with your eyes very open, turned on your turtle light, and left the room. you talked to yourself for a few minutes and then not a peep.

simple: soothe, sleep.