independent sleeper

Everything I've read about teaching a baby to fall asleep on their own says that, whatever method you use, you should start between four and six months of age. We were looking forward to starting after Nate's four month birthday, if he seemed ready (whatever that means).

Since starting daycare, Nate has almost always fallen asleep on his own. He plays and relaxes on the ottoman in the evenings while Rodgers and I do chores, work/play on the computer, or watch TV/movies (or sometimes all three...). We play with him, talk to him, and read him books. But he really loves to just watch us. Especially if we're folding laundry. Or if one of us is doing dishes and he can see us through the pass-through.

After getting home from work and daycare, I feed Nate and put him in his pjs (sometimes take a bath), then we play for a while. Then I do whatever else I need to do - usually includes getting something together for Rodgers and me to eat. Some days Nate would fall asleep at 6, and sometimes at 8, but he very rarely needed any help. We would let him fall asleep on the ottoman, then move him to his bed. He typically sleeps about 7 hours, wakes up to eat, then sleeps until we wake him up at 6 am. He does have his nights when he wants to eat more than once, and he also has nights when we don't hear from him till morning.

Saturday, our routine got changed up a bit. After his 6 pm bottle, he was super fussy. He didn't want to play, he didn't want to be rocked, he didn't want to eat more, he didn't want to be soothed, he didn't want to lay on the ottoman. He is sooooo not a fussy baby. I was concerned. Finally, around 7, I just put him in his bed and turned on his Baby Einstein Great Barrier Reef Soother. He immediately settled down, and was asleep in less than ten minutes. He just wanted to be alone in his room, in the dark, so he could fall asleep. I should have known! The rest of this week has been similar, but we don't wait for him to get super fussy before putting him in bed. We just put him to bed around 7ish, wide awake, and he does the rest. We don't always use the soother.

I know lots of people who say, "I wish my kid was still ____." Even people with babies as young as Nate have said this. I have not had that sentiment yet. I have loved every stage of these three-and-a-half months, each stage is better than the last. (This one is best yet because it includes giggles and an independent sleeper!)

So that's our current normal. It was different last week. And I'm sure it will be different again next week.