Sleep Deprived

We're all a little sleep deprived around here, and by "we," I really mean me. Phil a little. Mostly me.

When Oscar was a newborn, Phil and I knew next to nothing about parenting (contrary to what I believed, years of babysitting is hardly preparation for parenthood) and even less about babies. When we went to bed, Oscar went to bed. Whenever he seemed tired, I put him down for a nap. Friends hinted at things like sleep schedules; I had no idea what they were talking about. Then my mother sent us a little book called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child that changed our lives forever.

As Lily and Henry followed (practically sleep training themselves), friends and family would marvel at how easily our children went to bed and how they slept so soundly through the night. We would shudder to hear tales of children staying up till all hours, refusing to go to bed, or climbing into bed with their parents every night. What was wrong with those people? Didn't they know with a little effort how easy it was to sleep train their children? Maybe we didn't know anything else about parenting, but sleeping, we had down.

Then there was William.

Our latest attempt to get this guy to sleep through the night is the Woombie, an armless sleep sack. I read the glowing reviews, bought it online and awaited it's delivery with the anticipation of a super hot first date. Three more days until the Woombie gets here! Two more days! One! When it arrived looking like a little baby straight jacket, I wondered if this little thing would be my salvation.

He was out of it within minutes.

I don't know, have I gone soft? There's something so pathetic and vulnerable about Will, and I admit it, I feel bad for him. I hesitate to let him cry it out all night. There's the scratching and bleeding issue when he gets frustrated, but even more than that, this kid's got a will of steel. He's unbelievably stubborn. Is it possible that we have finally met our match? Or am I letting my soft spot for William and all his issues get in the way of a good night's sleep for all of us? But pondering all these deep thoughts may have to wait. I'm due for a nap.