12 minutes

How long it takes Maddie to cry herself to sleep..

Yup, I did CIO last night. She was overtired, I was quite exhausted, and holding her to sleep was not doing the trick.

It was a long weekend and DJ and I got home and both wanted some snuggle time. However Maddie wakes up- and I mean wakes up, so I bring her into bed with us and she eventually goes back to sleep. So I take her back to her crib and 15 minutes later (right after I find the perfect curve in DJs arm to lay on and get comfy) she is crying again. I go to try to calm her in the crib, and think of what to do. I know she has gotten used to be held over the last few days (reason to be shared in a later blog when I have more time) and I was thinking ok, I could take her back to bed and let her sleep with us tonight, as I can break her of this in a couple of days when I don't have to get up early for work. I really don't want to take her back to the bed for a couple of reasons... DJ and I needing some snuggle time, and the fact that we are both dead tired and I don't trust myself to sleep with her when I know I am this tired. So, I lay her pacifier by her, move her clothes hamper so I can close her door, and tell myself I will give her 10 minutes. (even though I promised myself I would never do CIO again after our first try with it) I am seriously soo tired that I lay there and am almost falling asleep to the sound of her cry. She comes down, then starts to get mad with a more loud cry. I of course pick my head up every few minutes to see how long it has been. The first two minutes were the hardest. I was like, whoa it has only been 2 minutes!!

Needless to say, by the time 10 minutes rolled around she was still crying but definitely shutting down. Finally 12 minutes...complete silence!! I wait another 3 minutes to go over and open her door. I should have taken a picture, but I was really tired. But she passed out in the corner of her crib, both hands behind her head... her legs spread wide. It was pretty funny!! She actually slept the best she has in a while. Didn't cry at all for her pacifier during the night. I was joking with my mom that she was probably thinking "why bother crying, Mom doesn't answer to it now anyhow!" But I really just think she was so tired out... she stayed in that same position all night. When I came in to wake her up this morning she was in the corner still, with one hand behind her head, and the other holding her pacifier in her mouth. She opened her eyes when she heard me walk in, but didn't move. She didn't really want to wake up. I waited a while then finally gently placed my hand on her belly and said "Are you gonna get up, or what" She finally looks at me and then starts smiling.

It was hard to let her CIO, but I think there are some times when it works, and I am glad we did it last night.