So here we are...all eight of us plus a short term nanny sleeping in THREE bedrooms.  I've refused to complain regarding our coziness so far.   At least I think I have...maybe I've tried to avoid complaining.  Or just thought about not complaining.  I mean, it really hasn't been bad...up till now.  But can I just say, I think I blocked out the whole baby-crying-at-night thing?  No, I take that back.  Actually by the time all our other kids were Charis' age, they were out of our bedroom and were sleeping soundly through the night, because we quit getting them up to nurse at a certain point at least by 16 weeks or so.  Connor slept 12 hours straight at six weeks old and never wavered from that.   But Charis has been waking up MAD as all get out several nights in a row. 

 She KNOWS we're there, and isn't pleased. 

Out comes the orajel, out comes the Tylenol, a little nursing (for the sake of my poor husband who has to fly or something)...she usually goes right back to sleep.  I'm sure it's teething.  She's relatively happy all day long.  But last night and the night before she cried a loooong time.  It's not  a sad whimpering kind of cry either.  It's a yelling, angry cry. 

And it's LOUD. 

And it's at the foot of our bed. 

 And the closets are not the walk-in variety.  Josh finally got up and moved her porta crib...yes she's still in a travel sized pack and play because there's no ROOM for a bigger crib!!  Anyway, he moved it into the bathroom.  Everybody in Hawaii sleeps with their windows open, and even though ours are closed, I know the neighbors can hear her because they comment when she's had a rough night!  I ought to pass out complimentary ear plugs with an apology note attached. 

So here's an SOS for prayer.   I know sleepless nights come with the territory of babies.  But I refuse to be a human pacifier.  At least I generally reject that sort of pacification.  I have up till now anyway.  If I introduce the whole family bed thing, I know I won't sleep well.  But maybe it would be quiet.  Just thought you might like to know how I'm dreading bedtime tonight!  Here we go...

With mmm!-lovin'-that-baby aloha,

Christa

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Posted by callmekate

Just read your post (12:46 am my time) and I'll pray for you right now! (Pausing to pray)

I hope things get better soon for your sweet baby's nights. You know this time will pass but not soon enough, I'm sure!

May the Lord grant you all sweet dreams soon!

Kate

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Posted by Petersonclan

If you don't succumb to being a human pacifier, more power to ya!!! At #7 I decided my sleep (and subsequent happiness the next day) was important, and the last two babies (and I am sure the next one) went to bed with me. We both got sweet sleep while they ate. I did buy a bed rail thing so that the baby didn't sleep in between Eric and I.

If you can manage to hang in there a few more nights, I am sure she will overcome it, but I am not that strong. Some things are important... God, family, AND SLEEP! Haha.

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Posted by Juldos

Praying for your little one to sleep better.
Hugs,
Julie

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Posted by Anonymous

oh, little 'C' let your mama sleep!!!!

and 3 bedroom home is small, (been there w/ 2 less people!) but it's crazy how special this time will be to you when you look back. You'll TOTALLY miss the cloesness and will bond together laughing over 'C' in the bathroom.

you know that, right?

And sorry lady, but I'd try a pacifier. One of my children had one and he has the best teeth of the entire family. No joke.

Emily
thelearningneverstops.blogspot.com

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Posted by Anonymous

Hey pal, sorry to hear about sweet Charis. Do you think that the porta is too small. I had to move Joy and Mikey at about 10 weeks b/c the cradle was too small and they needed more room. Once I moved them to the big crib they slept through the night. Perhaps you could some how arrange the room to get her in the real crib. You know I also sprinkled that crib with sleeping dust so I know Charis will sleep soundly in it. I'll take her for a night if you want...see how she does in Mikey's crib. I'll move Mikey into a pack and play just to see how she will do. PS...all set with TeenPact...you OWE me!!!

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Posted by sonshine4u

I so remember the crying baby thing! We didn't own a crib for the first 6 months of our first baby. Being new parents she was in our room in a pack and play for too long and then when we did put her in the office next to our room...being the new parent...I had a terrible time not consoling her.

I realize you are in a totally different situation, but know how precious sleep is! Hang in there friend!

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Posted by sixfolks

Hello, I found your blog by following the comment you left Leigh at Riverbend Prep. I've enjoyed reading your entries and have added you to my friends list so I can check in now and again. Thanks for sharing a bit of Hawaii with us.
Corey

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Posted by Anonymous

Ah, Christa, I feel your pain! The last 2 months have been very sleepless for various reasons--well, 6 various reasons, LOL. I even blogged about it the end of January. People have been sick, had bad dreams, been teething, gone poopy in the middle of the night . . . etc. It got better for a week or so, and then everyone got sick again, so back to sleepless nights. Sigh. We're not all in 3 rooms, but I can empathize, and I'll definitely be praying for you! It's amazing how quickly I get run-down when I am not getting a half-way decent night's sleep.

Claire
www.psalm127.blogspot.com

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Posted by Anonymous

Hey, I'm dreading tonight, too! ;) You're poor family. Does she keep everyone else awake, as well? I agree, though, I don't do well as a human pacifier, and I don't sleep well, either. I hope it's just teething and therefore will abate soon...

~al

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Posted by Anonymous

I'm finding myself in a similar situation! I too, generally, don't like to nurse in the middle of the night past 3 months and here we are 7 months....and I'm up at least once. It's the whole loft thing that is throwing me off. I can't exactly let him scream for ever, or the whole house is up and it just echos.... I am trying to tell myself that he's my last baby and I can bend my "rules" for him! Remember, with each kid we surrender yet another piece of "self." Maybe these babies are the ones who teach us that cosleeping isn't the worst thing after all???? Good luck and sweet dreams!!

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Posted by Anne

WILL SEND UP EMERGENCY PRAYERS!

We lived in a 2 bedroom apartment when Sarah was a baby but we had a walk in closet, a huge boon. Maybe have you tried waking her to feed her late, like 11, and give Mylicon/tylenol before she goes back down for the night as pre-emptive measure, and Mylicon again when she wakes up? I think you are not a co sleeper normally but maybe you could try that our for a while? Desperate times/desperate measures, just to get her through teething. But maybe this would not be a good route for you. Probably obvious, just brainstorming.OK, you are the pro, just know that my prayers are sending up...

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Posted by Lindsey G.

I see nighttime parenting from a different scope, I guess, in that my parenting of a little baby certainly doesn't end because it is dark outside. I know God gave my baby cries so that I would know he needed something, and if needing to eat is part of it, then feeding I do! Cosleeping has worked wonderfully for our family. Grace went to her own bed for a while before her first birthday, then back with us, then back to her own bed at age 2, Isabelle we have chosen to keep with us as I still nurse her to sleep and Philip obviously is still sleeping with us as he still needs to nurse during the night. It has helped me and Gregg to both get so much more sleep during the night to be able to keep them close to us! It doesn't mean that I'm a pacifier, but it certainly does make nighttime nursings so much easier!

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