The perfect nap

This morning Gavin had the perfect nap. He usually goes down for his morning nap at about 9:00, one hour after he wakes up in the morning. This morning he didn't become fussy like he usually does, which is the only sign that I ever get from him that he is tired. But he had been awake for an hour, which is usually his limit in the morning. So I thought I would start to get him ready for his nap. I read a book to him which he usually doesn't let me do, and then I wrapped him up in his blanket. I rocked him for a minute and then took him into his room. He was fussing just a little bit as I sang to him and put him in his crib. He smiled at me and then I left the room. I waited for him to start crying, like he always does, but there was just silence. I waited. Nothing. So I looked at our video monitor (best purchase ever!) and he was laying in his crib, awake, just squirming around a little bit. 5 minutes later, he was asleep. He didn't cry! I was so happy!

I then sent a few emails, showered and was cleaning up the kitchen. I looked at the clock and it was 10:30. I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard anything from him. (He usually wakes up mid-nap and cries for 10 - 30 minutes before falling back asleep.) So I kept cleaning. He then did wake up about 10 minutes before his set wake-time and I again waited for him to start crying. He didn't. He just laid in his crib, talking to himself and being perfectly happy. When I finally went in to get him he just started smiling and laughing when he saw me.

So it has taken 2 extremely long and difficult months of sleep training, but we finally did it ... WE HAD THE PERFECT NAP!

Now I know that it won't happen every time. In fact, when I just put him down for his afternoon nap he cried for 10 minutes before falling asleep, and I am certain he will wake early as well. We are still trying to figure out optimal wake time for this nap.

But things are going really well. We usually put him to bed at night around 7:30 and except for a dreamfeed at 10:30 he sleeps through the night until 8 in the morning. WONDERFUL!!

Here he is in his crib. (don't mind the ugly bumpers. I haven't had a chance to cover them yet)

He always pulls the blanket on top of his head. Up until a few weeks ago, he would pull it over his head, let go and then couldn't figure out how to get it off. He would just start screaming and we would have to go in and help him. Now he wants to have the blanket over his face and that's how he gets to sleep.

We love our little guy and we are so happy that he is sleeping better!

Oh, one more funny thing: I always sing the same 2 songs to him when it's time to go to sleep. Supposedly it helps him to know that it is time to go to sleep. I sing him "Twinkle twinkle little star", and "I am a Child of God." I always laugh when I transition from one to the other because I finish singing twinkle twinkle and go right into I am a child of God.

It goes like this:

" . . . twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. ... I am a child of God, and he has sent me here ..."

So that answers the question. The little star is a Child of God. I like it.