"Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning . . .

Oh how I wish I could stay in BED!"

I think that song was probably written about moms (specifically moms of littles), and then some time later switched to the military with a few changes in the lyrics.

Kateri sings an opposite song. It goes something like:

"Oh how I love to wake up in the night-time! Oh how I really detest to SLEEP!"

Hello, sleep strike! Time for bed? Think again, mom and dad! MAYBE I'll go to sleep once it's 10 or 11, though. . .

Sleeping for more then 2 (or one) consecutive hours? Nope! No thanks! She just loves calling to us after sleeping about an hour, eating, and then being rocked . . . and rocked and rocked and rocked in the glider. Oh and then rocked some more. There once was a day when she easily went to sleep after that midnight snack. But those days are GONE.

Sleep in until 7? and then contentedly talk and play in the crib? Think again! 0500 sounds like a delightful time to Kateri.

She has also decided that 'napping?! who needs it?!' Naps are overrated! 15 to 20 minutes MAX.

So all three of us became tired exhausted messes ready to tear out our hair, and trying to pull ourselves together enough to scrape by doing a few essential things (like eat). Oh and mainly by all three of us, I mean me.

And then, I saw Kateri do this:

She NEVER does that!

Finally, I realized a few things:

1. We have a very over tired munchkin, this is NOT just a life-change/part of growing up
2. Probably due to crazy days and complete lack of schedules/bed times over the holidays
3. This is not something any of us can maintain

So I sent out an SOS to my mom, who gave me some wonderful advice! And that advice went in to action immediately.

1. Bed time routines are great
2. Early bed times are even greater
3. Sleeping through the night is even greater than that, so no more midnight snacks!
4. When Kateri wakes up in the middle of the night, go in, pat her on the back and tell her you love her and to lie down and go back to sleep.

Wow! So change is in the air, my friends! Kateri is very happy to report that she now gets a daily bath-playtime session, which she loves, in addition to reading a story! And I love getting her in bed by 7:30. And, well, number four is a hard one to stick to, as Pat and I discovered on our first night with our New Plan. And though number three has yet to happen, I have no doubt that it will!

So thankful for the great advice and encouragement, mom! Bring on the zzzzzz's!!