breaking free!

Elliot has been a bit...difficult. Well, difficult as far as sleep goes. Here's an update:

Week 1-12: aka typical newborn sleeping and eating
8/9pm bed
11pm feed
3am feed
7am feed

Week 13: aka (mean) little sneak peak at dream sleep for parents
8pm bed
10:30pm feed
7am wake

Week 14-16: aka up all night to party!
8pm bed
10:30pm feed
3am wake
4am wake
5am wake
6am wake
7am feed

Week 17: aka sneak in a few days of sleep just to keep us on our toes
7:30pm bed
10:30pm feed
6am wake
7am feed

Week 18: aka yep, back to the all night routine!
7:30pm bed
10:30pm feed
2am wake
3am wake
4am wake
5am wake
6am wake
7am feed

Last night: aka sleep, blessed sleep!
7:30pm bed
10:30pm feed
6:30am wake

Like I posted last week, we're on a bit of a spiral with Elliot; two steps forward and then one step back. I am so thankful for all your prayers and advice. I am convinced it was the Lord that let us get some sleep last night!

Last week, Elliot was getting so upset in the wee-morning hours that she'd break out of her swaddle. Josh kept suggesting that it was time to wean her off the swaddle, but I wasn't convinced. She was napping so well in her swaddle and I'd heard horror stories about weaning off the swaddle. But in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I caved. Completely sleep deprived and not sure what to do with my fussy four month old I unwrapped her swaddle and zipped her into a sleep sack.

The result? She slept just as horribly as she did in the swaddle. She hit herself in the face repeatedly and woke up shocked, as if someone else was doing the face-smacking to her. But patience/Josh prevailed. We used the sleep sack for her naps and bedtime sleep for Saturday and Sunday.

I was praying so fervently that Elliot would sleep through the night last night. I woke up at 5am this morning and couldn't believe it! Elliot was still asleep! I wanted to leap out of bed and shout hallelujahs--but I didn't, because Josh was sound asleep next to me. So I sat there grinning from ear to ear. I hope this is the start of a good transition into really sleeping through the night.

So far Elliot has done great with her naps at work in the sleep sack. Here's a picture of her asleep at work. I love how she has Leo the Lion (blanket from Lauren) and Smokey the Bear (pacifier+animal) tucked in right beside her.

Thank you for your continued prayers for this baby girl and her sleepy parents!!