Mean Mommy

Last Saturday was "Spa Day". That once a year tradition where Mom and daughters venture to Bella Lei for manicures, pedicures, facials and haircuts. It's a fabulous day of well deserved pampering.

So this year, I was getting my haircut by my beloved hairstylist that I have been going to for almost 10 years now (more than that?!) my sister was next to me with her stylist and my mom was wandering about the salon. I've told said stylist many times about Eleanor's problems sleeping through the night. She provided me with some advice, all of which resulted in "mean mommy". Everyone agreed, if Eleanor can sleep through the night some nights, she doesn't need a bottle those other nights.

But, I contested, it's easier to give her a bottle and go back to bed in 15 minutes then try and get her to go to bed without.

But....I wanted to see what happened. Saturday night, she slept through the night. Sunday night, she slept through the night. Monday night, she slept through the night. No worries, I thought. She is doing it on her own. Tuesday night...she woke up. It was only 11 PM! I knew she couldn't be hungry. So in I went, gave her a NUK and put on "the fish". She screamed when I left the room. She was so mad I didn't even pick her up. She screamed for 30 seconds. Enough time for me to crawl into bed and get comfy. Then she stopped. I did it! I mastered! 3 minutes later, she was whining and fussing again. But not crying. This went on for about 10 minutes. Then the crying started. Then the wailing started. I went in her room, rubbed her belly, gave her the NUK and told her it was sleepy time. She got mad. So I went to get a bottle....of water! She started chugging the bottle, then realized what I had done. She pushed the bottle away and pouted. Then grabbed the bottle and drank. Pushed it away. Finally she calmed down and I just held her. Held her and rocked her. She fixed her eyes on the moving, rocking, shadow and stared. I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy the few moments of cuddle time I was getting.

Finally, I heard her breath start to slow and become very deep. I felt her little body twitch and I knew it, she was asleep. I put her in her crib and crawled into my own bed. It was after midnight.

So tell me...what did we learn from this experience? Why is giving her a bottle in the middle of the night so bad?! I can go back to bed in 15 minutes or in 1 hour and 15 minutes.

We'll see what happens tonight. I hope I don't have to deal with it and she just sleeps through the night. Nic gave her 9 oz of formula tonight; the most that child has ever drank in one sitting. She's probably swimming in her crib right now.

Maybe it was a night of lost sleep, or maybe, just maybe, we are on to something!