Sleep: It finally happened

You guys. There are no words.

I'm been so afraid to say this out loud - or write this for the world.

But my kids are sleeping.

Like real sleeping.

All night long.

In their own beds.

Now before you go all crazy, I'll be completely honest here. It's not every single night. But it's the majority of the time. They're in their own beds. No waking up at night. At least 4 nights out of each week. Sometimes more.

I know, I know, I know.

This is crazy, right?

If I had a dollar for every person who said I was spoiling them, or that they'd never sleep in their own beds (or that they'd never fall asleep without nursing...), they'd be going to Montessori school this year instead of homeschooling, bahaha!

What was the secret, you ask?

Nada.

They were just ready, I guess.

Okay, okay. If we are being completely honest, B may have been ready from day 1. He slept 4-6 hour stretches at night from birth. But don't get jealous - his 17 month older sister was still waking every 1.5 - 2 hours like clockwork, so I didn't really get to enjoy that sleep of his.

And although he's always loved his space while he slept, and likely would have been content in a crib, that seemed like waaaay too much extra work when I still had a babe right next to me.

But finally. Finally! H got it together and started sleeping.

Well, as I said, mostly.

She still walks and talks in her sleep. So their is still no true sleep for the wicked. And she doesn't not wake up at night, she's just getting more comfortable at falling back to sleep by herself. Secret: Lots of books by her bed, a flashlight, and stuffed horse.

Whatever, whatever, I will take it. There are still actual nights of real, uninterrupted sleep. After 5+ years, it's happened.

Want to know a secret?

I actually miss snuggling them while we sleep.

I miss having them right there all night, because I still have the irrational fear that they will randomly stop breathing at night.

I'm glad we did it this way though. That we spent years sharing our sleep and cuddling and having them close. And that they got to sleep in their own beds on their own terms.

I know quite a few people who did one form of sleep training or another while their babes were infants, only to end up doing one form of co-sleeping or another once their babes were mobile and talking. Obviously it doesn't work out for everyone that way, but again, if I had a dollar... So I'm glad we just forewent the stress of tears. We embraced the sleep deprivation the best we could.

And finally, it's paying off.

In the calm, peaceful, pleasant way we were hoping for.

And the best part?

I got to paint some furniture and re-decorate to celebrate it all. Of course!