Creeping and Co-sleeping

Two big events are happening in our household...

First, James started to "creep" for the first time today (propel himself forward on his tummy by kicking his legs). He only made it maybe 10 inches, but that is a LOT more than he has ever moved before! I'm feeling the need to keep a closer eye on him since he is also grabbing anything he can get his hands on and bringing it to his mouth (he tried this with my hair and head this morning... didn't work so well!).

Second, we are trying out co-sleeping. I've done lots of research on how to do it safely, and, after trying one unsuccessful night with him in the pack n play next to my bed, we are resorting to putting a twin mattress on the floor of our room for me to sleep with him on. So James gets put to bed in his own room and I let him sleep in his crib until his 11/midnight feeding when I go to bed (our nice big comfy bed with Eliot in it). Then I put him back down in his crib, but the first time after that that he wakes up, I get him and sleep with him on the baby-safe mattress on the floor that he can't fall off of and that has only light blankets and a square pillow. It is also safer because Eliot has no awareness when he is asleep (he's hit me a few times by accident).

This all came about because I am exhausted and tired of getting up every 2 hours to either feed him or put him back to sleep. When he sleeps next to me, he sleeps LOOOOONG stretches and just barely fusses to let me know he is hungry. Then I can breastfeed him without getting up. It's letting me get a lot more sleep, and James is getting better sleep as well (he sleeps in till 8:30 when he sleeps with me, but is up at 7 or so when he's by himself).

So the hope is that when he does decide to start sleeping through the night, he will be used to going to bed in his own crib and it won't be a huge transition from sleeping with me. But in the meantime, I can't keep waiting for him to sleep through the night... I have to do something NOW to keep my sanity and make me a better, more rested mommy.

Yup, co-sleeping. Never thought I would do it, but it turns out it's pretty wonderful to wake up in the morning with a smiley baby next to me (instead of flinging the covers back and grumping my way into the nursery). :-)