To sleep perchance to dream...

So far, the roughest part of this parenting gig is getting Margaux to sleep at night. She is still an excellent daytime sleeper, but this skill vanishes at sunset. At the risk of jinxing us for tonight, we have seen some improvement. For the past several nights, she has slept from 3:00 am or so to 7:00 am or so. Four consecutive hours of sleep feels so very nice to me and Mike.

We’re hoping that she will expand those hours and start going to sleep at a decent hour. Books and friends (who have real live children of their own who are good sleepers) have told us that we should let her cry herself to sleep. Here’s an excerpt of an email I wrote last week to a friend (who also has a newborn) during an attempt at letting Margaux get to sleep on her own.

Hi Tracy,

….it is 4 a.m. and I think she may (read fingers crossed and holding breath) actually be asleep. This parenting stuff is rough.

4:03 a.m. Not asleep after all. Now screaming. Am forcing myself to wait 5 minutes before going in there. Argh.

I don't think we are quite up for a visit, yet, but we will be soon.

Do you have pictures of Claire? If so, I'd love to see some.

4:07 a.m. Stopped crying. Now feel compelled to go check on breathing.

4: 09 a.m. Never mind, crying again, so breath is implied.

Goodnight, Cindy

I am glad to say that this email would no longer be written at 4 a.m., but it is very similar to our experiences between 10:00 and 3:00. Thankfully, we think she is cute even in the middle of the night. Here are some pics of her just after a feeding. Please notice the sunlight in the room, which explains Margaux’s state of consciousness.