Sunday, April 04, 2010
Movement and Progress
This kid moves. This kid moves all of the time. If he's awake, he's moving. He stands more than he sits, lowering himself only to crawl over to the next standing opportunity.
He moves so much that he literally can't stop. He'll be so tired that his eyes go red and bleary and his yawns come from his toes, and when I put him on his bed he pops his thumb in his mouth, shuts his eyes and flops over on his face. But then his body starts again, legs pushing and digging, seemingly of their own accord. He's moving, he's moving, he's moving, and I swear I see in his tired, tired eyes the sheer frustration of, "oh no, not again."
Then he's standing again. He's frustrated. He cries. He tries again - thumb in, eyes closed, nose dive into the blankets. But no, his legs betray him again and he's now at the end of the bed. Again - eyes shut, thumb in, face plant. No go - now he's across the room.
I have successfully taught him to find his own comfort in his thumb, to relate his bed with sleep. I just haven't managed to help him learn how to put his own little body to sleep. Nursing worked because at least it gave his body something else to focus on.
But obviously we have to move beyond that. Today I forcibly restrained him, actually pinned him to the bed and he screamed and screamed. Then within five minutes, he drifted off to sleep and I swear his expression was one of pure relief. No rocking, no nursing, no crawling, no standing, hitting or biting.
He's been asleep for over an hour.
For the next nap, I'm going to try just the pressure of my hands, no full body hug. I have faith. We're getting close.
posted by Working From Home Today
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