A new start

So last week I was talking to Janelle and telling her that I couldn't believe how much easier Bowdy was now and that I didn't think it would ever get to this point. I was raving about how I felt I could take him anywhere and knew he wouldn't be too difficult for me to handle. This shouldn't have come as a surprise to me since I had taken him out and about since we came home from the hospital, 4lbs and all, but I think it finally hit me that I could do anything with him. Bowdy has been great during the day, taking 3 -2 1/2 hour naps and usually a evening cat nap that last from 30 minutes to 1 hour. He had been sleeping through the night with his last feeding at 8 or 8:30. I would only have to get up and give him is paci around 3 or 4 and then wake him up at 7:30. I often would complain that I felt like he should have "sleeping at night" down since he was almost 6 months and I believed he should be "perfect" Well I guess that was pretty much a perfect night compared to what I have been going through this last week. He is definitely pushing my patience each night. He has all of a sudden started waking up every two hours through-out the night and I was at my wits end on Monday night so I decided I wasn't going to give in to his screaming, but around 4:30 when Clay left for work he demanded that I do something for the kid since he had been whaling for the last 30 minutes! I cracked and ended up wrapping him in his Indian basket and what do you know... he was fast asleep until I woke him at 7:30. What is going on with him? I cried yesterday to Janelle because I just don't understand what his deal is. Yes it could be an upset stomach, or he is teething, or something hurts, or he is just being spoiled.... Too many unknowns. I tried to think if I was doing anything different these last couple weeks with him and I realized that I just started feeding him banannas, so maybe they upset his belly? None of these questions make it easier for me because I refuse to be another mom who makes excuses for her child because they have sleeping issues.
I was pondering this all day and trying to figure out what I was going to do different so that Bowdy, Clay, and I can survive the nights without an ounce of resentment. I read through the Babywise blog and searched for answers. I came across a few sugesstions that might help us! I think we are going to try to be more consistent at night time and establish a bed time routine. Until Tuesday night, we had just been giving him a bath somewhere between 7 and 8 and fed him between 8 and 8:30, which just might be a little to inconsistent for him. I hope that is the answer!
Last night is the first night I really implemented CIO as described in babywise. Night one of the implementation went a lot better than I had planned. Here is what happened:

• Laid him down for bed at 8pm, he immediately fell asleep
• He woke up at 12:00 so I waited 3 minutes, went into his room touched his belly and covered him back up, when I left the room 30 seconds later he was still crying.
• I waited another 5 minutes and he was still crying so I went in there and did the same routine as the first time, left the room.
• after another 8 minutes he was still crying so I repeated the routine, left the room and he was still crying.
• I was going to give him 11 minutes this time to calm down, but after two minutes he was silent!
• I laid in bed trying to fall asleep and it seemed like at least an hour of peace.... but what do you know after 8 minutes of silence Bowdy started crying again...
• I repeated my routine two times and he soothed himself to sleep. By this time is was about 1 am and he fell asleep till 2:30 am.
• I again repeated the routine, but only had to go in there once before he fell sleep
• Then at 4:15 he woke again, I went in there once and he sleep till 7.
• my goal is to have him sleep to 7:30 so I went in there, gave him is paci and then woke him at 7:30 to feed.

I know that this is a long and boring post, but I'm hoping this night process keeps getting easier. We are leaving for the lake on Sunday and will be gone almost 3 weeks, I hope he is a little better by then so he doesn't bother anyone. We have changed his daily schedule and I plan on being less flexible with is until he masters his night sleeping. He is perfect for me during the day so I know he can be perfect at night!

Here is our new schedule:

7:30- bottle and solids

8:45- nap

11:00 bottle

12:15-nap

2:00- bottle and solids

3:15- nap

5:30-bottle

7:45-bath

8:00 -bottle and solids and bed.

If anyone has any helpful suggestions let me know I am totally open to any ideas... I know babywise works because I see the kids that are raised on it and they are a pleasure to be around, but maybe I'm doing something wrong:(