We consider The Boy fully in the crib for night time now. He has slept solidly through the night (until 6 a.m.) for several nights, waking only briefly usually at about 3 to squawk his disapproval of not having a b00b immediately available. This has dramatically improved my sleep, so much so that I feel like an actual person in the mornings. Today I got up before Speedy for the first time in well over a year, not because The Boy would not let me go back to sleep, but because I was well-rested and wanted to make coffee. It has also dramatically improved Speedy's and my alone time. Both in the evenings before bed (3-4 reclaimed hours a day!) and after bedtime. While The Boy is not 100% into the change, he is not really fighting it with conviction and I love sneaking into his room to watch him asleep-- so soundly and deeply in his double-fleece pjs.
The unexpected casualty of this transition is our talk of a Speetus 2.0... While we had never fully committed to 2.0, we had put the wheels in motion, including recommissioning the Boy's retired donor at CCB (not a cheap endeavor by any means.) The momentum seemed to have been toward a 2.0 sooner rather than later (as I can see the whites of 40's eyes from here.) Buuuuuuut, having reclaimed our evenings and our bed, suddenly the idea of hitting the reset button and returning to the upheaval and sleep deprivation of a newborn (plus toddler) seemed well, inconceivable. At least for now. So we decided to decide for now that 2.0 is off the table. Mind you, when our donor's recommissioned vials are released, we will buy them and store them for a couple of years in case we have a change of heart. But for now, we are embracing the idea that the Boy will be our one and only. I feel really good about the choice, as it opens up the possibility of doing something in the next two years other than ttc, pregnancy and newborn nurture. Like reframing our careers, traveling and having adventures that The Boy will absorb through his pores. We want to give him a life that he can be inspired by, and we want to continue having adventures of our own. Having more than one would not necessarily preclude that possibility, but with our modest means, it would make it much more challenging. So for now, we are officially calling the Boy our one and only.
Sleep makes everythin so much better!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for making a decision for now, but being open to change. No reason to close yourselves off bc you'd be fine either way!
I'm in newborn sleep hell with a toddler and I must be crazy bc I have already bee thinking about when to try for a third. What!?!
Yay for sleep! So glad it has been a fairly smooth transition for you all.
ReplyDeleteWe have also been thinking lately that maybe we are one and done, even though we already visited our RE about possibly getting back at it. I'm just not sure we have it in us to do the whole thing again. Of course, we go back and forth all the time. Lately, though, it is feeling more and more like our family of 3 is just right.
as an only child, Ive always been pretty content with one, but G really wants at least two so our big decision around these parts is timing. For the very reason of "can we go through this again" -- now or later? Since our lives are still fairly chaotic, our current thought is to get it all out of the way at once. But the other nagging idea would be to let things get somewhat back to normal for a few years and THEN be more excited about the chaos..right...as if there ever is a normal! ha..
ReplyDeletebut most of all, YEAH for sleep! Its priceles!
Sleep is awesome! You know we've always had the "one and done" plan and we're still happy with it. As much as I do occasionally pine for the sweet tiny newborn (which honestly only existed in my head), I THRILL at this amazing person we are watching develop. Everyday there's something new, something growing. And I will admit that getting rid of the physical stuff once he's done with it is pretty great, too. The financial strain is easing and the shinning days of free public school are beginning to appear on the horizon.
ReplyDeletei'm going to be asking you sleep transition questions soon. we're going to wait until my semester ends, but then we're ready. and that wonderful week of co-sleeping through the night has disintegrated back into every 2 hours like clockwork.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how actually having a child sometimes changes our minds about more. For me, it's these tricky teenage years, and the anticipation of having my wife all to myself soon that are making me never want to have another one. Good for you for making the right decision for your family. Maybe you will want another one someday, but it's really nice to feel like everything is perfect the way it is. Good luck in your journey!
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