SHE.ATE.THE.CRIB.

An actual text message sent to Jeff on Thursday morning-----

I wish I had the evidence to show you this latest developmental milestone but our camera is currently MIA. After two solid weeks of not napping, Jeff and I decided it was time to reinstitute the dreaded sleep training with Eva, the napless wonder. Even though I know it's the best thing for her, it still wrenches my heart to hear Eva cry and not respond to her. That said, the other option doesn't work either, which is soothing and feeding. So, after two weeks of chasing a weary, crabby eight month old we finally started to sleep train again. Before doing so, I took her to the doctor to ensure that Eva didn't have a cold, ear ache, or any other physical malady. Our pediatrician, Dr. Heigel, highly recommended that we let her cry it out and also gently reminded us that Eva has always been a strong willed, opinionated baby who knows and gets what she wants (where on earth did she get these trait, we oftentimes wonder?). The sleep training is soooo much harder when they stand too, she warned us. Before she would fall asleep after 10-20 minutes. Now that Eva can stand, however, she can last a good 30-40 minutes before getting all tuckered out.

So, reluctantly, I let her cry for her morning nap on Thursday. She was clearly exhausted, well fed, and should have gone to sleep in an instant. But instead she wailed and cried and my presence at the door reassuring her that all was well every ten minutes just made it worse. After a half hour, I went in and rescued her from her misery and found that she had ate the crib in my absence. Obviously, she was protesting the inhumane conditions of her care, and leaving a mark for any future prisoners who might inhabit her domain. It was so heartbreaking to see and at that moment I caved and believed what all the attachment parenting advocates have been saying for so long. Surely she would need therapy and we were terrible parents. Baby Eva was covered head to toe in specks of brown furniture varnish and looked so pitiful I couldn't resist picking her up.

After rushing out to Babies R Us, we covered our crib in Gummy Rail, a product that I advise all parents to get BEFORE the baby ruins the crib. I re-read all of my sleep books and talked to several parents who offered sound advice. We reconvened with a modified approach to the Ferber method and are now on our second day of Sleep Training, Part II. Eva has had two consecutive days of two hour naps. Our happy, sweet bundle of joy is back! Hooray!