Dear Sebastian, Sweet Dreams

Dear Sebastian,

The happiest thing that happened to mommy this past week was that mommy was able to put you to sleep without making you cry!

Mommy's gotta admit, mommy's not very good at putting you to bed. You wake up easily, ever since you were born. You hate being "parachuted" into your crib. You need to be held. You need human warmth. You don't fall asleep automatically (or as most parents said) after a big bottle. Mommy was often frustrated by your unpredictability. Often, daddy would sing lullabies to you until you fall asleep. Grandma and grandpa are also very good at singing lullabies to you until your fall asleep. So that leaves mommy as the only family member who can't put you to sleep by a peaceful method. Too impatient to wait for you to fall asleep, mommy would put you in the crib and let you cry it out. Yeah, when you are tired, you would cry for like two minutes and zonk out. But there have also been times when you would cry into a little sweat ball and crawl up and down in the crib.

So, mommy decided to learn how to put you to bed using a non-crying method. "What's the secret?" Mommy asked grandma, grandpa, and observed how daddy puts you to bed. There's no secret except the usual patience, tenderness, and love. Well, grandma does mention that you respond to gentle padding. Daddy also mentions keeping you cradled til the moment you fall totally relaxed in your crib. So mommy tried, while humming a gentle lullaby. Mommy could feel it when you are becoming sleepy. You don't stop suckling, but you are starting to see magical mushrooms and bunnies.

Sweet dreams, Sebastian.