Survival Mode - Part Deux

So, survival mode was extended to...well, dare I say that we're finally emerging? We gladly celebrated Molly Rose's half birthday and at the same time began the endeavor of helping her learn to be a better sleeper. Molly had slept only one 6 hour stretch, with a norm of 2-3 hour stretches, and a few recent nights of waking every 1.5-2 hours. Needless to say, I was exhausted and this was starting to wear on everyone. So, the Ferber Method was employed, along with some very helpful tips from our doctor who provided us with an article on "trained night eaters/criers." It's been 1.5 weeks and we've just had a 7 hour stretch, and our little princess is learning to soothe herself to sleep instead of relying on us to do it. She still doesn't take a bottle, which leaves me pretty tied to her, but we're working on the sippy cup now. I also have maintained a dairy-free diet which has been no fun, but she's doing so well and has surpassed 18 pounds! She can sit, roll over, scoot, and wave, and everyone comments on how "active" and "alert" she is. I love this stage; it is so fun to watch the personality come out and watch them learning so quickly about the world around them. So, despite the challenges of "survival mode" we continue to be thankful for our sweet little pumpkin.