Let's hope it sticks

After a year (and nearly a half, wow) we've learned that Theo's changes in behavior come and go. One week he's saying "bubble" with certainty and the next it's gone. One week he's screaming through every meal and the next he eats contentedly. For a solid month he'll greet every little girl he sees by hugging them, and the next he yells to be held when children come to play. Everything waxes and wanes and nothing lasts too long.

I've often had the experience of Theo getting into some sort of groove, long enough for us to identify that yes, this a true shift, only to have it fall apart once I actually told someone about it. "He loves those goldfish crackers." Next day, he won't touch them. "He never stacks blocks." Next day, he's putting one on top of another. By the time something has manifested long enough to be recognized and labeled and reported, he's bored with it, or ready to grow out of it, or something.

I'm not a superstitious person but I have to admit - this has made me bite my tongue about any advancements he makes, ESPECIALLY ones that are overwhelmingly helpful to me. There are other good reasons not to brag about great leaps - one, because he may not perform so well around others, and two, moms with children who have trouble in that area may not be as ecstatic as I am, which I totally understand. If I've been battling with pickiness and another kid eats everything in his path, it can be frustrating and even make me think that there's something wrong with my methods. Many moms are totally susceptible to this kind of thing and I don't mean to be a show off.

But...I think I should mention it just to prove that there's no such thing as a jinx.

Theo has been putting himself to sleep. He asks to go to bed. We put him in the crib and leave the room. He lays around contentedly with his favorite stuffed dog and falls asleep. He also sleeps through the night. His naps reliably last two hours, sometimes three.

I abstained from littering the last paragraph with exclamation points.

Sitting in a darkened room for half an hour to an hour (and sometimes more) every night waiting for him to fall asleep was one of the most torturous things I've had to do. I was always tired myself but struggled to not fall asleep so I could enjoy some evening relaxation time with Greg. I also had to go through this for his nap, where I usually did fall asleep and lose much of my free time while he slept. Add in that often he was cranky during the wait and it was pretty excruciating.

Now, my evening seems to last forever. My free time while he naps is lovely. My unbroken night's sleep is bliss. I can't emphasize what a difference this all makes, though I'm sure the moms will understand. Whenever he challenges me in other areas (and there are plenty) I try to remember how wonderful he is about sleeping.

Here's hoping this lasts. Please, please, please!