There is a Light!!!!!

For nearly 5 years I have struggled with Gabriela's sleeping habits. It's not been easy. I have learned to "go with the flow" but finally I think she has developmentally reached a stage that I've been wanting to be at for a long time now. Since the first of the year (knock on wood) we have finally had a bedtime routine that is not getting pushed out of whack a week or two in, and then taking 3 times that long to return to the said routine. I think we truly have it down, at a good time, and even a step further... her falling asleep on her own (almost!)!!!!!

Tonight it almost happened. I've been wanting it to happen accidentally for a little while now, and it almost did tonight. We start clean up around 8:30, then ready for bed, with or without a bath, brush the teeth, etc. Then goodnight to daddy, and to bed, lights off in the room, npr in the background, and wait. Wait for mommy to get there to read the bedtime story. I go in, read, then go out again after turning off the lights, but leaving the door open. I promise to be back. I do go back. Eventually. Then we say our prayers, and I wait while she actually falls asleep. I yawn, I massage and rub feet. I wait. It's been much better and shorter for a while now and normally by 10pm she is asleep and I can leave.

But tonight... when I went back in the second time, she was ***almost*** already asleep. I think she was, but she spoke to me. I still laid next to her and prayed and waited. But only a minute or two. Then I went out.

To me, this is nearly a miracle. I knew that she would eventually be able to do this, but on some of those nights that bled into weeks and months of hours and hours of waiting for her to fall asleep, it would seem pretty far away. But now, that light has nearly come to pass I hope.