R.I.P. Kiddopotamus Swaddleme

I've mentioned these swaddle wraps a couple of times and have left no doubt in anyone's mind that I LOVE these things!  Willa slept so well and went down so easily that I was wondering if I should start looking into patterns to make adult-sized ones for when she grew up.  Well!  Doesn't parenting just throw us some curveballs sometimes!  A few days ago Willa woke up crying, which never happens.  She has finally found her physical strength and learned to flipped over even when she's swaddled like a mummy.  The flipping isn't so bad, but her head gets torqued in a position which eventually makes her neck hurt and wakes her up (crying).

Ryan and I have therefore summed up the courage to put the swaddle away, albeit with a few tears.  Unfortunately, it's like sleep training all over again!  When I put that swaddle on Willa, she knew it was time for bed and I could usually lay her down and she would go to sleep without complaint.  Now, she gets a little confused.  Suddenly she's laying somewhere but she is free to move around, woohoo!  She's also free to explore with her hands and pull her pacifier out, woohoo!

Willa likes to be on the floor on her own.  She likes us to play with her, but a lot of the time I can leave her on the floor with a few toys for 30 minutes to an hour and she will entertain herself.  Therefore, when I lay her down alone in her bed, I think she probably thinks it is just playtime because she just talks and moves around.  I'm trying to start some other routines so she knows it is sleepytime.  I'll rock her for a few minutes, do some quiet play, put her in a sleep sack, give her her softie blankie, and stick the pacifier in.  I think she's getting the idea, but those busy hands keep playing with the pacifier!

Sometimes, she will lay for a while then her hands slowly reach up for the pacifier and pull it out.  It will fall to the side so she'll arch her back and turn her head into the sheets to try and get it back into her mouth.  She'll finally grab it with her hands again but keeps putting it in upside down or backwards.  I can hear her sighing in there and getting so frustrated!  If I go in to reinsert pacifier, she starts kicking and smiling and thinks that she's going to get out of bed.  We've had to start letting her cry it out, unfortunately.  She knows how to calm herself; I know she does, because she rarely cries in the car anymore.  If she's unhappy in the car, she will make unhappy gurgles and then fall asleep or be quiet.  She'll make the same gurgles in her bed she's on her way to putting herself to sleep.  When I've tried to go in amid the gurgles to reinsert the paci, it throws her self-soothing and then she gets really mad.  "Ooh, mommy's here!  Get me out, let's play!!  Don't leave!! Wahhhhhh!!!!" and that's when the dangerous, never-gonna-self-soothe cries start happening.

I just realized that this post is pretty boring, so I think I'll just stop.  Just know, this week has been busy and harder because we're swaddleless.  I use it occasionally for naps, but no more swaddle at nighttime.  Just note in the photo above, I couldn't do up all the snaps on her little romper because her legs are too chubby.  I love it!

On a lighter note, did everyone hear/see me on the TODAY show?!!!  It was so exciting!  They did a sound check with me over the phone, then I could hear everything happening on the show through my phone.  I was a little nervous that when it was my turn to talk that instead of asking my question I would blurt something out like, "I love you guys!" or "You guys are my best friends!" or "We're poor, send money!" Luckily/Unluckily I was able to keep my dignity.  Still, you have to wonder how fast they would cut me off if I had starting shouting crazy things (though, I wouldn't consider any of the things I listed as crazy).

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/42662937

Here is the link in case anyone missed it!  I told Ryan that I think I might be addicted to calling in for advice now.  I've suddenly wanted to think up financial and real estate questions so that I can call in for the Money 911 segment and the Barbara Corcoran real estate segment.  I pondered how funny/not funny it would be if I called in to all of segments on the show - would anyone notice?  Probably not, though people do love the TODAY show.