BREAKING NEWS: ALLY( a.k.a Ah Boo Chuck) sleeps through the night!

That's Ally in the morning. She's a real energizer bunny when she wakes up now. And her eyes look a bit puffy because she's been sleeping so much!

It's been two weeks since we started the regular naps, early bedtime and "crying it out." And I am proud to say Ally is sleeping very well now! (*APPLAUSE PLEASE*)

At least for this whole week, she's been sleeping 11 hour stretches, crying only twice and at most for 2 mins. Most of the time, it's just a few whimpers before she goes right back to sleep. I still feed her at 6am though, and she goes back to sleep till 730 am. My good friend May, (who has so graciously agreed to stay with me while Mark is overseas this week) can attest to this! I asked her to stop me should I run in to pick her up! Luckily, there was no pitiful crying to warrant this!

So, I am HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPY! I can actually think straight now. I feel energetic in the morning. I no longer snap at Mark. (He says I used to be an absolute monster in the morning!) And the best part? Mark and I have so much time to ourselves at night! Last time, we used to say that at night, one of us is always handicapped, carrying Alison around till she conks off.

WHY ON EARTH DID WE NOT THINK OF PUTTING HER TO BED EARLY? WE HAD NO IDEA!

Now, my goodness!! Mark and I can actually read storybooks at night! And have our dinner together! ( Not with one of us wolfing down our food so we can carry the cranky Alison who demands to be carried.. On hindsight, she was needy probably because she was so so tired! The poor thing!)

Ally seems to have benefitted a great deal from the sleep training too. She is so much more alert and happy. She laughs more. She has a great appetite! And she loves going to bed early. Once I bring her into our darkened bedroom, her eyes will almost instantly get droopy .

Still, I maintain that this "crying out" method is not for everyone. It is very emotionally taxing and you have to be consistent. Don't start if you can't keep at it. It will only result in more crying. I am glad I did it though. Everyone is well rested now and happy.

My next projects? Getting her to sit in her car seat and sleeping on her own without me nursing her to sleep. But probably later lah. I am just going to catch up on my own sleep now.