Sleepin Like a Baby

I can hardly believe Caleb will be 5 months next Friday. He is a little party boy, so different from our serious little Kai baby. In the middle of the day, I'll be going about my business and look over to see Caleb in his bouncy chair just staring at me--waiting for a moment to catch my gaze just so he can give me his biggest grin and watch me melt into a huge smile back. I am so in love with him. 

This week was a huge victory for me and Caleb. He finally started sleeping through the night!! I know, I know. 5 months is a little late. You're telling me. It wasn't Caleb's fault. He was born during the busiest time of our lives yet. It's a good thing he's a flexible, happy, party baby because the first two months of his life he just had to come along for the ride amidst Brandon's graduation, new job, Bar exam, buying a house, and moving. Oh, and before we moved he slept in the living room on the floor in our apartment. The noisy neighbors woke him up all night long and he never even complained. I sure did. So even though I am a schedule and routine kind of gal, Caleb ended up with no routine at all. 

Two weeks ago I hit that point of exhaustion again where I just didn't know how much longer I could go waking up every 3 hours at night. I was begging God for help. Instead of letting Caleb sleep through the night, God whispered something to me during one of his early morning feedings. He reminded me of a Bible verse that my friend Lisa over at Beginning the Journey had posted on her facebook a few days earlier. 

"By his Word God 'calls the things that are not as though they were.'"

God told me to stop grumbling and start calling the things that are not as though they were. I was supposed to start saying that Caleb slept well. "But God, isn't that lying? How can I tell my friends that he sleeps well when he doesn't?". He said, "It's not lying if you believe it." Wow.

That night we went to a baby shower with our community group. I was speaking with two other friends who recently had their second child as well. Of  course, the subject went to sleeping. Their babies were sleeping GREAT at night. I was fighting off the envy with a stick. I wanted so badly to complain and then beg for advice. When they asked about Caleb I mustered a, "Oh, he sleeps well." Change the subject, quick! Ok, God, I did it. I said it. Will he sleep tonight now? 

He still woke up every 3 hours that night. The next morning I just kept telling myself, "He slept well. I am content. I have enough." Slowly I could feel my spirit just shifting into gratitude and out of exhaustion. 

The next day at church I met someone new. Her name was Tammy. She mentioned that she used to teach Babywise classes. Then she said, "Oh yeah, I can get any baby sleeping through the night by 6 weeks." 

Amazing.

Thank you, Jesus.

Tammy came over last week, had lunch with me, and helped me figure out how to get Caleb back on track. This week for the first time in 5 months I have slept in 6-8 hour undisturbed bliss.

Note to self: 

When God says to do something, just obey.