Tuesday, August 26, 2008

More is More?

Sorry about that last post. I am just in a rough spot. I wish someone had told me months ago that dh and I should not be rocking our baby to sleep, or he would always need to be rocked to sleep. I wish I could go back and just start laying him down in bed awake. Now, the second we lay him down, he starts crying, and it is just so sad and heartbreaking. I don't want to have to lay down with him when he's two, just so he'll nap. I know that works for some people. But I want him to be able to fall asleep on his own. We've done this CIO (cry it out thing) for several days now, and I just don't know that it is doing anything except making him so upset that he clings to me during the day, doesn't want to be put down, and starts crying and flailing his hands when he thinks we are putting him in bed. That can't be good for him, can it? So I have to make a decision... do we keep trying this for a bit longer (how long??) and hope that we start seeing progress? Or quit and go back to rocking him. At least when we were rocking him, he was a happy, independent, confident little guy during the day. I miss that. I don't know who this whiny, insecure, needy, wailing child is, and I don't like it! I've talked to so many different people and read so many different things in books and online... I know there are two very vehemently different views on CIO. Some say it is horrible and cruel, and others swear by it because it has worked so well for them. I just don't know where I stand! Somewhere in the middle, I guess, because I feel cruel, but I really WANT it to work.

Ok, enough of that. Here are a couple of cards I did last week, but haven't shared with you yet. They were for an SCS Dirty Dozen/Fan Club challenge. Two cards... step the second one up by adding MORE to it, or something like that. Here's my first card. I cut it with my nesties, by lining up the fold of the card under the edge of the die before I ran it through my cuttlebug. Fun, huh?


Then, for the MORE is MORE card, I added a layer of Pale Plum, made the white layer scalloped, sponged the edges of the white, added glitter to the whole flower, and added some little pearls. I'm not even sure which version I like best!


For more details, find these cards in my gallery on SCS. I don't feel like typing out all the details today. Sorry!

6 comments:

Becky Carafa said...

Jess, these are both gorgeous! I love your added details to "more it up", lol!
I'm sorry you are still having sleep issues with the baby, hugs to you!

Michelle said...

I love them both! I love purple and the idea of doing the card the way you did is awesome! I have the nesties and will have to try that! TFS!

Michelle Pearson said...

love your card....the color combo is so fresh and fun!

As for the baby issue....I know you don't know me from anyone else....but I can tell you with our first we had the same issues!
He was fine as long as we rocked him. I also REFUSED to be the mom who has to lay down with him until he goes to sleep....when does that end?! It was rough for a week or two....and yes, he was MAD....but babies will adjust. Love him and all when he's awake...and YES, he'll be a crab when awake because he's TIRED!! I know all babies are different....and you'll adjust to what works for YOU. I had to go in the basement and listen to music, do laundry...something....the crying drove me crazy....but hubby helped me stay strong and it worked for us. I also kept notes on the calendar as to how long he cried each day...and I can tell you it felt FAR worse than it really was...and I could see improvement, so it helped us stay the course!

Thankfully dd was a totally different kid....she gets *excited* at bedtime and lays in there and sings before she falls asleep. Go figure!!

More than you ever asked for...and who knows if what we did is *right*...but for him it had to be that way.

SeaStar Creations said...

very cute card :) sorry that you are having some sleep issues with your baby. i feel your pain. i could NEVER let mine cry it out. i tried. i rocked. and then finally he decided on his own he could do it himself. i took a while. we finally got him to go down at bedtime, but if he woke up in the middle of the night. i rocked. i got used to it and even got to enjoy it -- it was quiet cuddle time. he turns 5 in november and sometimes i wish we could go back -- he never sits still now! it gets better. hang in ... your not alone!!

Christi said...

I have absolutely no advice for you, Jess, but huge (((hugs))) for both of you. It's so hard.

But on the other hand, your card is absolutely gorgeous! I love the bling on the More card! smiles...

Darlene said...

Great job on the More is More! I haven't even gotten around to those challenges and tomorrow starts yet another month ... oh where does the time go???