Vote for Cohen & Sleep Matters

Our local newspaper is having a cute baby contest for babies born in 2011. We all know how cute Cohen is (well, at least I think he is), so go vote--it starts today! Cohen is on page 9 under the "Vote" tab, I can't seem to find a more direct link but if I do I will update the site. You can vote once a day/per person, so don't forget to go back all week! You have to register to vote, but I think you can just sign in with facebook.  If we win Cohen gets a gift certificate to a local baby store. Thanks!!
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 Did you know there is such a thing as "sleep hygiene"? Yeah, me neither until it was suggested to me. I have never had trouble sleeping before until the last month or so. Sleep hygiene involves things like: turning off the computer or tv an hour before bedtime, doing something calming before bed, reading boring books, no caffeine, and no naps (ugh). The National Sleep Foundations says "Try to avoid emotionally upsetting conversations and activities before trying to go to sleep. Don't dwell on, or bring your problems to bed."

 I think this is where my problem is. Nighttime is both my favorite time and my worst time. It's my favorite time because I get to feed Cohen a bottle and rock him while the rest of the house is dark and asleep. He usually zonks out at the end of his bottle and sometimes I just hold him and rock him while he sleeps.

It's also my worst time because I have found myself avoiding going to bed and staying up really late because I know when I go to bed I will just toss and turn. Scenarios play through my mind...the coulda, woulda, shoulda's, the what ifs. They all filter through. I think about how different my life would have been if things had turned out the way I thought they would. Nighttime is when the guilt and the fear sneak in. Did I do everything that I possibly could have? What if I didn't? I was supposed to protect my babies and I couldn't.
 
While I work on my sleep hygiene, Cohen is undergoing some sleep training. He isn't really on a very good schedule because a)he was in the NICU b) we got him home and everything was a little crazy and we didn't really commit to a schedule with all of his appointments etc. Now, he has decided that he doesn't want to sleep through the night and is fairly unpredictable during the day as to when he is going to be grumpy, eat, and sleep. So, we are trying to get into a little bit more of a routine, for our sake and his. I'll let you know how the routines and sleep hygiene go. Wish us luck! Or say a little prayer for us...