beloved bel

Dearest Isabelle Tomorrow you turn 9 months old and I feel compelled to write this blog post in a letter to you.  You have developed much more in the past one month.  You are such a happy baby and spending my 24/7 with you does not feel like a chore.  Mummy admits that the first few months with you were challenging, especially coping with your sleeping habits.  Today I found myself observing you while you played quietly and my heart swelled with pride and felt so glad you are ours, baby girl.  How far we have come! Daddy and mummy are so proud of your ability to self settle and sleep by yourself that we have been wow-ing our friends with how good you are.  When we wake you up from your naps, you do not fuss, but rather flip over and get up almost immediately.  You stand up in your cot and show us your happy smile.  You are really a cheerful baby - you know that, don't you?  Oh and that ability to put the dummy back in your mouth is pretty impressive at your age. Jus

It is with relief that I type this blog post.  Life with Isabelle at 8.5 months is a lot better than before, mainly because we have started to sleep train her.  We couldn't bear all the rocking and cuddling her to sleep, especially both K and I have bad backs and her increasing weight is not helping at all.  Out of desperation we engaged a sleep consultant for help.  We were given a feed and sleep schedule which we followed, as well as steps to sleep train her.  Ironically right after I paid the sleep consultant, I realised that Isabelle seemed to be more cooperative at sleep times even before I started sleep training her.  Talk about Murphy's Law!  K joked that Isabelle probably heard our conversation and know what was coming, and decided to be nice and cooperate.  So yes, these days we can put her down in her cot, say "Isabelle it's sleepy time", kiss her good night and leave the room.  This was my holy grail.  I am so pleased and encouraged by this positive