sleep + daycare update

*victory music*

Today two miraculous things happened:

1) This week we started looking for Leif some part-time daycare. After our people filled visit to Colorado we have noticed that Leif thrives with lots of people and babies around. We are thinking 2 - 3 days a week with other kids, ideally where Leif would be the youngest. Spending the day alone with Mama and running errands just isn't enough excitement! So I started looking online this weekend, reading discussion boards, etc. I'll also be able to start working again...

We found a place called "Le Petite Village" which is a French speaking daycare run by an African woman from Chad. There are 5 other kids around 2 - 5 years old, and she cooks all organic food for the kids. I called today and we stopped in for a visit - we love her home and her. The best part? It is less than 5 minutes from our house. Score.

She'll call us next week if Leif can enroll - she normally starts at 15 months and she needs to check to see if her assistant can come on the days Leif would be there. Cross your fingers for us!

2) For the very very first time Leif fell asleep completely unassisted. After our discussion with the daycare teacher about naptime I decided that Leif just can't be bounced or swaddled or patted or nursed or all of the above to sleep three times a day. I feel strongly against letting Leif cry and cry (read funny blog here) and learning to "self soothe", but I'm also not ready to keep putting him to sleep for the next couple of years.

So today I fed him, talked to him, and wound him down for nap time. Then just put him in bed, put my back to him, and let him roll around till he got bored and fell asleep. And it worked. I know I'll need to transition myself out of the picture entirely before he goes to daycare, but it is an exciting first step.

*shhhh - Leif is sleeping!*