Letting them "Cry it out"

I am a pushover. I know it. I cannot help it. When it comes to my girls, I just want to hold them when they are upset, and see a smile on their faces at all times. But something has to be done.

Until a few weeks ago we have had no problems with the girls sleeping through the night. They go down around 8:30 after their bottle and Leah wakes up at 5:30 and Hannah wakes up at 7:30. I can totally live with this. Even when we took our little RV trip the did wonderfully. I read with the light on and walked past their pack n plays and they did not stir.

When we got back something changed. For two weeks now, with the exception of one night, they no longer like their cribs. One of them will wake up with a startled cry and not be willing to go back to sleep. (It normally starts with Hannah who I think is going through a little separation anxiety). Of course we have to run in at the first sign of it getting serious to prevent one baby from waking the other. I guess thats a struggle with twins who share a room. This method has worked until now. We have been taking said baby back to bed with us when patting doesnt work, just to get sleep and not wake the other. After an hour that baby can normally be returned to the crib.

If I do not have to be at work, I try to soothe the cryer by rocking her, and that will get her to sleep easily... until she gets laid back in the crib where she freaks out and is then wide awake and screaming I swear in an attempt to waken her sister. So, she is removed from the situation and I end up with a baby in bed again.

Yes I know. This is the wrong thing to do. But as I have said we rarely had to resort to anything until now. So for the first time since they were born, the girls started off this night in separate rooms. We set up a pack n play in our office and Hannah is asleep in there. (Why Hannah? She likes to wake up and put herself in the sitting position, which she is not perfect at, and then flail herself back into the crib slats, so the pack n play is probably a good idea for her). We now have two monitors... our 200 dollar one that tells temperature in the room and sings songs, and our 18 dollar one that sounds like a mini helicopter/ocean waves. Joy. And tonight we plan on trying out the Ferber method. This is going to be very difficult for me. I am fine letting them fuss, but I have two very strong willed children who I think will scream and cry at the top of their lungs for hours if they are allowed to.

So heres the plan...
They cry. Go in and pat, give pacifier, and leave. Wait 5 minutes, repeat. Wait 10 minutes. Repeat. 15 minutes. Repeat. I am not going to wait longer than 15 minutes without going in there. I hope they dont make me wait that long honestly.

Hopefully they will be ok and Matt and I will be ok. This is not going to be fun and I am not looking forward to it, but I do believe at 7 months they are perfectly capable of self soothing, and being in separate rooms they can finally do that. Then they can return to the same room once more. (We may keep the pack n play up for emergencies.)

Oh, and my sister is going to love us, since her room is directly below the office where Hannah is. She is not happy with this at all.

Wish us luck! I will let you know how it goes!

Oh yeah, as a side note, I took the van to the fire department today and switched out the girls' pumpkin seats for their big girl car seats. We were struggling a little to get them strapped in those little carriers. It was a sad day. I remember when we had to add towels to the pumpkin seat so they would fit better. Brings a little tear to my eye to think of it now! :)