Mommy and Baby Sleep Through the Night

It has been over a year now since Mommy has slept through the night.  Avril has never been much of a sleeper and usually gets up about every 2 hours to nurse during the night... even at a year old.  I have been trying to wean off, which has been a difficult task.
My Behavior Analyst hubby has decided to try yet another of his behavior modification techniques on the baby and me, in an attempt to give us both a full night's sleep.  I will always wake up when I hear the slightest peep out of Avril.  I usually let her cry for a few minutes and then decide to go in and soothe her back to sleep.  This almost always requires nursing her.  I know I'm not supposed to... but I am weak sauce, as Jesse would say!  Jesse has tried multiple times to try to talk me out of going in to get her but I usually give in to her crying, especially when it because full out bloody murder screams.  So... Jesse implemented a reward program to motivate me to not give in to the crying, and to stay in bed.  Each night I don't go in to get Avril, I get a reward!  After a whole week of not going in to get her during the night, I get the ultimate reward... Jesse will take a whole day off of work to spend with us :)
I must say, the results have been fantastic!

Day One:
Avril gets up about 4 times during the night and cries herself back to sleep each time.  Mommy wonders if she's doing the right thing.  My reward:

Jesse bought me Junior Mints, my favorite candy!






(At this point I am wondering why I am being rewarded for torturing my child)


Day 2:
Avril wakes up about 3 times during the night... crying episodes shorten from about a half hour each time to maybe 20 minutes each time.  Mommy feeling a little better about this idea.  My reward:

I got to pick out a new pair of sunglasses from Old Navy.  I really needed some cuz we somehow manage to lose sunglasses ALL the time!  This time I won't let that happen...





Day 3:
Avril only gets up once during the night, and cries for about 5 minutes!!  Mommy and Daddy are ecstatic with her rapid progress. :)  My reward:

I got to pick out a dress from Old Navy!  We are going to St. George next weekend for Jesse's football game so I wanted to get some fun things to wear that'll be nice and cool.  Pay no attention to the un-made bed behind me... but of course pay attention to the cute little attachment tugging on my new dress.








Day 4:
Avril sleeps through the entire night... not a peep!!!!  This is a monumental day for us.  Mommy did not know it was possible to sleep through the night after becoming a mommy.  It feels fantastic!  My reward:

Jesse brought me yummy Costa Vida sweet pork salad for lunch.  Lucky me!  Mmmm...








Day 5:
Another night of sleep.  So wonderful...  My reward:

That hubbin of mine cleaned the kitchen spotless and even trickled his cleaning hurricane to the other rooms.  So nice :)  I love him!








Day 6:
Avril sleeps like a baby, scratch that...a  sleep deprived mommy!  Whoever made up that saying didn't have a baby, or at least not an Avril.  Mommies are the real ones who are exhausted all the time and ready for some well deserved sleep!  My reward:
TBD... so I haven't decided what I want for my Day 6 reward, but don't you worry, I'll find something!!

Day 7:
The sleeping through the night saga continues... I think we can officially say it has worked now!  And the GRAND REWARD....
Jesse is taking a whole day off of work to spend it with Avril and me!  We are going to go to Baby Animal Days.  Hooray!!  I am so excited!!!  Woo hoo!  This is my favorite reward :)