CIO - Crying it Out

Once again, I found this in the never-got-posted archives. Except this time it was bloggers fault, not mine.

August 1st

I committed to let Eliza work out her own salvation for twenty minutes during this nap, if need be. (Sometimes she goes down without a peep. It's not all weeping and wailing, I promise.) I'm four minutes in and my fortitude is waning.

It is so much harder to let babies cry when you live in an apartment vs. a house.

#1: Neighbors. -- Hello, we're the people upstairs. The ones you hate. Have a nice day!
#2: It's a much smaller space for the sound to fill up. And when you've got Eliza's lungs, the more space you have to spread out the gusto, the better. In a house, you can move a few rooms away to dull the pain. You know, not so far away that you can't hear her and are just plain ignoring her, but far enough away that it isn't right in your face every single moment being translated in your brain as, "I'M CALLING THE DCFS! YOU'RE A TERRIBLE PARENT AND I HATE YOU!"

Eliza doesn't hate me. She loves me. I love her too.

Deep breaths. 8 minutes to go.

Note:  I recognize that there are a LOT of parenting philosophies out there, and to some of you readers I may be in danger of you calling the DCFS on me. To you I would say, you're doing your best, I'm doing my best. Not to mention every baby is different. Being a mom is a tough job anyway so let's not make it tougher by judging one another. Deal?

Post script: At minute 14, Eliza dozed off and was snoring peacefully. She woke up smiling and laughing and ready to play. Just thought I'd throw that testimonial out there for you moms that can't believe that letting your baby cry can come to anything good. It works for our little family.