Referberization...

So one of the things that no one ever tells you about the whole Ferber sleep thing is the occasional need to redo it when you have been off of your normal schedule because of illness or vacation. It is sort of how no one really explains how you will REALLY never sleep as well after having children or how they don't explain the fine print in your cell phone contract (Blackberry messaging be damned!).

We have been out out of town for the past few weeks for vacation, a job interview (stay tuned) and a wedding so the Kid has definitely been off of her usual schedule. She had gotten used to waking up and sleeping with us in bed (one of the drawbacks to having a non-suite room). So tonight we re-Ferberized her. I had grand plans of doing it yesterday night, but with the last minute travel plan changes because of Hurricane Edouard we got home yesterday - a day early so that we wouldn't get stranded in Houston for extra days. Not a fan of being washed into the Gulf of Mexico, thanks.

Here are the steps to a successful re-Ferberization.

1. Get rid of your husband. Not in a Dateline: NBC, "Tale of the Murdering Soccer Mom" sort of way. Just make sure that he is in a different part of the house where he cannot interfere with the re-Ferberization techniques. Dads usually don't have enough of the sado-masochistic ability needed to allow you to do this without a guilty conscience.

2. Have a drink. I never am a fan of parents who are intoxicated while caring for their children. Bad things happen when you do that. I am however, a fan of nursing a small glass of Shiraz while I go in at 10-15 minute increasing intervals to check on the Kid to make sure she hasn't chewed through the bars of her crib like a rabid gerbil.

3. Peek in on them once they are asleep. Kids are much cuter when asleep than when awake, in general. It reminds you of why you go through all of this and occasionally consider (although not that seriously) having a second one.