Last weekend we had a big chat with Oscar about him sleeping back in his bed and especially starting off in his bed.
With heavy bribery Oscar tried so hard on Saturday night to stay in his bed. He fell asleep in his bed and woke up in the morning in his bed, he did wake many times but we called it a success and took the boys to Queenstown for a day trip and suprised them with Hells Pizza. This was the first time we have ever been out for pizza and the boys were so excited!
Oscar has made a reward chart that he's stuck on his bed. If he sleeps five nights he gets to choose something from Smiggle, another five nights equals lego, another five he wants pizza again. Amazingly Oscar has slept six out of seven nights this week starting off in his bed and waking up in his bed! He's woken through the night a few times but we have successfully been able to settle him.
Oscar is so proud of himself and of course we are so very proud of him. This is the first time in his entire life he's slept so well.
Every morning when Oscar wakes he ticks off the chart he's made and is stoked that he gets to choose a pencil case from Smiggle.
There was a bonus box on his chart too. If both Oscar and Harry sleep in their beds all night then we will take them up the gondala in Queenstown and go luging.
On Thursday night Harry woke quite a few times itchy but somehow Andrew managed to settle him each time and at 6.10a.m on Friday morning Andrew and I both woke up next to each other! He said good morning to me and I burst out crying. Aside from one night away it has been two years and four months since Andrew and I have woken up next to each other. Randomly Oscar had three nights in a row of sleeping all night and that was back in February 2015 and before that probably would have been a long time too. I was very emotional all morning feeling so happy that we are heading to normality and also sad that our marriage has taken such a hammering.
I actually got grumpy with Andrew during the night as I felt like he was in my space, I'm so used to sleeping next to a little child!
Will take some getting used to sleeping next to Andrew again and retraining our brains to sleep.
After we woke on Friday morning Oscar came in then a minute later Harry woke and then Charlie can climbing into the bed. The look on wee Charlie's face when he realised that he got to have Mum and Dad cuddles was so precious, he even gave me a kiss on the cheek. A sense of normality for him knowing he wasn't the only child in our house sleeping alone. He had woken earlier and gone out to the other lounge where one of us takes Harry when he wakes and we sleep in the bed set up in there. In the morning Charlie comes in for cuddles and of course no one was there on Friday and Charlie didn't think to look in our room so he went back to his room!
We all had family cuddles, dog and cat included and then we were up by 6.20a.m, all of us! It is so weird being all up together and this is something we have never experienced as a family. During the weekend it makes for longer days though!
Crazy to think many nights over the last couple of years Oscar didn't fall asleep till four or five in the morning and now he's sleeping for ten or eleven hours a night.
There is one significant difference with Oscar's skin this week. He has barely any eczema. There's a small patch on his arm and under his armpits has completely healed and there is visible healing happening on his legs. He even said his arm looks better than the day before. One week of sleep and a huge turnaround for his skin. He's excited about being able to wear singlets because people won't ask whats on his arms. Tonight when he had a shower he must have been examining his newly transformed skin and when I went in to give him a towel he said "Mum I don't have eczema anymore". I can't imagine how this must feel for him. As he was drying himself he said to Charlie "Look Charlie I don't have eczema anymore". On a closer look Charlie replied "Oh wow Oscar you look amazing!"
I'm not sure how this has all happened! What a monumental week for us. We have tried reward charts for Oscar many a time without success but somehow this week it all came together. I can't even explain how happy both Andrew and I feel knowing Oscar is finally sleeping.
Most importantly Oscar is feeling good about himself and his body. It's been one hell of a ride for our wee man. He's felt pain like no child should, on and off for many years. This has made Oscar who he is. It has no doubt shaped his personality and his disposition and we wouldn't change him for anything!
We are so excited to finally feel like we are living again and functioning as a family unit.
Oscar has made a reward chart that he's stuck on his bed. If he sleeps five nights he gets to choose something from Smiggle, another five nights equals lego, another five he wants pizza again. Amazingly Oscar has slept six out of seven nights this week starting off in his bed and waking up in his bed! He's woken through the night a few times but we have successfully been able to settle him.
Oscar is so proud of himself and of course we are so very proud of him. This is the first time in his entire life he's slept so well.
Every morning when Oscar wakes he ticks off the chart he's made and is stoked that he gets to choose a pencil case from Smiggle.
There was a bonus box on his chart too. If both Oscar and Harry sleep in their beds all night then we will take them up the gondala in Queenstown and go luging.
On Thursday night Harry woke quite a few times itchy but somehow Andrew managed to settle him each time and at 6.10a.m on Friday morning Andrew and I both woke up next to each other! He said good morning to me and I burst out crying. Aside from one night away it has been two years and four months since Andrew and I have woken up next to each other. Randomly Oscar had three nights in a row of sleeping all night and that was back in February 2015 and before that probably would have been a long time too. I was very emotional all morning feeling so happy that we are heading to normality and also sad that our marriage has taken such a hammering.
I actually got grumpy with Andrew during the night as I felt like he was in my space, I'm so used to sleeping next to a little child!
Will take some getting used to sleeping next to Andrew again and retraining our brains to sleep.
After we woke on Friday morning Oscar came in then a minute later Harry woke and then Charlie can climbing into the bed. The look on wee Charlie's face when he realised that he got to have Mum and Dad cuddles was so precious, he even gave me a kiss on the cheek. A sense of normality for him knowing he wasn't the only child in our house sleeping alone. He had woken earlier and gone out to the other lounge where one of us takes Harry when he wakes and we sleep in the bed set up in there. In the morning Charlie comes in for cuddles and of course no one was there on Friday and Charlie didn't think to look in our room so he went back to his room!
We all had family cuddles, dog and cat included and then we were up by 6.20a.m, all of us! It is so weird being all up together and this is something we have never experienced as a family. During the weekend it makes for longer days though!
Crazy to think many nights over the last couple of years Oscar didn't fall asleep till four or five in the morning and now he's sleeping for ten or eleven hours a night.
There is one significant difference with Oscar's skin this week. He has barely any eczema. There's a small patch on his arm and under his armpits has completely healed and there is visible healing happening on his legs. He even said his arm looks better than the day before. One week of sleep and a huge turnaround for his skin. He's excited about being able to wear singlets because people won't ask whats on his arms. Tonight when he had a shower he must have been examining his newly transformed skin and when I went in to give him a towel he said "Mum I don't have eczema anymore". I can't imagine how this must feel for him. As he was drying himself he said to Charlie "Look Charlie I don't have eczema anymore". On a closer look Charlie replied "Oh wow Oscar you look amazing!"
I'm not sure how this has all happened! What a monumental week for us. We have tried reward charts for Oscar many a time without success but somehow this week it all came together. I can't even explain how happy both Andrew and I feel knowing Oscar is finally sleeping.
Most importantly Oscar is feeling good about himself and his body. It's been one hell of a ride for our wee man. He's felt pain like no child should, on and off for many years. This has made Oscar who he is. It has no doubt shaped his personality and his disposition and we wouldn't change him for anything!
We are so excited to finally feel like we are living again and functioning as a family unit.
