From Cradle to Crib

When we brought Cooper home the intention was for him to sleep in a wooden cradle that had been passed around my family for 40+ years, I'd even slept in it as a newborn. That lasted about a night & a half. He hated that cradle more than either of us could have imagined.

Then I remembered a friend saying THIS sleeper saved her & her husband when they came home from the hospital. I'd registered for the same & we'd been gifted it at my shower.  So halfway through the second night I stumbled half asleep into the living room, picked the rocker up, stumbled up the stairs & set it up in our room while Eric was changing baby.

He came back, popped Cooper in, we turned on the slow rocker & soothing music options & amazingly got our first couple hours of solid sleep since getting home. Cooper has slept in that rocker ever since (now without rocking or music).

In Sleeper, 3 Weeks Old

Then this past week I noticed his head was almost at the top of it, shoulders were a bit smushed & Friday he learned that he could kick those long legs & the cradle would rock or jump.  A BIG no-no.  So it's crib time- something he hates sleeping in every time we've tried for a day time nap.  But surprisingly the first night in he slept between 6-7 hours, then woke up hourly after.  

1st Night in Crib, 11 Weeks Old

Naps are turning out to be a bit harder & I'm convinced it's because the crib doesn't cradle him the same way as the sleeper.  So (meep) letting him cry it out for a bit during his usual nap times (9, 12:30 & 4).  I'd love to hear some tips on how to ease the transition?  Or what worked for you to get baby re-adjusted to his usual nap times after such a big change?

I swear, every time we hit a growth milestone like this my heart fills & my eyes tear.  Time is flying by so quickly & I'm so excited to embrace everything to come but it's painful to see all of this go by so fast.  I find myself missing being pregnant, the first few days after Cooper was born & even the sleepless nights that followed our return from the hospital.  That's probably why my phone is filled with so many photos that it needs to be emptied monthly (gasp), I want to hold on to every piece & have those memories saved to reflect on in case I forget one along the way.

:)