2011 March - Aria MacDonald

So what are yelling pegs I hear you ask?

This little system is what Hamish invented to solve some problems and incentivise Miss Aria at nighttimes.

Each morning Hamish and I would have these frustrating conversations.  “How many times did you get up last night?”  “I don’t know, I was half asleep” “Can you remember what times?” “Um no I was half asleep” “Was it a good night?” “Um I think so”  We would take turns at being the questioner but the reality was we were half asleep.

So now, whenever someone gets up for Aria they put a peg up.  Two pegs equals a good night and 5 (like last night) equals a bad one.  Aria gets lots of praise and a present for two pegs.  No Wii or computer privileges for anything over 4.  Two nights with two pegs in a row equals a trip to Chuckie Cheese’s.   Never happened so far.

The reality is I think that the incentives are largely not working.  But at least it is helping us get a handle on the situation.  We are at the point were we just have to accept broken sleep and work with it until Aria is well enough to sleep thru.  Because we honestly believe if she could sleep thru she would.  Yesterday she told us she was only going to get one peg that night.  And each morning she says ‘Aria really sorry Mummy/Daddy for 4 pegs’  My heart really feels for her.

Aria’s skin is looking much better although still not completely healed and she is still really itchy at night (hence the inability to sleep I think).  Unfortunately her hair is coming out as she has a mega case of cradle cap.  We are up to 30mls an hour on feeds (goal (90mls)  might go up to 40mls tonight.  So overall I think we are making progress which we are so grateful for!