Milestones: Learning to Self-Soothe

So tonight I feel like I hit the jackpot.

Once I returned from work, we hit up the Natick Collection to do some exchanges and pick up some Five Guys for dinner. Kasen had just gotten up from a nap and we only had an hour left to run our errands before the mall closed. As we were driving home, new purchases and fat juicy burger, fresh cut fries and giant soda in hand, I notice that Kasen has fallen asleep (and it's his bedtime of 9pm) - I was hoping to put him to sleep when I got home. 

I let him sleep in his car seat for maybe a half hour, and proceeded to take him and out and get him ready for bed. I read him a bed time story. Our friends Nancy + Anthony (mommy + daddy to Baby Taylor, also another dragonette!) gifted Kasen with LeapFrog My First Book: Good Night Scout that Kasen LOVES. And it usually makes him sleepy! But not tonight...still restless after going through the book twice! Oh no! Feed him. Still restless. He doesn't get sleepy. So finally, I turn off the lights and turn on his turtle friend that projects starry nights (this thing is amazing by the way...it's from cloud b). within minutes he starts to gets drowsy...and drifts to sleep on his own!!! SCORE!

He awoke again at 2am, looking around. I didn't have a bottle ready since he drank all of his milk so I felt guilty for not being prepared. I give him the bottle anyway and let him hold it with no milk in it. He puts it in his mouth, and I run to the warmer to get a few ounces ready. I rush back with the said ounces. He's asleep! He self-soothed himself to sleep, without my help! My baby's growing up!

As I pump I await the 5am usual wake up for milk. He's usually hungry by this one and normally guzzles 5 oz like he got the memo that there's no more milk coming!

Crossing fingers.