3 out of 4 of my children slept through the night once they were on solid food (baby cereal with mashed banana in it, or some other baby fruit), which they ate at 7:00, and bedtime was 8:00. They were up around 6:00 a.m., because at the time, I was a working Mom.
#4 wasn't so good to us ! She didn't sleep through the night until age 4 or so . . . she just didn't need the sleep. she'd wake up and want to play. We were both working FT, so we brought her into our bed and let her lie between us, hopefully while WE slept. We have fond memories (that weren't so fond at the time) of her saying, "Wake up, Daddy! It's morningtime!" in the middle of the night (obviously not 6 months old !!)
If your son is starting to eat cereal, and you add some fruit, and he's not teething yet, he may not need to eat again after he goes to bed, but we all get into habits, and he may be simply be waking up because he's used to waking up. Unfortunately, he can't really tell you that, and giving him something to eat (a bottle) gives him something to do while he goes back to sleep. You could also let him have his bottle in your bed, if you have him protected from falling out -- and that way you could continue to rest, rather than having to stay upright while he drinks and goes back to sleep. My theory? "I'm tired. You're hungry. Let's solve both at the same time."
(I know, there's lots of arguments both ways re baby in the bed, baby out of the bed,etc. We honestly have had all 4 of our kids in our bed from time to time -- routinely as babies, because we both worked 50 hours/week and we were too tired to stay upright at night. I could nurse and almost fall asleep, which was great. I didn't care particularly if the baby was asleep or feeding, as long as I got rested. We've had kids who just "can't sleep" crawl into bed with us, we've had children with nightmares in bed with us, we've had sick children in bed with us -- our youngest is now 12, and none of our kids lack independence, or have been adversely affected by having a safe place to go when feeling they are in a crisis. Sometimes WE get frustrated, but on the other hand -- they grow up and they LEAVE -- (2 of ours are now over 500 miles away) and when looking back, those days of being constantly interrupted, having a crowded bed, etc., seem so far away. I don't really think I'd want them back, but having a loving family, and having children who will come to us whenever they need to talk, or need comfort, or have decisions to make -- it's worth every tough minute of it.)
It sounds like you have had a very stressful year -- with this little guy's daddy gone his whole life. It's no wonder you are exhausted; and now finally seeing the end of the tunnel with joy, expectation, and also a little trepidation, I'm sure, as you guys start living together again, and you get back to sharing your children and your decisions. Transitions are tough.
so, my expectation would be that whatever works while your husband is gone, things will change when he returns. And while it's good to have him back, all change is somewhat disruptive at best, even good change, and you will see behavior changes when Daddy comes home. Both kids will have to get used to him, and he to them, and both of you will have to once again work out how you parent as a team. You'll also have to be willing to share your children, and to share the disciplining -- sometimes it's hard to have someone come back and disrupt the patterns you've gotten used to in his absence. But it will be good -- it will just be a transition thing for all of you.
Given those upcoming changes on the whole household, I would not add stress to your son's life at the same time. I sense that's why you want him to start sleeping NOW, but maybe it's okay for him to wake up. . . . . Maybe Dad won't be so good at sleeping through the night either, and maybe he would like some private cuddle time with the son he hasn't been able to hold for 5 to 6 months. So maybe if he's still waking up in the night, Dad would like to get up and feed him a bottle and hold him and do those "baby" kinds of things with him -- to catch up on some of the time he's missed.
I also want you to know that I was a single mom, too, when my first two kids were 1 and 3, until they were 5 and 7. But during that time, I never had to worry about where their father was, because he was somewhere in the same state I was in -- never across the globe from his children and never in a war zone. You have a whole lot on your plate, and I thank YOU and your children as well as your husband for the sacrifices and struggles you have faced while he served our country.
The words sound so "puny" I guess, compared to the reality of what your life has been while he's been gone, and certainly for how difficult it has been for him to be there. And yet, I don't know any other words that are any better.
But you're doing a good job, Mom. We all do the best we can, with whatever energy we have. Take some "me time" for you, and keep on keeping on. Your little girl will be talking up a storm soon, and one of these days, you'll wake up in the morning, and suddenly come to the realization that you actually slept ALL NIGHT ! wowwee !!
And whatever you actually "do" or don't do to try to get him to sleep at night, know that what he really needs from you is consistent love, protection and nurture. The rest of what you do, you do in a way that meets your needs as well as his and the family's needs. And, honestly, it'll be okay. If there were one thing I could pass on from my ripe old age of having my oldest be 27 now, is that it's good not to worry so much about "how" your are raising your children, and to simply LOVE them, and let them know they are loved, and to have them feel safe within the family circle. they will grow beyond the family soon enough when school starts, and then they will grow enough to completely step beyond it -- and at that time, it is the relationships you've built with them that bring them home -- via e-mail, via cell phone, etc. I wouldn't trade those touches of "home" with my big girls now for anything I gave up when they were little. And even when you "know" intellectually that the time goes by quickly, it'll never feel that way until after it's gone. That's just the way life is.
God bless you guys ! And God bless your husband as he, too, looks forward to his homecoming hugs and renewed family life.
barb w