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Advice Wanted

I'm hoping that all my great family members and friends with children will give me some advice.

The very first night in the hospital, I couldn't bear to send Israel to the nursery. I didn't want him out of my sight, but he wouldn't sleep unless I was holding him, so I cradled him in the crook of my arm propped up with pillows and slept the best I could with my neck bent at various awkward angles. (It was uncomfortable to say the least especially considering how light I slept for fear of inadvertantly hurting or killing my newborn child.) Anyway, I started a habit that night, I don't know for good or ill, and Israel has slept with me since then.

He loves to cuddle when he sleeps and almost will never sleep unless he's in someone's arms, with the exception of the carseat and the stroller. He will pretty much wake up and start howling like two minutes after I set him down no matter how carefully I do it or how well I position him to feel like he is still being held. (I swear the kid knows if I'm even thinking of putting him down and starts getting upset.) So, I've pretty much stopped even trying to put him down and just hold him so he can get a good rest. At times this has caused me some frustration-- I would like to ever be able to wash the dishes or brush my teeth, etc--but really generally I have loved it myself. My favorite thing to do in the world is hold and cuddle my sweet and perfect little boy, and I figure that I'll never have just one child to care for ever again, so I can afford to live it up for right now and let other things go for the moment.

What it boils down to is this-- I haven't regretted being a slave to Israel's sleep, but I know that at some point I really do have to get him on some sort of schedule where he takes decent naps during the day and sleeps at night on his own so I can actually get things done that I need to and some sleep of my own, and I would like your input. I want to know what has worked/not worked for you and your little ones and especially at what point you think it is good to start trying to get your baby on a schedule. (And don't say since day 1--cause I've already blown that.=))

Thanks in advance for your helpful advice.

Love to you all,
Ashley

Israel's been giving us good smiles for a few weeks now. He's especially cheerful first thing in the morning. Check it out.