Bad habits die hard

Okay, so I have been doing a lot of reading and researching on how to get the twins to sleep longer/more consistently (which they aren't doing if you read the posts below). Turns out, there are billions of books/articles/web pages on this subject. All have different opinions and ideas. I also get a lot of advice from friends and family. "You gotta keep 'em up til they are really tired (like 11) and then they will sleep the rest of the night." That doesn't work because then they are so tired, they won't go to sleep (and just cry and cry). Our doctor told us to try rice cereal in their bottle. This just constipates them (and they don't sleep any longer; furthermore, they are fussy the whole next day because they need to poop). Some advice we refuse to try (just let them cry...even if it is for 4 or 5 hours...they will eventually learn they need to sleep). I just can't do this one. I hate to hear them cry for even 5 minutes. I can't imagine hearing them cry for hours and not doing anything.

This gets me around to the header of this post. Almost all the sleep books etc. agree that one thing you have to do is get them to sleep in their cribs. Nick and I have done this consistently with them at night (they always sleep in their crib at night). Where I mess up is for their naps. They still are taking about 3 naps a day (however none of them in the crib -- often in their bouncy seats or boppies). The worst is in the morning. Every evening I vow that in the morning I will have them sleep in the crib for their nap. Then, I am so exhausted in the morning that I want a nap too, so I am too tired to try it. They like to sleep while cuddled up on me in the morning and when I put them in their crib for a nap, they cry. Because I need a nap as much as they do, I just give in and let them sleep on me. I can't resist their little faces. I eventually am going to have to give up this habit, though, or when my nanny comes on a more regular basis so I can work is going to have a horrible time (and probably quit on us).

The real answer to all this sleep business, though, is that they will sleep when they are neurologically ready. But, as we all know, this could be 3-4 months or longer. Most parents aren't that patient (including us). So, I will continue to search for the sleep solution. Any more ideas out there?