Monday

Toddler Tales: Crib Changes + 1 Extra

J has been sleeping in his crib since he was about 3 or 4 months old (before that he was in the Moses basket).

The crib has been his preferred sleeping place, since we never had him consistently sleeping with us or anywhere else. The crib has been wonderful, because even if he woke up he would play-laugh-sing-chatter and enjoy some quiet morning time to himself, often falling asleep again. This has provided the wonderful luxury of later mornings for both J and Mama.

He has slept in the crib in Kentucky, Wisconsin, and now Illinois.

And now...we are embarking on a new kind of adventure...since J now can climb out of his crib. He just realized the power in this ability and OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED.

Scratch that.
MY MORNINGS HAVE CHANGED.

It was a good run while it lasted.

Here are a few examples of our new crib experience:

8:30pm Prayers & kisses, lay J down in crib
8:35pm Door opens, a loud & cheery J says: "GOOD MORNING!! I SLEEP GOOD!!"

4:20am Our door opens, a bright & awake J exclaims (to his sleeping parents) : "Good MORNING! I SLEEP GOOD!!"
4:25am Gate is added in front of his door

7:00am Door opens, J rests arm over gate and yells: "Good MORNING! I sleep GOOD! Time AWAKE, MOM!!"
7:05am Put J back in bed, insist it is NOT time to be awake...

So there you have it.
Life.
Turned.
Upside.
Down.



For now we are using the gate technique to keep him in which is working well. I need to add a set of toys to his room for him to play with when he wakes up and we'll be good to go. Initially I felt an urgency to get a new bed (toddler? bunk? twin? use guest bed?) but now I'm over it. He is fine in the crib, crawling in and out--why get a new set up??

(Baby N is still snuggling in the Moses basket for naps & bedtime but will soon be moving his sleep location to the pack n' play in our closet)

As promised, 1 Extra:

The other night we were eating dinner together at home. J was trying very hard to grab a noodle with his fork. He kept going for it with no luck, missing the noddle in between the tongs of his utensil every time. He was determined and we watched with amusement as he tried again and again.

Finally, he got it! Still focusing on his plate he said excitedly, in almost a whisper: "Gotchya!" Then he carefully put the noodle in his mouth and smiled as he chewed the cheesy goodness.

2 comments:

Leesa said...

Oh Shara, I feel your pain!!! I think you made a good choice by leaving him in the crib for now. Ela did the same thing when she learned to get out of her pack n play; she was in and out of that thing all night. After a week or two the novelty of it wore off and she was back to her normal routine. Hopefully the fun and excitement of it all will die down and J will be back to sleeping like a champ!

It's Me - Jen E! said...

I've read this a million times this week because this is so our life right now. Will is on the bottom bunk and can easily get in and out of bed. We try to get him to bed at the same time as Jared during the school week but Will then thinks it's play time or that Jared will read him a book. When he realizes that Jared is going to go to sleep, that is when he usually gets out of bed and comes to us....."Not ready to go to bed - stay up with you!" On the nights that he does go to sleep in his bed, it has recently only been lasting till about 2:00am, when he comes into our room and proudly exclaims "I sleep with you!"
I haven't had a good nights sleep in over 3 years!!!! I'm too old for this.....