My Toddler Sleep Solution...

Remember my post about Bubbalu starting to escape from his room instead of sleeping?

Well, Lance woke up Saturday morning to find him standing in the laundry room, blankie and all, looking at the door to the garage saying, "where's Mommy where's Daddy?" over and over again.

Hmmm. We have no idea how long he was downstairs by himself.

I'm not too thrilled with the idea of him wandering all over the house completely unsupervised. Especially since he can get into the garage...and because he should be sleeping and isn't getting the rest he needs...and because Mommy might lose her sanity.

All valid reasons to remedy the problem posthaste.

Saturday afternoon he jumped right out of bed during nap time to come and explore. Over and over again, despite repeat 'punishments' and stern lectures from Mommy about the merits of staying in the truck bed and following our sleep rules:

1. We stay in our bed


2. We close our eyes


3. We are quiet


4. We do not jump or kick the walls


5. We go to sleep

Apparently the sleep rules aren't that fun to follow. I don't know why he doesn't like them, I LOVE the sleep rules. Sometime I have to remind myself to not to jump or kick the walls instead of sleeping, but usually I remember.

So, my solution. First I jumped into the car and zipped over to my in-laws to borrow their gate which (at the suggestion of my MIL) we put on his outside doorjamb. We put him to bed as usual that evening, reciting the sleep rules and tucking him in.

He was none too thrilled to find a gate blocking his escape when he opened his bedroom door one minute later. Much crying and gnashing of teeth. He was one ticked-off little dude. He ended up falling asleep that night lying against the gate clutching his blankie.

However, I decided that, despite the gate introduction, he was still getting to sleep 2 hours late and we needed another something.

Enter the Pack 'n Play. Every mother's tool for ensconcing their child safely whilst you go about your day.

I set it up in his room for Sunday nap time and told him that he needed to stay in bed or he would be put in the Pack 'n Play. He didn't believe me.

Oh my dear Son, have you not learned anything about your Mommy? Do NOT test me.

More crying and gnashing of teeth. But only 5 minutes, not 2 hours of singing, crying and yelling by the gate. And he had a super nap.

Sunday bedtime? Same deal. Only 3 minutes of crying and gnashing of teeth.

So there you have it. I am hoping it will only take a few days of Pack 'n Play enforcement before he just stays in his truck bed. I'll be leaving the gate up for his safety and my sanity though.

I'll keep you updated...

A

- Ok, I wrote this Sunday night, and now, Tuesday morning, we are still sleeping in the Pack N Play. Hmmm. I'll update yall bout the situation in a week or so...