Bedtime
Izzy is our problem sleeper and we're still struggling with some issues since moving out of the loft and into our new house. Things are much better than they were in the loft when she wouldn't go to bed at night until Ryan and I did and then slept with us all night. Now she goes to bed with Charlie (in his bed) and comes down to ours between 2 and 3 in the morning. Every night.
For the last several weeks, even that hasn't worked so well. We put them both to bed after reading books, brushing teeth, and lying down with them for a few minutes. About 10 minutes later, Izzy comes down the stairs wanting something - water, a hug, a kiss, or to have one of us come back upstairs and lay down. We coax her back to bed only to have her reappear - while we're trying to eat our dinner at almost 9:00. After several trips up and down the stairs things escalate and she gets put in time out in our bedroom. Several times she just crawled into our bed and fell asleep while in time out. Now she comes down the stairs and rather than requesting a hug, etc. she will ask to go sleep in our bedroom - we finish our dinner and take her back upstairs. Needless to say this has been exhausting and not the bedtime routine we want to maintain.
But last week, while I was traveling for work, a funny thing happened. Izzy and Charlie figured out a new bedtime routine all on their own. Now, after Ryan and I tuck them in and go downstairs, Izzy crawls over to Charlie's side of the bed and he 'reads' to her. She will listen and ask questions and then after 10-15 minutes, they both go to sleep. Occasionally she will still come downstairs and ask for something, but then she goes back up so Charlie can read to her. I captured this picture of them the other night reading Winnie the Pooh.
And this video...
I don't know if Izzy will ever sleep in her own room or in her own bed, but I think I will miss this phase once its gone.
For the last several weeks, even that hasn't worked so well. We put them both to bed after reading books, brushing teeth, and lying down with them for a few minutes. About 10 minutes later, Izzy comes down the stairs wanting something - water, a hug, a kiss, or to have one of us come back upstairs and lay down. We coax her back to bed only to have her reappear - while we're trying to eat our dinner at almost 9:00. After several trips up and down the stairs things escalate and she gets put in time out in our bedroom. Several times she just crawled into our bed and fell asleep while in time out. Now she comes down the stairs and rather than requesting a hug, etc. she will ask to go sleep in our bedroom - we finish our dinner and take her back upstairs. Needless to say this has been exhausting and not the bedtime routine we want to maintain.
But last week, while I was traveling for work, a funny thing happened. Izzy and Charlie figured out a new bedtime routine all on their own. Now, after Ryan and I tuck them in and go downstairs, Izzy crawls over to Charlie's side of the bed and he 'reads' to her. She will listen and ask questions and then after 10-15 minutes, they both go to sleep. Occasionally she will still come downstairs and ask for something, but then she goes back up so Charlie can read to her. I captured this picture of them the other night reading Winnie the Pooh.
And this video...
I don't know if Izzy will ever sleep in her own room or in her own bed, but I think I will miss this phase once its gone.
I wonder if this is a syndrome with child #2? Ethan does almost the exact same thing every night, but knows better than to bother his sister not because she'll hurt him, but we probably will. You are far more patient than we can ever hope to be, or him to pray for us to be.
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