My boys are what you would normally consider “good” sleepers. They sleep through the night, in their beds, unless sick/teething, etc.
Usually.
Lately, Graham has been crawling into bed with us in the middle of the night. It started with that nasty cold we had last week. You wouldn’t think this would bother us (we have a King-sized bed) except for the fact that the kid is a MOVER. So then one of us (Matthew or I) will go and crawl into his bed so that there’s enough room for everyone. That happened a couple of times, and wore old fast.
We thought we’d put a mattress on our floor, and tell him that he could sleep there. That worked for two nights, and then last night he crawled back in with us. Right after that Nathan woke up, so Honey went in to cuddle with him, and ended up sleeping with him on a single mattress on his floor. Matthew is 6′2″, and not a small man. He doesn’t fit on the mattress when by himself, never mind when sharing it with a not-so-little almost-two-year-old.
Back in our room, I’m trying to sleep, while Graham is asking twenty questions. “Mommy! Where’s Daddy? Where’s Nathan? Where’s the blanket?”
I finally woke myself up enough to order him back to his room. Amazing thing was, he went with only a small whimper.
Matthew and I had a “Heads of State” conference this morning, and know that desperate times call for desperate measures. I need to stop and get some more earplugs this morning. They work like a charm every time, at least for dealing with Nathan’s yelling in the middle of the night. He’s still in a crib, praise God. For Graham, we’re not sure. Maybe an electric shock collar that goes off when he leaves his room? Kidding. Maybe.
We actually discussed bumping up their move into the same room together. We have three bedrooms upstairs, with a fourth in the basement. Graham’s too small to be placed in the dungeon, I mean, guest room. We were planning on moving Graham into Nathan’s room in September so that the baby can have Graham’s room when he/she arrives in October. Since we’re going to have a bit of a battle on our hands now anyway, we think we may move them tonight.
Any suggestions on making this work? If not, do you want to volunteer to train them to share a room? Any Supernannies out there? Or maybe someone who feels bad for these two parents who are tired…and maybe a little bit grumpy?
I know, in a couple of months I’ll be really tired. Newborn tired. I’d like to get sleep while I can.
Sigh. One day they’ll be teenagers and we won’t be able to wake them up if we tried. Can’t wait.
10 Comments
If we didn’t put the cloth in the door our daughter would be the end of us with her crawling out of her crib. Once they know they can’t get out…they won’t. You’ll have to find what works for you. You’re a great mommy, you’ll figure something out.
Comment by christy on July 27th, 2006 @ 12:21 pmI am a firm believer that everyone needs a good night sleep and this can’t happen when my kids co sleep with me. As hard as it is I would take my kids back to their own bed in the middle of the night and said no when they asked to sleep with me. Sometimes I do feel bad thinking they soon won’t even want to cuddle but I don’t sleep when they are with me. If one is sick I make a bed on the floor. The girls do share a room but not for long. I am hoping that they will sleep longer in the a.m. without having one wake the other up. It is tiring but puting them back in their own bed does pay off in the long run. Good luck!
Comment by Heidi on July 27th, 2006 @ 12:39 pmSpeaking as a parent of two girls ~ uh, I mean cats ~ I’d put them in the same room together now. If nothing else, maybe they can entertain one another!
Comment by Lisa on July 27th, 2006 @ 1:18 pmOh goodness, I wish I had some wisdom for you, but alas, I am still dreading the day that I have to move G out of his cage..I mean crib. I’ll be the one asking you for advice!
Comment by Tanneal on July 27th, 2006 @ 1:23 pmIf I had any sleeping advice I’d share it (and I wouldn’t be so bleary eyed this week!). I reckon you should make any changes right now though, while they are unsettled anyway and hopefully won’t associate it as much with the new baby? Could you make the new arrangements fun for the first night like a little sleepover?
Comment by Robyn on July 27th, 2006 @ 2:10 pmWow, sorry you’re going through this. Sounds tough!
Personally, I would never bring my child into my bed in the middle of night. I never have, and I never will. They are allowed to come in when they wake up in the morning, but if they wake up in the night, they must stay in their own beds.
We are planning to move Tyler into Ethan’s room when he is settled into a big boy bed. Right now he is still in his crib and shows no signs of needing to graduate yet.
I’m sure you’ll find a solution that works for your family. At any rate, you’ve got a few months to get it sorted before baby arrives!
hmmmm…electric shock collar. Hadn’t thought of that one.
When you figure it out let me know! My boys will still come into the bed in the middle of the night (well about 4 or 5 am). Yep…both of them. And me, hubby, and dog all in our queen size bed. That’s an interesting night let me tell ya!
Comment by Lisa on July 27th, 2006 @ 7:19 pmSigh, yes.. sharing a bed is frustrating. I’m such a wuss. I woke up last night lying across the foot of the bed with J’s feet on my back and Hunter enjoying pretty much the whole bed! Why am I such a wuss!?
Comment by Elizabeth on July 27th, 2006 @ 7:55 pmYikes! Hope you get it figured out soon.
Our boys are pretty much stay in their own bed kind of people - much to hubby and my relief 
Good luck!
I look forward to that day to, when at 8am I’ll be asking them to get up and mow the lawn or something. We have pretty much 5/7 nights a week where its one or the other, or both…in our bed, ever since the firstborn was out of his crib. I don’t let them stay long cuz they are such squirmers. And who knows about the sharing room thing…I was thinking about that too. I can’t imagine how they’d ever fall asleep?? PARTY
Comment by Sarah on July 27th, 2006 @ 12:06 pm