So the nap situation was horrible last week. Nonexistent except for one day (Wednesday, I think?). Bedtimes were also bad--a couple of nights of falling asleep behind the door. By Thursday, I was feeling ready to implode. Kevin's parents were sweet enough to take Lewis for me Friday morning so that I could escape the madness get a pedicure, do laundry, start packing for the weekend, etc.
This was what happened during Monday's 'nap' in his big boy bed:
Total disaster zone
One day he pulled every last wipe out the dispenser. Another day he squirted out 2/3 of a tube of kind of expensive baby face lotion out onto the floor. Pulled all of his diapers down and spread them around his room. Moved his bookcase out from the wall. Pulled his dirty laundry out of the hamper. Pulled every last alcohol wipe out of its box. Put a new box of trash bags in the trash can (which I luckily caught before emptying his trash can...). Pulled his blankets out from under his bed. He is a beast (and apparently still not ready for the freedom of the toddler bed). :)
Every day I had to remove one more thing that he got into, to the point where he just has the bare minimums in there now. I was/am wishing for a sleeping room for him. Like in a house whose bathroom has a separate toilet room, I wish there was just a plain box of a room that he could go into and just sleep. Free from distractions and temptations. Just sleep.
After talking it out over the weekend with Keith and Maggie, we decided to turn his crib around so that the open side is butted up against the wall and the (taller) back of the crib becomes the front. (Dietgard had also told me that she did that with Mathilda, but I'd forgotten to try it.) So far, so good. He's now slept Sunday night through Wednesday nap (as I type) without much trouble, and most importantly he has NOT figured out how to climb out yet (he could get over the sides if he wanted to). I'm sure it's a matter of time, but for here and now, we are good. I remember Emily saying that Juniper just suddenly decided she was ready for her big girl bed, so I'm looking forward to when that happens for Lewis!
i wonder if it would help if it was a totally different bed, like a twin bed. Or maybe he's so routine oriented it has him confused because it's not what he's always done. goodness, that must be exhausting! i don't remember at all how you kids did but i sure don't remember all that happening. good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt is exhausting. Not having that break of a nap in the day and the subsequent meltdown at the end of the day from him not sleeping. I think it was our toughest week yet. I guess we'll try again in a few months (if he doesn't climb out of the new configuration by then...).
DeleteMaybe a new bed would be different--I've heard of people putting a 2nd bed in the room for a little while as he's still sleeping in the crib so that he can get used to the idea but not go right to it. Our plan is non-existent and ever-changing. :)