Lilly has been taking a toddler gymnastics class this summer. We go to Wiggles and Giggles on Wednesday evenings for thirty minutes. Basically the kids go around with a parent and try different gymnastic skills each week. The balance beam is one of Lilly's favorites. And when they taught her to push up and hold herself up on the beam with her hands . . . our life having a caged in sleeper came to an end. Because Lilly decided she wanted to try that on her crib rails. Luckily she never fell but with her noggin, we figured we best be on the safe side.
We hemmed and hawed about what type of bed to use. At first we were going to buy a twin bed from one of the furniture stores in town. I even called and price shopped. In our guest room we had an extra double bed and started to think, well, why not just use that? I bought some Sesame Street sheets and away we went with the double. Lilly is not to be trusted around anything that can be climbed or that one can hang from (she once pulled out the top two drawers of her dresser and tried hanging from them) so we pulled out all of her furniture.
The first week was rough. One of us would read her stories and lay next to her until the little punk fell asleep. I say little punk with nothing but love - and maybe some frustration. The first few nights she wouldn't fall asleep for a few hours. Nick was laying next to her one night and he thought she was asleep. Her breathing was slow and even and the girl who is never still was still. Then her little head popped up and she said in her most cheerful and awake voice, "Hi Dada!" Crap. We tried this method for nearly a week. After we realized we needed a new approach, we tried of figure out what it was going to be - but we were also leaving for Eau Claire in just a few days, where her routine was going to be out of whack for a few days.
After a few rough naps, I was super frustrated. I told Lilly I needed to leave but I would be back to check on her in five minutes. When I came back, she was asleep. Ah ha. New approach. So this is what we do now and it is (knock on wood) working like a charm. One of us reads to her, says good night and we'll check on you in five minutes. She's usually still awake at this point, and at ten. And often at fifteen. But most nights by the 20 minute mark she's asleep. Which impresses me and frustrates me at the same time. She is in her bed, with no stuffed animals or dolls (usually - the girl likes her bed empty), in complete darkness, alone and manages to stay awake for twenty minutes or more. Put me in that environment and I'd be asleep in seconds.
We hemmed and hawed about what type of bed to use. At first we were going to buy a twin bed from one of the furniture stores in town. I even called and price shopped. In our guest room we had an extra double bed and started to think, well, why not just use that? I bought some Sesame Street sheets and away we went with the double. Lilly is not to be trusted around anything that can be climbed or that one can hang from (she once pulled out the top two drawers of her dresser and tried hanging from them) so we pulled out all of her furniture.
The first week was rough. One of us would read her stories and lay next to her until the little punk fell asleep. I say little punk with nothing but love - and maybe some frustration. The first few nights she wouldn't fall asleep for a few hours. Nick was laying next to her one night and he thought she was asleep. Her breathing was slow and even and the girl who is never still was still. Then her little head popped up and she said in her most cheerful and awake voice, "Hi Dada!" Crap. We tried this method for nearly a week. After we realized we needed a new approach, we tried of figure out what it was going to be - but we were also leaving for Eau Claire in just a few days, where her routine was going to be out of whack for a few days.
After a few rough naps, I was super frustrated. I told Lilly I needed to leave but I would be back to check on her in five minutes. When I came back, she was asleep. Ah ha. New approach. So this is what we do now and it is (knock on wood) working like a charm. One of us reads to her, says good night and we'll check on you in five minutes. She's usually still awake at this point, and at ten. And often at fifteen. But most nights by the 20 minute mark she's asleep. Which impresses me and frustrates me at the same time. She is in her bed, with no stuffed animals or dolls (usually - the girl likes her bed empty), in complete darkness, alone and manages to stay awake for twenty minutes or more. Put me in that environment and I'd be asleep in seconds.
Wahoo Lilly (and Megan and Nick!)!
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