Slumber Party

Going to bed at night is always an issue. Nathan is always asking us to sleep in our bed or even on the floor. When he does go to bed in his room, he usually sneaks into Charlotte's room and sleeps on her floor. Or he'll fall asleep downstairs with us and then we take him to bed. Charlotte will usually go to bed in her room but then wakes up around 3:00 in the morning and wants to get in bed with me. I know it's my fault for getting this started, but I'm always so tired that I just get her and put her in my bed so that I can sleep. And then I also have the problem of trying to put them in their own rooms and not waking the other one up. Just last week, Nathan was crying because he didn't want to go to bed which then woke up Charlotte. She started crying and got so upset that she threw up in her bed. So last week, I decided I had enough of this. I wanted them to go to bed at a reasonable hour and to stay in their rooms! No more of this 2 hour bedtime routine. Wayne and I wanted our nights and our bed back! So I prepared both of them that they were going to be sleeping in their own rooms no matter what. They both agreed. I told them I'd leave the door open to the bathroom (the bathroom separates their rooms) so that they would know that the other one was right there. It started out fine, but was soon turning into a whining/crying disaster. They both knew that they couldn't leave their room or they wouldn't get to use the IPad the next day (which is something they both LOVE). But they just couldn't get comfortable with the fact that they were upstairs, ALONE. Eventually, I got Charlotte asleep. Now it was Nathan's turn. He said he wasn't tired and just wanted to play...downstairs with us. We told Nathan that he could play in his room for a while and then get in bed. Basically, we didn't care what he did or when he went to sleep as long as he stayed in his room. Finally, Wayne came up to take over and I went to take a shower and get ready for bed. With Charlotte asleep, I was hoping Daddy could talk some sense into Nathan. A little while later, Wayne comes down and says they are in bed. Really?! That was fast! I was thinking bedtime would now be Wayne's job! I went to check on them a while later and this is what I found:

Wayne said that as he was telling Nathan to be a big boy and sleep in his bed. Charlotte woke up and came in and said "Sleep with Nay Nay." Nathan loved that idea...he just likes to have someone with him...a living, breathing thing, whether it's mommy or daddy or a 2 year old, he doesn't care. So Charlotte climbed in bed with Nathan, and they slept all night! It's been a week and a half, and Wayne and I are in Heaven! Nathan and Charlotte LOVE sleeping in Nathan's room. When it's time for bed, they go up there together. I read them each a book, and they get in bed! It's amazing to me that they walk up to their room AWAKE...that I'm not having to hope they fall asleep on the couch and then sneak them up. Sometimes I hear them on the monitor talking and singing, but they always go to bed soon after. And they sleep ALL night!!! Yes, I know they are still not sleeping in their OWN beds, but who cares? I just wanted my nights back! And when they wake up in the morning, they play in Nathan's room for a while before they come down to get me. I actually think it's making them closer because they are having so much fun being together. So I figure that right now, I'll just get them used to sleeping upstairs by themselves (not with Mommy and Daddy) and then they can work on sleeping in their own beds. I know they can't sleep together forever, but as of now, it is something we can all be happy with. And look how cute they are! Notice, they each of a blankie with them.