Disclaimer: This is purely a record for me that I plan on keeping in weekly increments for a while to be able to look back in the future for other kids & just to see how long it takes Gray to really adjust. I DO NOT expect this to be of interest to anyone else, so feel free to skip right over this post!
Thursday January 21st: My mom watched Grayson for me so I could go to my OB appointment. When I dropped him off, she had one more gift for him and it was covered by a big blanket. Gray went over and took it off and he was so excited & cute. He got right up on the bed and even laid down on it and she said he played on it all day. So fun!
It was the weirdest feeling not having anyone with me and being able to go do some things all by myself. Usually I have Grayson or my mom or a friend with me...or if Gray stays at Nana's, me and Zac are together. Rarely am I all by myself like that-and especially for a trip that far & long. Anyway, it was a weird & good time. My appointment went well and everything is still on track. I've been super congested (thanks to Gray's sickness) and he told me what I could take for that. Measured good, weight gain is good (although I seriously feel HUGE!) and heartbeat was good. Love that sound every time I hear it. Afterward I went to the mall for the first time in ages and used my gift card to Motherhood Maternity and walked around a couple other stores. Then I met with our bookkeeper and had a fun conversation with her. Headed to Costco for a few errands and then came back to my mom's. Gray had just fallen asleep but had a poopy diaper, so I changed him and that woke him up (she had laid him on the bed after he fell asleep) and we headed home. Because he didn't get a nap, he was pretty cranky the rest of the afternoon and when my dad and McCall brought the toddler bed over to his room I debated whether I should start him tonight, but thought I just better do it. Of course everything I read online says the closer they are to 3 the better, but we have to make room for baby brother and I think 6-9 weeks is a good amount of time for him to have before baby makes his arrival...hopefully.
{Bedtime} So we did our normal nighttime routine and put him in the toddler bed and I sang several songs to him. When I got up to leave, he stood up and cried and said, "hold you mama" and hugged me and I told him he needed to go to sleep and I walked out and shut the door almost tight (he can open it even if it's shut all the way). I left his room at 8:18 pm & he cried for about 8 minutes and now it's 8:49 and it's been quiet ever since. I'm nervous about where he actually ended up, but figure if he's on the floor I can always move him to the bed. I also want to get a little guardrail to put on the part that doesn't have a rail because I know how much he moves & flips around and don't want him falling off & waking up every night. So...so far so good. We'll see how the rest of the night goes!
ETA: Checked on Gray at 10:45 and he was completely turned around in the bed and looked so adorable. I can't even handle how big he's getting! (: He slept amazingly all night-not waking up at all. Around 6:21 am, he woke up and said, "Where's my binky?", found it, and went right back to sleep. Got up for the day at 8:30 when his mean mom took a picture & the camera flash woke him up and said, "Good morning! Papa & Doll brought dis bed here!" Yay for a great first night!
Friday January 22nd: {Naptime} Ran errands today and on our way home Gray fell asleep about two minutes before we hit our driveway. I got him out and he woke up a little and I put him on his toddler bed with his blankets. He cried for about 30 seconds and turned over and fell asleep. Slept from 12:45-2:30 like a champ and was happy when he woke up.
{Bedtime} Hung out at Cleaver's tonight and didn't get home till a little before nine. After some juice, prayers, and visiting, we headed to the bed to sing songs. I left his room at 9:15 & he didn't even make a peep! Checked on him before we went to bed and he was out cold. Slept till 8:30 am without making a sound! Great second night!
Saturday January 23rd: {Naptime} McCall came over to play with Grayson and keep him entertained for an hour while Zac was helping me "nest" and clean up some stuff in the pantry/Gray's closet/garage/outside shed. At naptime, she went to lay him down on his bed and she laid on the guest bed beside him. I told her she didn't have to but she was tired too. They were both out within minutes & looked so cute asleep on their separate beds! He slept from 1:00-3:30 really well.
{Bedtime} We celebrated Chels' birthday tonight but I still didn't want to get home too late, so we were home by 8:40. Got Gray in his jammies, prayed, read stories, etc. and then I sang him one each of his 8 standby songs. When I left his room at 9:15, he cried for about 30 seconds and stopped. He slept till 6:00 am and cried out, "hold you mama!" a few times and fell back asleep a couple minutes later. He woke up for good about 8:40. Good boy!
Sunday January 24th: {Naptime} Today's nap was definitely our hardest yet. I stayed home from church with Gray as both of us still aren't quite up to par, so I sang to him and left his room at 12:20. He cried for a few minutes and then I could hear him trying to open the door, so I went in and took him back to bed and sang for another 20 minutes or so. I left his room at 12:50. He cried more and came to the door and I opened it and said, "Grayson, it's naptime. Lay on your big boy bed. If I have to come back again, I'll have to spank you." Then I shut the door at 12:52. He cried (but from his bed) until 1:00 and then was quiet. Slept till 3:30 & I had to wake him up to leave.
{Bedtime} We spent the afternoon/evening at Fischer's and didn't get home till 9:00 so that put our bedtime routine later than normal. I left his room at 9:49 & he didn't make a sound. Heard him call out around 6:45 am, but went back to sleep right away. Woke up for the day at 8:45 happy as a clam. And the funny thing is, he still waits for us to come get him out even though he can just climb right off!
Monday January 25th: {Naptime} Today went much more smoothly than yesterday. We had a busy morning cleaning and a yummy lunch and I left his room at 1:05 after about five minutes of singing. He yelled out once and then was quiet. He woke up at 4:15 and I had to get him up!
{Bedtime} We were late getting Gray to bed tonight because Zac didn't get home till 8:30 and loves to spend a little time with him...and I was just not on top of my game. Anyway, I left his room at 9:40 and he called out for me a few times but no major crying...It's definitely better when we get him down earlier-for him and us. I heard him at 2:30 am for about five minutes whimpering & gave him his plug and he went back to sleep. Then he woke up at 7:00 am and I heard him off and on for an hour before I went in to get him. Definitely want to get an earlier bedtime going! (:
Tuesday January 26th: {Naptime} Left his room at 1:05-did great. After only singing a couple songs he said, "goodnight." So I said goodnight & walked out. He was quiet from then on out and slept till 3:00.
{Bedtime} Tonight Zac and I went on a date to the temple and McCall stayed with Grayson. He gave her a hard time going to bed which I kind of expected. I told her if he fought it too hard not to worry about it-didn't want to make her whole night miserable! So when we got home at 10:00, he was still up. I put him back to bed and left his room at 10:20 (much too late!) and he cried for about 2 minutes and then was quiet. However, from 4:30 am-7:00 am, I heard him off and on, crying, calling for me, saying, "I get up! I all done!", etc. Thus, none of us got great sleep. He went back to sleep after that and got up about 8:50. Crazy kid! I hate nights where he doesn't get quality sleep the whole time.
Wednesday January 27th: {Naptime} Put Gray down for his nap today and sang him a few songs. When I was done he said, "Thank you mama. I wuv you." I told him I loved him and then he said, "Goodnight," and I walked out at 1:05 and he didn't make a sound. Love moments like that when they make you feel so good about being their mama! He woke up at 2:45, so not a super long nap, but he was very happy.
{Bedtime} BAD NIGHT! I had mutual tonight and got home about 9:00 so it was another late night. We read a couple books and had family prayer and talked more about reverence...he's great about sitting by us and mostly keeping his arms folded, but he talks incessantly (to himself, Heavenly Father, us, Thomas, etc.) and so we are working on that. Took him to bed and sang songs and then left his room at 9:43-too late again! He cried and asked for me till 10:00 when I went in to check on him and he was standing in the middle of the room and wanted me to hold him, etc. I put him back in bed and he cried till 10:30 when Zac went in to check on him. He sang to him, tried reasoning with him (does not work) and was in there till 11:00. I finally just didn't want to deal with it anymore, so I laid on his floor and he fell asleep within several minutes (thinking the whole time that I was totally un-doing everything we'd worked so hard to establish, but sometimes sanity just takes over!) and I got to bed about 11:30. He woke up at 8:30 for the day happy & like nothing ever happened!
{Tangent} I totally have issues with patience and not sleeping. I think Heavenly Father must be trying to teach me something (aka: more patience-and the fact that kids are little & the only constant in life is change!) because I just get so frustrated when Grayson won't fall asleep. And, he kept trying to come out of his room and he hasn't done that yet so that was frustrating. We tried the super-nanny technique of taking him back about 18 times, so we'll see how tonight goes and try to start earlier so it may go better. And, he kept saying, "I sleep in crib-I sleep in baby brother's crib." What?! He has been totally fine up to this point-now we're regressing? Kids are always switching things up for us...and it turns out that I have some disease where I can't relax if he's not asleep, so if bedtime is a fight, it totally drains me and him both. Not fun. Here's hoping for a better night!
Thursday January 28th: {Naptime} We were in the car during naptime today and he only slept from 2:30 to 3:00, so I'm hoping he'll be tired tonight!
{Bedtime} Got everything done early tonight and Zac wasn't going to be home till late, so me and G were on our own. Did our little routine and left his room at 8:15. He cried and came out 3 times, each time I'd take him back in and set him on his bed. The last time he crawled up on the big bed and didn't come out again. I'm not sure where he ended up yet. He cried for about half an hour straight and although it was breaking my heart, I know Heavenly Father is giving me help because I've been praying all day to be able to do what's best for Grayson and to not let my temper get the best of me... When I went in at 8:57, he was still crying & on the big bed. I told him to give me a big hug and that it was time to go to bed, handed him a couple more blankets & left and he didn't cry after that at all. Before Z and I went to bed, we checked on him and he was back on his toddler bed, precariously close to the edge...I knew he'd probably fall off and didn't want him waking himself up, so I put a couple layers of padding by the side of his bed. Around 4 am, I got up to use the bathroom and checked on him. He had indeed rolled out of his bed (crazy sleeper!) and was off the padding beside the bed and curled up in a little ball on his floor by the dresser with no blankets-and it was cold! I picked him up and transferred him to his toddler bed and covered him up and he slept till 8:00. I felt way better about how last night went & hope week 2 can just continue to get better and better. Here's to a fairly good first week of transitioning!
2 comments:
Oh....I remember the days!! Karl, sounds like he really is doing great with it. Jordan was 14 mos.(and barely walkling!) when we had to move him to get him used to the bed before Jake needed the crib!! It is a bit frustrating when they get out, but just remember consistency is the key---no matter how hard it is! Another trick my friend taught me (which we still totally use with the boys if they just won't settle down & sleep)is one of us sits in the doorway reading a book--not looking or talking to them--even if they ask us a question or whatever, no response--until they are settled & asleep, it typically is less than 10 minutes. It really does work, they realize that play time is done & it's time for sleep. I know it's rough being super pregnant & uncomfortable being on the floor(sleeping or sitting!)Kudos to you for having to do it several times on your own--it's not easy! Hope he continues to do it well. Another technique to use is really talking about the excitement of the big boy bed throughout the day. That always helped ours adjust too. Not that you need more advice! Sounds like he will keep doing well with the changeover! Good luck--you're doing awesome & such a sweet person & mother!!
It is hard with the patience but it really sounds like he is doing quite well. just keep working on the patience and not giving in and really he will be fine. I used to put up a baby gate in the doorway of my kids rooms to help them to sleep in their big kid beds. Then when they were asleep I would take it down so that they could come out in the morning without me having to get my lazy tush out of bed.
This too shall pass! :0)
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