Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Advice Anyone?



Tuesday evening was so much fun with G&D. Bob got home around 6, then we went outside for a couple of hours. The kids played together for that long of a time, beautifully. There was no pushing, hitting, biting or screaming. Bob and I were able to just sit there the entire time and watch them play. It was awesome. Then we went inside and it was dance party Keeler style. For an hour the four of us got our grooves on to Mary Had a Little Lamb, BINGO, etc. Good times I must admit.
It's nice because Denny is no longer going to bed at 7. He's staying up now until at least 8:30, so we have more time to spend with him in the evening. Plus, he's been sleeping in a bit longer in the mornings too.



Grace's bedtime is a different story. We need some serious advice, so if any of you Mama's out there have been through this, please let me know what you did. Any input would be greatly appreciated. We try to lay her down for bed, anywhere between 9-10. We can't just lay her in her bed and leave the room, because she gets up and comes right back out. We can go back and forth with that for ever, and she won't stay put. So Bob and I alternate nights, and we sit in her room with her until she falls asleep. This can take up to an hour. Last night, it took over 2 hours, and she was screaming bloody murder the whole time. She screams she wants to sleep with mommy & daddy, she screams she wants to eat, she screams anything and everything. When she does finally fall asleep, she ends up upstairs in our room in the middle of the night. This has been happening for so long now, and it's not good for any of us. Bob and I are at our wits end. The only thing we have not tried, and will probably resort to tonight, is putting her to bed and locking her door so she can't come out. I feel like that is so mean, and I hate to do that to her, but we are out of options. I know how it's going to go down, and I am dreading tonight so badly. Plus, I'm sure she'll be waking Denny up, and every other kid in the neighborhood, while she flips out for who knows how long.
And I thought the first year was going to be the hardest part of parenting.

4 comments:

nina beana said...

sending hugs, hun. i wish i had some advice for you- but i didn't go through this with my grace. i have a feeling that i'll be going through this with my babyjoe, though- so i may be asking YOU for advice in a couple of months. so sorry- i know that sleepietime schedules and stuff can be so stressful- and really trying. just keep your head up, and know that this too shall come to an end. they are only little for so long- then we'll be begging them to come around for a hug and a snuggle.

xo

Kara said...

So sorry Amanda. We too are experiencing this with Janey. She says she is afraid of her shadow. Fortunatly, we tell her we will sit with her for a minute then it is time for sleep. Ans that is what we do.We NEVER sit there longer than 5 mins. But occasionaly she still comes into our bedroom in the middle of the night. When we first took her out of her crib we but a child-proof door knob thing on the INSIDE of her door. That way I wasn't "locking" her in, but she couldn't work her doorknob. It workied like a charm. the first night, she got up and tried the door, cried a little bit, but eventually figured out she couldn't open the door, and that was the end of it. Good luck! I agree with the poster before, they are only little for such a short time, and this too shall pass.

Kara said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
nina beana said...

still thinking of you and your nighttimes- let us know how everything's going. thinking of you and sending any leftover positive energy (not so much) over your way! :)