Bedtime

We have not had the best of luck at bedtime at the Rhoda house. I take full responsibility for that. I've never been as strict as I should be about going to bed at a certain time. When Madelyn was a baby, she would go to bed around 8:30 or 9:00 and it was good. When she was about 2 1/2, she got very sick and I brought her into bed with me for a few nights to soothe her and it was very hard to get her back in her bed. Shortly after that she started having seizures and I brought her back into bed with me again. It was mainly because I was scared to leave her alone thinking she would have a big one and I wouldn't hear her and she'd choke or fall out of bed or something else terrible. So I let her back into bed with me. And I'll admit it....I enjoy her sleeping with me! I can't sleep with David because he snores, so it's nice to have a bed buddy. And she's getting older every second and I love the fact that I can turn over anytime in the night and snuggle her or just plant a kiss on her sweet cheek. She won't be little for much longer. Granted it does put a damper on some things....like adult activities : ). It also makes it hard to watch a scary movie or any other thing a 5 year old shouldn't watch. Madelyn has become a night owl with me and so it's hard to get a free moment to myself. We've never had the traditional daycare situation and work situation where Mommy has to be at work at 8:00 and kids have to be dropped off at daycare at 7:30, so the girls have never had to be up really early on a regular basis. They've either gone to grandmas' houses around 9:30, or to Children's Day Out at 9:30 or with a babysitter at the house. So I've never made a big deal about getting them to bed really early. But now that Kindergarten is starting next week for Madelyn, I feel like it's time to get on a real schedule. Meredith was always a great sleeper until we got her out of her crib. She had all this new found freedom and wanted to party every night. So, bedtime has been a struggle with her since about December. Then it got really bad when me and the girls went to Florida in June. We all got off our routine and sleep schedules were more like whenever you fell asleep and wherever. When we got back, I tried to get them back on a schedule and then Michelle came to live with us about 3 weeks after Florida and that has screwed things up again. Michelle is sleeping in the girls' room and Meredith is in my room in the pack and play and Madelyn is in bed with me. Michelle is going to have to start sleeping on a blow up mattress in the living room this weekend because I HAVE to get those girls in a routine.

Things have worked really well the last two nights. We are starting a routine where we brush their teeth at 8 and then pick out some books and read till around 8:30 or 8:45. Last night I read to Meredith and then laid her down in my bed while I sang to her and rubbed her back. She tried to get out several times, but I wouldn't let her. I know I have to be consistent. She finally gave up the fight about 9:10 and was asleep about 5 minutes after. I made Madelyn come lay down too with every intention of letting her get back up for a little bit after Meredith went to sleep, but she fell asleep too! So, I'm hoping tonight is more of the same, maybe even a little easier. We have one week before school starts and life gets crazy again! Wish me Luck!