Sleep

As everyone knows, we have 2 great sleepers and 1 oh so not good sleeper.  The twins go to bed every night between 7 and 7:30 pm.  They are out almost right away and sleep til 6 or 6:30 am.  They then go back for a nap usually between 9 and 10 am and sleep for about 2 hours or so.

Michael on the other hand,  goes to bed around 8:30 pm and I now have to lie down with him.  When we first put him in his toddler bed, he did awesome.  He would have his last milk of the day, walk to bed, we would read a story, turn on the stars, give him his Elmo and talking leap frog dog and I would leave the room.  He would play for about 15 minutes then he was out for the night til the next morning around 6 or 7.  I was so excited.  I was sleeping through the night and I could remember the last time I had done that.  Then all of a sudden he refused to go to bed with out me, even though we were following the same routine.  I started putting him to bed in my bed and laying down with him; at least he would fall asleep that way!  Then he started waking at night and only falling asleep if he came in bed with us.  I tried letting him cry.  He cried for 1 hour before falling asleep and then he cried for 2 hours in the middle of the night.  He was still crying when I could let him cry any longer.  I went and got him and just hoped that this was just a stage.  I kept telling myself that there are plenty of people that co-sleep on purpose and plenty of people who let their kids sleep with them in the middle of the night and the have either become well adjusted adults or kids.  I didn't really mind him sleeping with us, but I did miss being next to my husband.  I did some research on line and found that at his age there could be a lot of reasons why he all of a sudden stopped sleeping well.  I thought it was either separation anxiety at night or teething or being scared.  I figured I would just ride it out since it seemed to be working for me.  Sunday night, I lied down with Michael and he fell asleep.  I put him in his bed a little while later.  I went to bed at my normal time and the next thing I knew it was morning.  I was amazed that he had slept through the night.  Last night it took a little longer to get him asleep, but he had blood work and wore him self out crying so he took a late nap (usually he doesn't take a nap or he's up way too late).  Again, I woke up to him crying at 5:30 this morning.  I let him and his sister cry til 6:00.  Michael was still in his bed when I went to get him.  Oh, how I hope that this is the way it is going to go from now on.  Hopefully, he start going to sleep without me and sleeping through the night.  Oh, and i did figure out he is teething.  That's what I ended up thinking was going on, but I actually saw the 2nd molars yesterday so hopefully it won't be as much of an issue.

I have to admit that I am not a major schedule person.  If there is something to do, I just adjust their nap time.  I know there are lots of people that disagree with this, but it certainly seems to work for us.  I am happy with how things are going, and am always happier when i get to sleep.  I hope that this contines.

Amy