Start of a New Year

We are making big waves in the MacDonald household this new year...the girls are going to bed alone (without a parent...they still have each other) Leevi and I have always had the discussion about when to fight this last battle (Ha, if only it really were the last battle...although it seems like one of the last baby/toddler/preschool ones we have left) I supposed every parent hangs onto something...nursing, pacifiers, diapers, bottles, etc! For us it has been bedtime (mainly for Hailey). Since birth Hailey has liked to be snuggled to sleep...I have a vague memory of plopping her in her crib awake sometime around age one but I could be fooling myself. I think nighttime was easier than naptime and I do know for sure that I rocked her to sleep for naps. The big problem came when we transitioned her to a toddler bed and she all of a sudden had the "freedom" to refuse bedtime! So at 22 months we really became trapped until she went to sleep. The main reason that has enabled this to go on for soooooo long is because she typically will fall asleep within 10 minutes. Leevi and I told ourselves that she's not going to want to snuggle us forever so what is ten tiny minutes out of our busy day going to hurt? The bigger problem that finally broke the camel's back was that Leevi and I can also fall asleep in those ten tiny minutes and leave the other parent longing for some adult time downstairs! :) I felt bad because I kind of sprung it on Hailey one night and didn't give her any warning that she was going to sleep without me. She was in hysterics and clinging to me for about 5 minutes but then calmed down enough and eventually fell asleep. Kailee on the other hand could care less...I thought it's now or never...Kailee is old enough to know to stay in bed and apparently not old enough where this has become such a habit. She's never been much of a cuddle-me-to- sleep-baby...from before she was a month old as soon as she dozed off she'd start squirming to be put down. She's my baby and I wanted to hold onto her forever but she wanted nothing of it! :) We have tried this twice before with Hailey (around 3 and again around the beginning of 4) but we didn't last very long. I caved because Hailey is so strong-willed and would lay awake for hours it seemed waiting on me. I hated that "wasted" sleep time and went back to "regulating" instant sleep!

For the most part we haven't had too many issues since we started this about a week ago. They know the rules and recite them to me before I can even review them for the night :) "No talking, no getting out of bed, no tattling, no calling for us unless it's an emergency" We've taken care of all potty, water, etc excuses before the final goodnight! I usually only have to tell them once or twice to stop talking and now that school has started again our days are pretty busy and they just crash! Snuggled so close in a big bed...I find them like this often when I go back in to check on them. I suppose our next problem will be if we are going to be able to separate them eventually into their own beds...or what if they never want to and Hailey won't be able to go off to college because she can't sleep alone! :)

A funny part is that when Kailee gets up in the morning she comes to find me (between 7-8) and immediately begins apologizing for being out of bed. How do I explain to a 2 year old that she's just been asleep for the past 12 hours and it's ok to be out of bed! :) "I sorry, Mommy. I sorry, Mommy." in a long drawn out tone! :) We love those monkeys! :) Our babies are growing too fast!