Here We Go Again

Bedtime in our house has become a tortuous process where I spend the day dreading the night. This is a phenomenon that JP and I experienced in the early days of having our first child at home with us. He was such a sweet baby during the day and then BAM! the sun would go down and he would become a bawling disaster of NEED! What about my NEED for sleep? That kid certainly had his days and nights mixed up, but he grew out of that problem and now sleeps like a baby - like a baby should - very little disturbs that kid.

But this tantrum of mine is not about him but about them - THE GIRLS. They have been sharing a room for nearly a year now and the novelty HAS NOT WORN OFF. Every night is a battle to get them quiet and asleep. We've gone from children who went to bed at 7:00 without complaint to children that pester us until nearly 8:30 pm. Their energy just feeds off of each other and just when you think it's over they start again. And now . . . and now . . . wait for it . . . the little one is out of her crib. Just-like-that and she is out. 

Well, it was really my choice as I went in there last night to find her throwing her leg over ready to climb out (she has already admitted to and shown proof that she can climb IN). This is innocent enough by herself but with the encouragement of her roommate, Mademoiselle Knievel, she would have been standing on the rail of her crib before the night was over. I made the on the spot parenting decision to pull the mattress and stick her on the floor. It took some threats encouragement but she stayed on her little rectangle and we all had a great night's sleep. She even took a nap on her "new" bed today without only one exit - sans pants - out of her room.

So here we are gearing up for another night of settling down two rambunctious girls and we do not have the cage crib to contain one of them. Will this be the turning point or the beginning of another year of hoping the novelty will wear off. When Pickle gave up her crib 2 years ago, it was A-W-F-U-L so all I can think is . . . here we go again.