Thursday, January 24, 2008

SLEEP!!! Come on, I BEG you!!!

My cousin, Loni, had a bad night with her girls being up and down all night. I totally feel her pain. This is the comment I left on her blog to describe MY night...Oh Bethany, I love you, but COME ON!!!!

My night was more up and stay up than down. Bethany came to our bed at 2:15 (we're trying to stop this little habit!). That turkey even thought she was moving in and brought her own pillow which she promptly tried to smother me with. I took her back to her own bed and rubbed her back for a while...thought she was asleep and went back to my bed. I literally had one leg on the bed and she was crying (mind you, she's almost 4 years old!!!) so back I went. I got her some cough medicine to help sooth her constant cough, and the drowsy effect wouldn't hurt either, would it?? Rubbed her back some more, back to bed...one leg thing again. So, I crawled in her bed with her and she fell asleep about 30 minutes later (I'm about to loose it at this point!) so, I snuck out and went back to my bed...one leg in, crying!! AHHHH! I went and turned on her lullaby music (who cares if it wakes Abbie!) and rubbed her back for one more minute (ok, maybe 5) and then told her to go to SLEEP, mommy is freezing and going to my own bed. "You are to stay HERE, I'll see you in the morning." By this time it was about 3:45. I was just drifting off about 4, and who crawls in MY bed? At least this time she didn't try to smother me with her pillow, so I just rolled over and tried to get some sleep!
My other kids never had such problems with sleeping in their own beds. Sure, they would come in every once-in-a-while when they had bad dreams or whatever...but what's the deal?? I know she's her own person, not her brother or sister. I know she has a different personality. I know she has different strengths, and weaknesses (like SLEEPING!). I know she is in a different birth order, she's the youngest...BUT PLEASE!!! Just go to sleep!!

I actually enjoy snuggling with her, but I would much rather she sleep in her own bed. Snuggling can be fore nap time, or evening story time...not the middle of the night! During the night I'd rather snuggle with my hubby than my daughter!!!

Here is a picture of my little "darling"...plotting her nighttime antics, I'm sure!



Anyone have any ideas or suggestions??
Warren actually suggested that we should switch sides of the bed, when she realizes that she's snuggling up to daddy, will she go back to her bed?? Who knows! Maybe we'll give it a try!

3 comments:

Loni said...

One night I was already on the couch with Vanessa when Natalie got in our bed. She snuggled up and said, "hi mommy" and then found out it was daddy she was laying by. He said she actually was pleased because it meant she had more room in the bed. Go figure!
Loni

Vickie said...

Try vapor rub on her soles of her feet for the cough, it works- then when you put her to bed, tell her she MUST stay in her room, if she comes to your room you will make her go back to her bed, that you love her. Then when she comes, take her back. Immediately leave, no fussing, no rubbing backs, just say, you must stay in your bed, I love you. AND LEAVE. Do this as many times as you must, hopefully not more than twice a night, until you WILL see she is NOT coming to bed. This is not mean, it's not "tough love" it's called SURVIVAL, mommies MUST sleep to recharge. It may take a few nights for her body to adjust to a lighter sleep and her not immediately going into the "go to mommy" mode- she will learn to stay put. We had a son that didn't sleep thru the night for 5 YEARS- came to our bed, I went to his, he followed me there, I went to couch, he followed me there, we did this EVERY NIGHT till I thought I would DIE of lack of sleep for sure. This worked for him!

Good luck!

Unashamed said...

I feel your pain, sister. I have to agree with the commenter above - my philosophy has always been "a good mommy is a well rested mommy". I hope you get a nice, long nap today!