Musical Beds

I understand that most people with small children struggle with bed time.  I remember fighting with my parents that Dustin got to stay up an extra half an hour--how unfair.  I remember sleeping in my parents' bed after we moved to Tracy so I was at least ten years old.  I get it: Kids suck at sleeping.  But mine take it to a whole new level.  And by mine, I mean Rex.  How do I know he's worse than most kids?  How many kids do you know who are greeted with, "And where are you sleeping now Rex?" every time they see their grandpa?  Just Rex.  

That's what I thought.

The trouble all started when we moved.  Rex was in and out of bed ten times before he'd finally fall asleep climbing out of bed.  It got worse when Alice was born.  And even worse when we moved her into her crib in Rex's room.  That's when Rex moved into the tent.  He slept in the tent in the dining room/bike room for a solid two months.  Then there was a storm while he slept in the tent and he refused to sleep in it anymore.  (Besides, I knew he was getting a basketball standard for his birthday so the tent had to come down so he'd have room to play basketball.)  When the tent came down, Rex still refused to sleep in his room.  He slept on a cot next to Daddy for another full month.  Finally, last week, Greg bribed Rex back into his room. But Rex still refused to sleep on his bed.  He slept on his cot, next to his bed in his room.  However, along with getting a brand new pack of pink gum, Rex also insisted that Alice no longer sleep in his room if he was to sleep in there.  So Alice got booted to a pack-an-play in Grandma's room.  This lasted for one night.  

Alice is still in the pack-n-play, but Rex only falls asleep in his bed/cot.

Here's how a typical night goes for us: 

7:45 pm: Begin bedtime routine--jammies, brush teeth, scriptures, prayer, hugs, kisses, cuddle, cuddle, cuddle,  nurse Alice, nurse Alice, nurse Alice, put Alice in bed, start doing dishes, take Rex back to his bed, do two more dishes, take Rex back to his bed, do three dishes, threaten Rex to within an inch of his life, cuddle, cuddle, cuddle, Rex is finally asleep (9:30 pm).

11:00 pm: go to bed

2:00 am: Rex gets in our bed.

2:15 am: Rex begins poking me in the face and informing me that he is thirsty until I finally break down and get him more milk.

2:30 am: Alice wakes up.  Fed Alice, put her back to bed.

3:00 am: Return to my bed to see that Rex has so kindly waited for me to cuddle him before falling back to sleep.

3:30 am: Here's where we mix things up a bit: sometimes Rex will actually fall asleep at this point, others he insists that we go back to his bed, where he'll take another 45 minutes to fall asleep.  The last two nights he's gone with option 1.

5:00 am: Alice wakes up.  Get Alice, put her in Rex's bed.  Fed Alice while attempting to sleep on Rex's plastic sheets.

7:00 am: Wake up to tiny baby claws in your eyes and be thankful that at least you got some sleep.

And that, my friend, is how you play Extreme Musical Beds.