a big boy bed story, featuring Isaac

How long should it take to get a baby to sleep through the night? 

Isaac is 2 years and 2 months old. 

Key word: 2. 

He's quite the smart yet stubborn little boy.  At night, he goes to bed just fine.  He goes in his crib just fine, but then either cries for us (for no reason) or simply climbs out.  If he cries, he can be all hot screaming and sweaty for EVER, and doesn't give up.  We'll let him cry to sleep, but feel bad for Dylan.  Isaac will even go in Dylan's room, but more often, he'll quietly creap into either the "monkey bed" (surf monkey sheets), or into our bed.  Our floors creak in some spots, so we hear him.  We have to repeatedly keep putting him back in his crib, making sure he has blankets, books, toys, a sippy cup, and his music on.  He'll eventually sleep 'til sometime after sunrise, then he'll cry and Steven will go get him.  My newborn-hearing-any-little-movement-ears have gone back to my regular sound sleeper ears. 

Finally, Steven had had enough.  He took Isaac to Wal-mart, let him pick out some big boy bed sheets, washed them, made the bed, and Isaac went right to bed, no little tantrums! 

He didn't wake up 'til 7:45 or 8! 

Breakthrough!

But wait, there's more.  Tonight, I took some pictures.

Here he is in his super hero big boy bed.

He has his sippy cup and blankets. 

He seems content, right?!  Pretending to sleep. 

Good night little big boy!

Meanwhile, Dylan is usually hiding behind the door or doing headstands on his bed when I go in to tuck him in.  He's so silly. 

And sweet.  He too still needs his blanket and sippy cup. 

He used to have us paint the yucky stuff on his thumb nails, but he outgrew that in less than a month. 

We warned him that when he turned 4, he couldn't suck his thumb EVER again.  He seemed worried.  We told him that we would have to take his blanket away forever if he still sucked it.  (He only did it in his bed with his green blanket.)  On his birthday night, I didn't say anything, but the next day, we did the yucky (no nail biting) polish on his thumbs.  He was excited for it, actually.  He knew it would help him.  He watched me pretend to taste it and be so grossed out that I don't think he even ever tasted it.  He would request it before nap times and bed times.  That stuff works when you have a motivated little 4 year old! 

Well here's Isaac, still being coaxed to sleep.  He requested books.  He was overly tired, so he was putting up a fight.  Steven went back in there 2 or 3 times, then I finally ended up laying with him until he fell asleep.  He tossed and turned, but always had a hand on my skin.  On my face, neck, or arm.  He loves his mommy, so I don't mind staring at his little soft cheeks and long silly hair while he goes to sleep. 

We'll take down the baby crib and will put Dylan's bed in there with Isaac so I can make room for my fishy face photography stuff in the junk room where Dylan's bed is now.  J/k.  Maybe we'll rent out that room, or we'll make a real office out of it, or I'll organize my crafts and photography props.  More likely, it'll come close to being the key to get me on that clutter/junk show.  What's the name of it?  Steven and I each threw out a bunch of stuff after watching a couple of episodes in a row.