Sleepy time
pamelamyers | May 27, 2012
One thing I haven’t posted about lately is how Sam is sleeping. Well, it’s hard to say exactly. One part of me wants to say great since she has been sleeping in a little later, but the other part of me wants to say not so great since halfway through the night she generally winds up in our bed. So there you go. This is what has been going on.
I guess I should start out by noting that a few weeks ago, Sam pretty much gave up naps. She would always nap for my mom for about 2 hours a day, but I was having a hard time getting her down at home. At the same time this was happening, we noticed that on days she was at my mom’s (and napping) she was impossible to get to sleep before 9 or 9:30 p.m. which is totally unacceptable. She NEEDS to be in bed asleep no later than 8:30 for many reasons not the least of which is that by that time, I am so exhausted! On days she was home and not napping, she would be completely asleep by around 8:00. So, we decided no more naps, at least not ones that last more than one hour. If she sleeps an hour or less, she seems to be ok. At this point though, she won’t actually go down for a nap. She only naps in the car or the stroller. Every time I hear someone talk about their toddler napping and still sleeping 10-11 hours a night I am so jealous! But I shouldn’t be surprised, I mean, I stopped napping at age 1 so at least I got until Sam was almost 3.
So no more naps, but she is sleeping ok at night. She is asleep by 8 or 8:15 most nights, 8:30 at the latest. She does fine most of the day, with a little cranky, bossy period at around 12:30 when she would normally be in her bed. But it passes quickly and then she is fine. Not long after Sam started sleeping in her big girl bed, she began waking up at some point and wanting to come into bed with Mark and me. I was fighting it at first and what a mess that was. All that resulted was me screaming at her, she screaming at me and no one getting any sleep. I decided it wasn’t worth it and just took her into bed with us and lo and behold, she slept. Quite peacefully, and quite late! We have been able to stay in bed until 7 or 7:30 before I hear a perky, “Wake up, Mommy!” I don’t really believe in putting kids to bed in your bed, or a family bed or anything like that, but I think I decided that as long as she goes to sleep in her own room, and she understands that she has a bed, and we have a bed, and coming into our bed is a privilege and not a right, I am ok with it. As long as we all get some sleep, it’s worth it.
I still think Sam isn’t getting as much sleep as she needs in a day, but she does ok. She seems happy and pretty well rested. If she needed to sleep, I guess she would. I am just so glad that she is a happy little girl. I think at some point she will just start sleeping through the night on her own and this will all end. I have to admit — there is something wonderful about falling back to sleep or waking in the middle of the night smelling her little head nestled up next to mine, or feeling her soft, silky hair on my face. She puts her tiny little feet on my belly and curls up and just goes right to sleep.
When she is too big to want to sleep with me it will be a sad day. She still relies on me to hold her until she falls asleep every night. I hold her, and sing to her, and read to her until she nods off and then I put her in her bed. I know she should be going to sleep on her own, but it is too hard to just leave her there when she I have the chance to watch her fall asleep, and then watch her tiny face sleeping so peacefully. Sometimes it is hard to put her to bed when I have the chance to just snuggle her and watch her sleep.
How did I get so lucky? I swear, no matter how much time passes, or how old I get, I will never, ever know.
