the big boy bed: an update

so, i knew it would happen, and it did. as soon as i posted that blog about how great he was doing, naptime took a bit of a turn, as you can see from a shot i got when i went in to investigate all the commotion:

i thought we were in the clear, because i thought if he were going to experiment with his freedom, he would have started out that way and then settled down. why it took him a week to rebel i have no idea. after i put him to bed for several days in a row, and he decided he had other things to do, this was the scene that would follow an unbelievable 45-60 minutes later:

this was actually the second time he'd fallen asleep on the floor, and i was grateful this time he had pulled the pillow down, instead of just laying on the hard flooring.

on two occasions i let him stay in there for an hour and a half and he never fell asleep. he was not upset or fitful, just playing, wearily but happily. 

but i am glad to say it does have a happy ending. instead of immediately admitting defeat, i gave him time. i took away the most stimulating toys before putting him down (also facilitated by us packing stuff anyway,) but left most of his 'quiet' toys out. otherwise it would have really been no different than having him sleep in a room-sized crib. i made sure to limit my going in to put him back to bed or take away a toy to twice, and i started turning his rocking chair around to face the wall after he managed to tip it over one time. (he wasn't in it when he tipped it, but i didn't want to wait for that to happen.) 

AND what i felt was the biggest problem solver, i started letting him take up to 2 small toys (like his farm figurines or a book) to bed, or if he took one to bed, let him keep it, so he would not feel compelled to get out of bed over and over. i don't care if he plays with a toy in his bed for 15 minutes before he conks out.

it took about another week, but since then he stays in bed or just gets out once briefly, falls asleep in under 30 minutes (and most of the time much quicker than that,) and still stays in bed and works it out when he wakes up before he's really done with his nap.

knowing that he was good with his new routine, i knew what was coming next: the weaning. i knew i was just going to have to pick a deadline and stick to it. i felt he was ready because even when he fell and got really upset and hurt (like with the stairs) he didn't ask to nurse for comfort. i figured, if you don't need it then, you don't need it.

so, i nursed him through mother's day (so i wouldn't feel like a jerk) and the next day when he asked at naptime, just said, 'no, we're all done nursing, caleb's a big boy now.' he asked again, this time with 'please' (i so almost caved) but i calmly said no, and that was that. no hurt, betrayed looks, no crying, no fits. it's been a week, and now he doesn't even ask. instead, he likes me to sing 'itsy bitsy spider' over and over again. 

such a relief to have 2 big changes that could easily have been ordeals to be worked out so easily. thanks caleb for being such a great kid!