Yes, dear readers, I have been keeping a secret. I tried to suppress and prolong, but I now must face reality and say it out loud. It is with utmost mourning and resistance that I announce the end of cribs--all 3 of them. A major symbol of babyhood is now lost forever. Bedtime routine, once again, is under construction (I'm flexible if they are). But more importantly, gone are the days of confinement. You really know your babies are big kids when one is suddenly standing over you in the middle of the night.
It started with a little innocent crib climbing. Then I was finding Tsega asleep on the floor, usually under Bereket's crib. Seriously, Tsega prefers to camp on the floor under cribs (weird!). Then Bereket got a fire in his pants and morphed into a big trouble maker, running all over the room and finally getting tackled and trampled during so-called naps. And, finally, Sira decided crib no more.
For a few dreadful days (or weeks if I'm being honest) sleep was topsy-turvy and I didn't how to handle it (my tears didn't seem to help). Nobody would stay put and too much wrestling instead of sleeping. Honestly, it's not safe leaving three rowdy toddler boys to their own.
Though we're still in transition and the boys are staying up way too late (darn sun, come on, who can sleep when it still beckons you for more play), they are doing well and actually sleeping. I mean they actually, most nights, go to bed and stay there! Well, OK, so we're only expecting just two (Sira with Tsega) to sleep in the nursery right now with one (Bereket) in our bedroom. (Twins really are easier than triplets.) No big boy beds yet; instead we put our floor mattresses in their room. For nap--and let me first say that I intensely fear that Tsega will grow out of naps soon--we do the same except as long as there's light and he is free, Bereket will not sleep. But there is one trick. I put the other two to bed and after much tiptoeing and self-crossing I come back for B and put him in the high chair. I set him up with a blanket and book and face him away from me and start cleaning the lunch mess. Within minutes he's out and I can put him in my bed. I think the nanny has her own routine (she keeps telling me they sleep); whatever works, do it.
There is one cool thing from all this. It's easier for me to lay with the boys as I tuck them in and kiss their eyelids, and stroke their big foreheads. And it makes my stomach tickle when it's morning and I hear little foot steps and a door knob turning and see a little body coming out all by himself. And I shouldn't complain because we are actually sleeping in more some days. Eight a.m. wake ups are heaven.
Special thanks to Sira who, currently, is the best little sleeper, so still and willing to lay down, even if he is always the first awake. Please, oh please, hold onto your naps dear boys (at least until you turn 4) or I quit.
12 comments:
What a balancing act. I think it is a smart idea to keep them close to the ground. No where to roll off to. Cute pics.
Want to be jealous? Miriam is still in her crib at 3. Hee hee....
Yes that is a big milestone indeed... kids grow up sooooo fast!
Oh, I dread this day and I only have one! I forget, how old are your boys? Been following along for awhile. Love them!
i have stumbled across you from a blog friend ... what an amazingly blessed life you are leading ... your boys are just so handsome ... i will check back to see how the sleeping adventure unfolds ...
oh BON CHANCE Ms. Cindy! We made the transition a few months ago. Right before the girls turned two. I kept finding Sy in Eve's crib. So DH, "twinado proofed" their room. Bolting the dresser to the wall, inserting a pin into the closet so they can't open it and taking out the dressing table. But I can shut their door at night after they've fallen asleep and I get up before they do in the am (usually around 5am) to open thier door so they come and wake me up in the morning. It's been hard trying to get them to settle down at night and stay in bed, so I usually have to sit in there til they're asleep. Not ideal, but works for us right now. I can't imagine trying to keep three of them contained. I'll keep my fingers and toes all crossed for you and hope your routine emerges.
(We took their crib mattresses and my DH built simple little frames for them, so that's their beds for now. I can send pictures if you're interested. They were about $50 to make both.)
Take care.
Okay, I just love the image of B., with his book and blanket in his high chair, falling victim to your secret-naptime strategy. You must post a pix of that!
Glad your new arrangement seems to be working. The floor mattresses sound perfect.
I kept both my kids in cribs a long time (past 3) but then they never climbed out (perhaps because there were no roommates to play with or to torture!).
Your boys are looking so big and boyish these days -- but, of course, still completely adorable.
you gave up the cribs!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am terrified of that day.
I am going to be stalking your blog for sure to see how it goes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you will always be my hero!!!
wow. i'm speechless and totally impressed. i absolutely dread this day. once they're down, my kids sleep great, but getting them down has always been a major issue.
jon is out of town all week, and i was thinking that the twins could sleep with me. no dice. all they want to do is jump, climb, play, and get down. they keep saying "i'll be back 5 minutes." if i say no, they melt down, and if i allow it, i hear them playing somewhere else in the house. they absolutely do not allow me to rub their backs or try to soothe them in any way. they never have...
they're in their cribs for naptime right now, and even caged they manage to wreak havoc on their poor little room.
argh!
oh my.....my thoughts and prayers are with you:)! Naps are blessings that are needed every day- I hope you continued being blessed for the next 2 years!!!!
:)
Whoa, that's big news! And a whole new world of childproofing. A couple weeks after Sidamo shed the confines of his crib, Greg heard rustling in the bathroom in the middle of the night. He went in to find Sidamo standing, naked, in the pedestal sink and rifling through the medicine cabinet in search of his toothbrush. Yikers!
OMG I love your blog! I love reading it and am right there with you, and I only have 2 boys that aren't even the same age.
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