Thursday, May 22, 2008

Sleep. Who Needs It? Um, I Do.

Dear Three and a Half Year Old Boy,

You know that thing in your room, the comfy thing with the mattress, the flannel doggie sheets, the quilt, and all your special animals and blankies?  The thing that's blue because it's your favorite color?  The thing that has a trundle below for sleepovers?  It's called a bed.  YOUR BED.  

And you know that big thing in Mommy and Daddy's room that doesn't have stuffed animals or baby blankies and it's kind of hard to crawl up on, yeah that's OUR BED.  

Your bed, blue.
Our bed, well, ours.

And you know how you get all cranky in the afternoon because even though you went into your room for nap-time you didn't sleep?  There's a reason for nap-time.  It's to nap.  And then, when we want to go somewhere in the evening you do this funny thing called falling asleep wherever the heck we go.  Yeah, well, that probably wouldn't happen if you napped.

And maybe you wouldn't be so cranky if you actually stayed in your own room at night in that bed thing, your bed.  Kicking the crap out of Mommy and Daddy at night might be fun for you, but when Mommy wakes up with a bloody lip at 3 am (bad week for lips) from getting sucker-kicked by jammy feet, it's not very funny.  

Let's review buddy because maybe these are some big words for you:

BED (like yours) and NAP (like at nap-time)

(Your) BED at night + NAPping during the afternoon = Many Glorious Days in Heaven (for me, of course).

Okay, ready for the test?  Yes or no?  The following places are where you should sleep:

The Couch?

Mommy & Daddy's Bed

The Beach?

The Baby Bassinette Holding Your Stuffed Animals?

YOUR Bed?

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

So... does that mean that Miss Tatum does take her naps???

I love the sleep pictures all over the place! So funny!

Diego does pretty good with 'me' in terms of still taking his naps (thank GOD!). With Grandma and Daddy though... it's a no-go, although they aren't as firm. Leave it to mommy to have to be tough. : )

We also go back and forth with Diego in the bed too. He has his own little bed with 'Go, Diego, Go!' sheets and everything! But sometimes he still wants mommy and daddy's bed. Oh well... I know someday he won't want to be with us anymore anyway, so I just make the best of it for now.

just jamie said...

Cheri, I use "dessert stickers" now for nap-time. If they stay in their room until the timer goes off (1 hour), they get dessert. It keeps them in there now, but they just play. Then they get all cranky around 5:00.

And so it goes, right?

Kristen said...

I love the picture of him sleeping on his stuffed animals. That is THE BEST!

Sorry to hear that you have cranky toddler. There really is nothing worse.

Hang in there, and hopefully soon, he will pass out at nap time. :)

Lori said...

that is tough, but it will work itself out (or so you hope!)

Amy said...

I had one that napped and one that didn't. I feel your pain. I think the "stay in their room thing" is a good approach! Best of luck, my friend.

Burgh Baby said...

I laugh for I am in the exact same boat, bobbing out at sea and never getting any sleep. Oh, sleep, how I miss thee.

CC said...

Dude! He has a rockin room! I say, he won't sleep there, sell all that cute stuff and keep the money as payment to your sleepless nights.

Kat said...

Well, that should clear it up. I hope he gets the message.

Karen said...

There was a day when I had all the answers for you. And then our 4th child came along. Guess who was sleeping in our room last night? Again.

Homegrown Tribe said...

That was too funny! Gavin just quit taking naps recently. Wow... it sucks!

love all the pictures... your room and his room are great.

Brittany

Wendi said...

I. got. nothing.
My kids don't sleep through the night or in their own bed until they are 5!
That's right.
I have 1 more year!
Yay ME!

tommie said...

that is hilarious! Sadly enough I could have written that word for word. Pretty much I can guarantee that I will walk one kid or the other back to their room every night. There have been times I am so exhausted that I don't even realize they have crawled in bed with us until I get an arm in the head or something!

Let me know how he does on his test.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

You should talk to my MIL. All five of her kids slept through the night from 6 weeks on--oh and there was never any sibling rivalry either!

Jennifer S said...

Wow, I have to go de-clutter my house now!

I can't remember exactly when my kids gave up their naps, but I think it was between 3 1/2 and 4. I hated to see the nap disappear. Good luck. Sleep deprivation is awesome. Agh.

Cecily R said...

Sucker kicked by jammie feet...hilarious. And familiar.

I know the fact that he sleeps where he drops instead of where you want him to is a sore spot (trust me, I've SO been there), but I LOVE the pictures of it. So classic. And so kid.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Oh, no! Empty bed. Get that booty back in the bed!

Stephanie said...

Uh oh! This is my worst fear. So far, we are in the clear...

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

Very cute but not at 3am ... hope Chase gets the message and passes the test.

OHmommy said...

Oh no.

LOVE the picture. I love sleeping pictures. I have one up on my blog today.

Hope he sleeps in HIS bed for you. Take a picture of that. ;)

~Swankymama said...

And his bed is SUCH a cute one at that!!

We are battling this with our youngest daughter at the moment. She doesn't want to be upstairs in her own bed.

Did I tell you she grinds her teeth? All. Night.

Misty said...

I really like your bed.... it's purty.

And. Sleep wars...

I.Hate.Those.

Miss Lisa said...

The bassinet looks darn comfy to me :)
Musical beds are just the worst but keep faith--we've all been there and we've all survived!

Kellan said...

Oh, they do disrupt our sleep, don't they? But ... they are awful darn cute!!

I love your bedding - beautiful and his room is very cute too!!

Have a good weekend - see you - Kellan

Anonymous said...

I don't know, but with a bed as pretty as mom and dad's.....that's where I would choose to go to sleep too!

Karen said...

you are hilarious as usual although I am sure it's not very funny in all actuality sometimes. I also have a 3 1/2 yr. old little boy and a 5 mo old little girl so they rarely nap during the same time although usually my son naps. He does not however believe that he needs a nap and always begs to go somewhere like the park or mall play area after lunch around naptime and I try to explain to him that he will fall asleep in the car and he says no I won't but he ALWAYS does. So you could try purposely going somewhere and then carrying him into his bed. Works for me. Also, my husband works at a used book store and we have discovered these glorious disney books on cds. So we read him a book sometimes at nap time and then put on the book on tape and usually he falls asleep listening. Give it a try. Let me know if it works. Finding Nemo is his fav right now. Sorry for the book:) Tarzan is his 2nd favorite.

Angela said...

Ouch

Gregory comes and crawls into bed with us around 4am but I don't care as long as I get to sleep.

Angela said...

Oh but he must start out in his bed, because I want a few hours with out my sweet squirming child

I know how you feel

Marni's Organized Mess said...

THAT IS AWESOME!!! Totally hilarious and TRUE!

Oh my! My son and I have this discussion daily. He's turning 3 in less than 2 weeks.

He will go in his room and read books for an hour or so. NEVER napping. What a pain. I feel your frustrations!

Mrs. G. said...

I think his bed looks like the best bed in the house! I wish my room were that clean.

Manager Mom said...

Hee... I wish I could sleep that soundly still...

Courtney said...

Oh my God, sooo funny! I was laughing out loud as I read it to Meagan!! We loved it! You are so funny, you are the best blogger my former LBC gang banger...
love ya, Court and Megs

utmommy said...

I love this post! I can totally relate! We've been through this with several of our kids.

Good Luck!

Mozi Esme said...

Did the talk/letter work? I am still looking for solutions, so let us know!

Ice Cream said...

This is my Monster Man. Refuses to nap but can't stay awake past 6 without one. He figured out that if he is going to sleep in our bed he has to get in on daddy's side because I have never liked getting gut kicked at night, over and over again and won't let him in.

Sweet dreams, Chase.