Sleep-1 B-0

My B had been a sleeping nightmare since this past weekend! Saturday night he woke up at 3 am and stayed crying for a solid 30 minutes before going back to sleep.

The night before last he refused to fall asleep unless he was in bed with us. I finally left him in his room at 2 and he cried until he fell asleep 25 minutes later.

Last night I was more careful to monitor nap time and keep the bed time routine in check and he went to bed willingly for me at 9:45 pm. However, 5 am like clockwork he's up crying. I went into his room and consoled him. I told him if he laid down I would stay in there with him, but he refused. So I said okay and that I loved him and good night. I went into my room, turned on the bathroom fan to drown him out a little so K could sleep, and it only took him 10 minutes to fall asleep. I don't know if it was the fan noise getting into his room or if it was because he was more hysterical than normal.

I've tried it all. I can't sit in his room because it makes it worse. He wants to be in my arms and in my bed. I never let him sleep in my bed so I'm not entirely sure why he's decided he needs to be in bed with us. He's been doing this for months now off and on. Last time around I started giving him allergy medicine every day and he slept thorough the night fine. So I do wonder if he's having some reaction to the enormous amount of pollen in the air and it's just not something I can physically see.

Either way, I've also made sure naps are no more than 2 hours and our routine at night is always the same. He is a night owl like his momma and that's a problem! 

The hardest part about it is staying strong while he's screaming "mommy! Mommy!" In his room. At 3 am you are so tired and it hits you right in your heart! Regardless, I think the solution for B is being told he's loved and leaving him to go back to sleep on his own. He has a music box from his late grandmother, but I don't think it's working anymore. He's just plain stubborn and two. A hard combination.

Luckily I have had a lot of great support from other moms of two year olds and older. They've given me some great feedback or just a plain "stay strong!" And that helps a lot. Sometimes you feel like you're alone in this terrible toddler life, but it's never true. 

So, let's hope 10 minutes turns to 5 tonight!