Bedtime 2.0

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by smartelectric, but as always, opinions are my own.

I mentioned in the last kidlet update that Leo is sleeping in his own room these days - which is great on so many levels.  Our family bed was getting pretty crowded with four of us in there.  He had been sleeping in his own bed for a bit, but bedtime was taking a ridiculous amount of time because I would put him to bed in his room, then put Zoe to bed in our room...or, jb would put him to sleep and I would put Zoe to sleep and both adults had to be out of commission for bedtime.  It just made sense for me to put them both to sleep in one fell swoop - the trade off was that our bed was crowded.

So we knew we had to make the switch back to Leo sleeping in his own room. Our strategy was to make his room a place he wants to spend time - rather than the room that stores his clothes, as it has been.  The key to making his room irresistible?  Bunk beds.

This is the face that captures how he feels about his new bed

His favorite friends love it, too

The bottom bunk is "Zoe's bunk"

But it's also a "reading club house"

The top bunk is his own territory.  We insisted that adults are too big to be on the top bunk (in part because I think I'd snap that bed like a twig and in part because the whole point is that we are trying to get him to sleep alone), and Zoe isn't able to get up there unassisted, so we've tried to sell it as his own little haven.

He even can indulge in a show

Of course, Leo invites Zoe up to hang out sometimes

So once his room was cemented in his mind as the best place on earth, our goal was to ease him into falling asleep in his bed alone.  This was totally new to him.  He has always fallen asleep snuggling with either jb or me.  Usually in the family bed, but even when he was in his own bed, I would lay with him or massage or cuddle him until he fell asleep - so sleeping without a human next to him is a brave new world.

We started with plenty of stuffed animals to keep him company.  Added some glow in the dark stars for ambiance.  His humidifier duck keeps him breathing easy.  That little penguin projects stars in different colors on the wall and ceiling.  And, as always, we read him a book before tucking him in.  Still...the transition from snuggling on our lap to tucked in alone in the dark needed something to make it seem less sudden.

This is why the timing was perfect when we were asked to review the Goodnight Dimmer SmartBulb.  The SmartBulb is shatterproof - which is awesome in a kids room.  When I first opened the box Leo yanked it out of my hand asking, "What's this?" and my first reaction was a slow motion "Noooooooo!"  But then I realize that it was no big deal because apparently you can throw it against the wall and it won't break into pieces thanks to a special coating.  (We did not test this theory, despite Leo's lobbying for it.)  These bulbs last up to 3x longer than traditional bulbs and come with the 2 year guarantee.  It's a green, energy saving, incandescent option - I didn't know that existed! - that was designed by a grandfather right here in PA.  

Bright Light

The coolest thing about this bulb, though?  It automatically dims.  No dimmer switch or special lamp required.  I just screwed it in to the inexpensive Ikea lamp in Leo's room and with a double click (switch it on twice in a row) it's set to slowly dim to a night light over a 20 minute period.  This allowed for a gentle transition for that part of Leo's bedtime routine that is still new.

Dimmed down to a drowsy night-light

So this is how it goes in our house for bedtime now (and it's been working): I set the bulb to slowly dim.  I tuck Leo in and kiss him goodnight.  Then I lay in the bottom bunk with Zoe and nurse her.  While the Smartbulb is doing it's thing, I put an audio story on my phone.  Leo lays in the top bunk, listening to the story, reassured that he's not alone since Zoe and I are in the bottom bunk, and the dimming light sends his body the message that it's time to wind down and rest.  

Next thing you know there are two sleeping kids.

Bottom bunk baby

Top bunk big kid

Beautiful, right?  This frees my evenings up to snuggle with jb, watch a show or write a bit.  Hallelujah!  Around midnight Zoe usually wakes up and I move her to our bed to put her back to sleep.  I'm loving being able to put both kids to bed at the same time AND having enough room in my own bed.

The one downside?  Now that Leo and Zoe are no longer bedmates there is no more synchronized sleeping.  Or well, not quite as cute...

Bunny is no Zoe

Sweet dreams, everyone!

Night!

Fifteen Months

Fifteen months.  Unbelievable.  This kid is a firecracker.  I suppose most 15 mo. olds are.  There is so much I don't want to forget about this age; how he looks toddling down the hall, the way he says certain words, how he holds out his boo-boos to me and makes kissing noises, his laugh, the look of happiness when jb gets home from work.  Here is the run down.  It's long, so maybe grab a snack. 

10 Beliefs: Shaping My Parenting Philosophy

gratuitous baby bum shot

While I identify strongly with many of the principles of Attachment Parenting (complete with the cloth diapering, babywearing, breastfeeding, co-sleeping and natural childbirth) there are also some ways that my parenting choices might differ from other AP parents.  I try to think proactively about my parenting and verbalize what my goals and hopes are.  So beyond the attachment principles, the obvious and basic (keeping him clean and fed and warm), and the end product (a happy, decent, kind man) - what do I want to guide my parenting?  I'm still figuring out the details of my parenting style, but here are some basic principles that guide my parenting choices: 

1.  I believe in having high standards for my child, but also in showing understanding, patience and compassion should he not meet them every time.  Likewise, I believe in setting lofty goals for ourselves and realizing that if we fall short we are probably still headed in the right direction. 

Nap Schedule: Transitioning From Two Naps to One

Leo's sleep schedule is in upheaval.  Again.  He is moving from a two-nap schedule to a one-nap schedule and it's not pretty.  We had a nice run.  For months his sleep schedule looked something like this:

Breastfeeding: A Year In Review

As a breastfeeding mother who has had a breast reduction I had a challenging road.  Despite the setback of a reduction, I was able to exclusively breastfeed my son for six months and am still breastfeeding him now at one year. Perhaps my story can give some hope to other moms hoping to breastfeed after a reduction. 

Sleeping Alone

I love both my bed mates dearly, and I don't regret our decision to co-sleep for a single moment (how else do people nurse babies on demand and get any sleep at all?) - but I will admit that I really miss sleeping alone.  Even though jb and I have been together for quite some time, before Leo came along, I had a fair number of nights (thanks to extensive work travel) where I slept alone.  As much as I missed jb when we were apart, I did relish having a big, clean hotel bed to stretch out in.  Although, when it was just the two of us the king size bed felt a lot bigger.  These days, stretching out is a rare luxury.  I'm always surprised at how crowded a 20 lb. person can make an otherwise comfortable bed feel. Luckily, jb is the best husband in the whole world and on the weekends takes Leo in the mornings when he wakes up and I can stretch out and sleep in all the way until his morning nap.  Best sleep I get all week!