S going to sleep

Here's what putting S down for bed usually looks like. This routine can take anywhere from 10-60 minutes depending on the night. The poor thing just can't settle himself down and if there are any distractions in the room, it's over. If daddy's in bed with us, he kicks him out. If there's a loud noise from the hall or downstairs just at the wrong time, he's up. I know that in time, he'll be able to calm himself a little faster and as he gets older I can teach him some tools for calming himself down. This is kind of an entertaining routine though and most of the time, it's actually a nice time for me to lay there with him and think about my day and what I'm going to do with the next hour or two before I go to bed myself. Sometimes he gets so boisterous that it's downright funny and I have to keep from laughing so he doesn't think it's playtime. Thank goodness that C can sleep through all of it!

C, S and I get into bed and give kisses goodnight. I remind them that after this, mimi's (nursing) go nigh-nigh until the sun comes up. I get a "yep" from C and non-acknowledgment from S. We all then lie down and nurse. C falls asleep within 5 minutes so I put him on his pillow, give him his pacifier and cover him up. One down. I then turn my attention to S. We cuddle up as he's done nursing too. He takes his blanket corner in his left hand and sucks the first 2 fingers on his left hand. He's calm and cuddly and then...

S: mom.....mom.... MOM!

Me: shhh, it's time for nigh-nigh

quiet

S: banan. banan. banan. banan. banan. banan. mo banan. (yawn)

quiet

S: (sits up and claps hands) Patty cake, patty cake THROW!!! Patty cake, patty cake THROW!!!

Me: Shhh, it's time for nigh-nigh. (cuddle him back up and give him back his blanket)

S: (quiet, deep breathing but the hands are going) whitub. whitub. witub. Mom. (rubs nose) Nose. (scratches cheek. scratches ear) Ear (rubs eyes) Eyes.

Me: shhh, go to sleep.

S: yawn followed by quiet with deep breathing....rolls over....rolls over again....uncovers..."Stuck!"

Me: (I "unstuck" his foot which is tangled in the covers from the repeated rolling over)

S: yawn with more quiet and deep breathing...rolls over. Arm starts waving back and forth.

S: yawn...another yawn...starts moving his head back and forth 10-20 times.

Me: Shhh, it's time for nigh-nigh

S: loud yawn. (pulls the covers back up and over the head...maybe this will work) yawn. (Moves my arm to his waist. Moves the other one to his head. Moves the one from his head to his waist. Okay, that's good.) yawn.

After varying lengths and repeats of this entire scenario, he's finally quiet and breathing deeply with no movement. I count 20 breaths. Maybe he's really asleep? I count 10 more breaths. Yes, I think he might be. I pull my arm out from under his head and adjust him so he's on his pillow. Whew!

Sleep well kiddo!