trying my patience!

Well as I mentioned last week, Blake is having some sleep issues. Yeah we are going on a week of no nap... trust me he is so not ready to give up his nap. But, I just don't know what is going on with him. I switched his nap to an hour later. I began taking him to the playground before his nap. I put him down at the same time as Colby. Nothing. I wouldn't care if he went in his room and read or played quietly, but nope... he wants to stand/sit in the hallway outside his room and scream. He does quiet down after a bit, but doesn't sleep. He is refusing to go into his room at bedtime too. Last night he fell asleep in the hallway, and Richard had to put him in his bed after he fell asleep.

I'm trying very hard to be super positive with him. I know a lot of the thing he is doing right now are attention getting for some reason. I am trying very hard to ignore the negative behaviors unless they are dangerous or destructive. I'm going out of my way to catch him being good at all the little things that he just does normally (saying thank you, pushing in his chair, being nice to Colby, giving hugs that kind of thing).

I tried taking away the tv. I tried switching the time he got tv. I tried switching his nap time routine a bit. Today I gave him a bath earlier to see if switching his bedtime routine would help them (last night he screamed as soon as he knew it was bathtime because he knew bedtime was next). I put him down early one night and then another time kept him up late. He isn't sleeping in in the mornings either.

Yes, my son went from sleeping 12ish hours at night and a 2 hour nap to sleeping less than 11 hours total... eek!

I just don't know what to try next. The worst part is Richard and I are going out not once but twice this weekend. We have concert tickets on Friday night and Saturday is our over night in Disney (our Christmas present to each other). I feel bad leaving the boys with my mother when they are having issues, but at the sametime I know it is so what I need. I'm struggling to keep my cool and not just give in and let him come out and skip his nap all together. I watch him and I know he's exhausted. I just don't know what to do to convince him that sleep is a good thing.

I need to figure this out... and soon
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13 comments:

  1. That is a tough one! I do say go on your trips though. It will give you a refreshed perspective when you come back and maybe that is all that is needed to fix things. Plus absence makes the heart grow fonder so maybe Blake will be so glad to see you it will put a new relaxed feeling on him too. I hope it gets worked out soon.

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  2. sorry you are having a difficult time wit his sleep patterns.. Hopefully you both will work it out soon!!!

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  3. I know this is a tough time. I think the positive reinforcement is really good. and you're right, he definitely sounds like he needs his naps still.

    ......this is just an option. But - I know safety door knobs are sometimes necessary. I think most peoples concern with them are in case of fires etc. But even a day or 2 during the day while you can monitor during 1-2hr quiet time; he will be able to stay in the comforts of his room. He will quickly learn.

    I used to have them on my bathroom doors because Jacob loved playing near the toilet. And for a time I had it on the inside of his bedroom door because he would get up very early in the night when I was sleeping and climb up on things. So i felt secure he was safe in his room for the night where there was no worries of falling. What do you think?

    here is a pic of what they look like:

    http://www.taymor.com/c03_doors_and_hardware/images/security_child.jpg

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  4. Uh yea - you know I can sympathize with you on this one for sure...i think it's something about the age and being a boy!!! Avery is really trying my patience too..the sleep issue is just of of the things we are going thru right now!

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  5. Such a bummer when they are not themselves and when you are feeling worn down also because of it.

    I know when my son was going through the NO NAP phase, I started to institute quiet time in his bedroom with a kitchen timer. I would set it for 30 minutes the first couple days, then 45 , then 1 hr. When the buzzer went off, he could come out of his room. Worked like a charm and he was almost always sleeping by the 1hr time slot. Not saying that it works for everyone, but if you are at your witts end it might help.

    Saying a prayer in the meantime. ((T))

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  6. Oh, I feel for you! I just know it kills me when the kids get out of their sleeping patterns. Have you tried what the super nanny does (I know that sounds kind of lame, but it always seems to work) Have you tried just continually putting him back in bed or sometimes she even has the parents sit on the floor in the room and whenever the kiddo gets out of bed the parent puts them back in, always without saying anything. Just a thought, I hope it all settles down sooner than later for you!

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  7. I'm so sorry! I hope it gets back on track soon. I also wish I had a suggestion- but I'm not so good with raising sleeping kids. I hope you enjoy your special outings this weekend though. And, hey, maybe having your mom do the routine will be the change that Blake needs to get back on track- at least we can go with that theory for now!

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  8. Sorry his sleeping isn't better yet. That's hard when their schedules are messed up..hope it gets better soon.

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  9. Oh...that is rough...I wish I had some good advice to give you!! Unfortunately, I don't. :( I realllly hope you can figure out a way to get Blake to nap though, because I can definitely feel with you on how hard this would be on a mama!!

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  10. If he is anything like my kids he will be a perfect angel for your mom. Mine save all the fun stuff for me!

    Good luck, I have been there and it isn't fun:)

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  11. Have you tried laying in his bed with him? Sometimes that helps. Can you move his bed into Colby's room for a few days until he is sleeping in his own bed again? Just a few crazy suggestions...but I know when we went through this...I was willing to try anything.
    Enjoy you time away.

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  12. Ok...so your mom may be a little exhausted next weekend, but I do truly believe this is a phase! Maybe he may need a different schedule? ONly idea I've got! Hang in there!!!
    ~Elyse~

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