Big Boy Beds: First Week

What. A. Week.

Shew!

I had been warned when I was pregnant, as well as when you were first born, how challenging life with twins was going to be. "Be prepared to not sleep for at least the next five years. You are going to be forever exhausted." "Twins? Both boys? Oh my, you're going to be busy." And my personal favorite (heavy sarcasm), which was said while you were in the NICU, "Oh just you wait, you'll be begging to send them back to the hospital once they come home."

And then you came home and we entered the newborn stage. Yes, we were tired. Yes, certain things were challenging. But honestly I was mainly just loving life and motherhood. Maybe I was on a high from actually being a mom that the exhaustion didn't bother me. However, we were also blessed with amazing sleepers (we had some rough patches here and there, but for the most part, we've never been able to complain about your sleep habits).

Until this week.

This week was a thousand times more challenging than the newborn stage was for me. I don't know how many times I said, "I just feel defeated. I don't know what else to do." We had prepared (or so we thought). We had child-proofed (or so we thought). We had routines (or so we thought). We were wrong.

I know a change in routine is always difficult for a little one, but the combination of you being twins along with changing to toddler beds the day after returning from vacation made this doubly challenging. I've talked to so many moms of singletons who have said how difficult this transition was for their family. But add your best friend to this nightly sleepover and it's disastrous! Who would ever want to sleep when your buddy is right across the room, ready to play?! Plus, your bodies were still adjusting back from the time change (just one hour, but still enough to effect such scheduled little ones as you two). But you were hopping out of your cribs like crazy on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. We feared if we waited even one more day, an injury would be in store for us.

Let me say, before this turns all negative, that you did awesome with the nighttime routine. Once we put you in bed (excluding the first night when you had to explore your room just a little), you pretty much stayed in bed and slept all night. You were so proud of yourself each morning, and would immediately ask for your sticker. On the 5th morning, you were so excited to get your special treat! You each got a tiny Paw Patrol pup and car.

 

By the third night of big boy sleeping, Ryan you had tiptoed over to Wiley's bed and snuggled up with him. Since that night, you've slept together each night. In the midst of my stress and exhaustion, it was these sweet moments that helped me keep it together.

So as smoothly as bedtime went, that's how disastrously naptime went (which probably is why bedtime went so smoothly - you were flat out exhausted and couldn't fight sleep for one more minute). We would head upstairs and did our daily naptime routine. After prayers and kisses, I would tuck you both in and sneak out. But the second that darn squeaky door closed, you would shoot out of bed and the play time began.

Again, this was very typical pre-toddler beds. You boys would enjoy thirty minutes, sometimes even up to an hour, of talking, reading, and playing in your cribs. Now that you were in beds though, you weren't contained and you were getting into everything. By Wednesday, the hallway and bathroom right outside your door was completely cluttered with things you were finding in your room that you probably shouldn't have been finding. I would come in, remove, and just dump it right outside your room. Again, we thought we had child-proofed, but you both proved us wrong. Furniture had to be turned around and the drawers in your window seat child-proofed (after you completely broke one of them).

After the first hour of chaotic, free-rein of your room, something seemed to snap in both of you. It was really bizarre to witness. My once sweet, loving, snuggling children were now angry, violent, exhausted little boys. I couldn't get into your room fast enough (from right across the hall, watching you on the monitor) before you had either bit, hit, or kicked each other. Hard too! Bruises and blood were drawn. Once in the room, the biting, hitting, and kicking was redirected at me. I was just at a loss. You both seemed so exhausted, sleep cues going, but you just wouldn't give in to it.

Four days of fighting naps simply had me worn out. I had tried positive reinforcement for your behavior. I had tried negative consequences. I had tried a loving tone, I had tried a more strict tone. Nothing was working. What I really needed was to be able to clone my body and lay with each of you. Many of our failed napping attempts simply ended with all three of us in tears. I just felt helpless.

Friday afternoon I braced myself. I told myself not to go into naptime with a negative attitude. We were going to do this. I got myself a coffee for that extra push I needed (peppermint mocha because it reminds me of Christmas and makes me happy - I'm absurd!). I was ready to do this.

 

As I tucked you into bed, we said an extra special prayer that God would all give us this much needed nap. I left two sleepy boys, just sure that you would take a nap. An hour into what had seemed promising, and you broke the drawer Wiley. It was so broken that I couldn't even get it to slide back in. So, naptime was over by default. I couldn't leave you in the room with a drawer missing - surely you would've climbed right into the hole. We needed Daddy to fix it in his shop. It was back down the stairs.

I just couldn't do it anymore. So, we took a drive around town until you fell asleep (two minutes and you were out Ryan: it took 15 minutes for you Wiley). I parked at our high school and enjoyed an hour of reading in the car. It was just what we all needed - some breathing room for Momma and some rest for two sleepy, Grumpy Guses.

It is currently Saturday afternoon, and I am excited to report that I am typing this post...WHILE YOU ARE NAPPING!!!! Daddy and I took the "divide and conquer" route today (against your protests) and separated you both into your own beds, laying with each of you until your eyes were simply glazed with exhaustion. We then tiptoed out and closely watched the monitor. The second your head popped up, Daddy would sprint into the room and tell you to, "Lay down." After just two or three times, the movement stopped and you were asleep! I could have easily cried happy tears today. Laundry actually got accomplished. The hallway and bathroom reorganized. The downstairs picked up. A real dinner cooked. I felt like a functioning human being again. It was a beautiful thing. Your first nap in over two weeks.

I hope that with Daddy home for this three day, holiday weekend, it can really helps us to reestablish our naptime routine. If we can get you back to routinely napping, I hope that will make my solo attempt at naptime on Tuesday just a little smoother. Please Lord, for all of our sanity!

Addition since waking up:
You were so proud to put up your first ever naptime stickers and we were too! Way to go boys! It has been such a pleasant evening tonight due to your nap. You are your happy, lovey dovey, giggly little boys and I couldn't be happier! Thank you, Lord!