We have 3 bedrooms, and 3 kids. This means two of the girls will need to share a room. Joy. Right now, the crib is in Mairead's room. I feel like she can handle it
best better since she is older and has a better understanding of it all where I can see Lilah trying to climb into the crib during nap time or doing something else that she isn't supposed to be doing. During the day, it's easy. Clara naps, and Mairead doesn't. I've been having Mairead rest in our bedroom and it has been working out well. At bedtime, it's a bit more tricky. Mairead takes her time going to sleep, has to tend to her dolls, sing a few songs and do whatever it takes to
not fall asleep. Clara on the other hand will nurse to sleep, and then I put her in the crib. I know once I walk away, Mairead starts looking at her, talking, singing, and ultimately wakes Clara up. As soon as Clara makes a peep, we hear about it. "MOM! Clara is awake!"........"MOM! Clara is crying!".......or....."Rock abye baby......go to sleeeeeeep........it's okay"....by now, Clara is definitely awake and NOT going back to sleep. I mean, what do you do? Where does Clara go? She sleeps at night with us in our room, so I am thinking Clara should probably just start the night off in our room and stay there until she is on a more consistent nighttime routine/schedule.
You're probably thinking "why not put Mairead & Lilah together?" - you obviously don't know these two girls. They are so extremely polar opposite when it comes to sleep it isn't funny.
Mairead: not a great sleeper. Like I said above - she loves to play before bed, light on, door open, music on. In the morning, she gets up and comes into our room. Falls back asleep until 8am. Oh, yeah, she doesn't nap, and hasn't done so consistently since before age 2.
Lilah: an awesomely amazing sleeper. Will take 2-3 hour naps daily. Plays before bed, unless she is tired, then she'll pass out. Hard. Likes it dark. Door closed. White noise On Loud. Has tendency to wake up early if she hears noises in the morning, though sometimes will sleep until 9am. If she wakes early, and you leave her alone, she'll usually go back to sleep.
Why mess with success? I'd rather keep the amazing sleeper sleeping, and the mediocre one with the baby, who is able to understand quiet and not to climb into the crib!
What to do...What to do... I guess it is all about trial and error. Wait! Maybe we should buy a house with FOUR bedrooms!
Any thoughts? What do you do?
I live this Steph...we did go through a transition with the older two sharing a room, but Chiara slept through any and all of Mayah's antics! HA! Actually, Mayah wanted someone with her at night. Yes, they are still a bit chatty and they do have consequences for being loud or coming out of the room. If we have one more in our 3 bedroom house (got to love this market!) we will most likely put Chiara with the baby because she can sleep through a train coming in and would obviously be well over 5 years old(since I am not preggo now!).
ReplyDeleteYou know your girls and who can handle what/when. Could you adjust anyone's sleep time so that one is in deeper sleep when Clara comes in???
It's not only the nighttime we have issues with (and that would be resolved fairly easily), but it is the morning. Lilah is awoken very easily, and has the tendency to be a VERY early morning waker, which makes for a VERY unhappy 2 year old...When she sleeps until at least 730am, she is very pleasant, and will play in her room until we get her out.
ReplyDeleteThat's tough....Mayah gets up early and Chiara sleeps through her closing the door-and since the rooms are on top of each other Leah sleeps through it too. Mayah is not quiet and seems to be able to live off less sleep than everyone.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck! My girls actually both slept better @ night sharing our old queen sized bed, than being in separate rooms. Our biggest problem is the laughing and giggling before bed. But it makes kevin and I smile to hear it.
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