Sleep? What's That?

So one Sunday afternoon, we laid Zed in his crib for his nap. We then walked across the hall to our room and sat on our bed to chat. 2 minutes later we heard a squeak as Zed's bedroom door opened a crack and as we looked up we saw an adorable face grinning at us around the edge of the door.

What????

That little goof had climbed out of his crib! His very high crib, like up to my chest height high. Hmm... we thought that maybe it was a fluke and he wouldn't be able to do it again. Okay, okay, that was just wishful thinking. We did try to lay him down a few more times, but he just kept getting up.

I just wanted to cry. I really need him to nap. Naptime is the only real time I can be at rest because I know he isn't getting into anything. Naptime is when I concentrate on bookwork with the kids. Naptime is when I can get my housework done or fold laundry without him climbing in it and unfolding it. Naptime is when I can have a nap! I am going to have a baby in the next 2 weeks and I really need Zed to nap!

One of his older brothers started to climb out of his crib before he was 2, and that was the end of his naps. It was also the beginning of a couple months of training him to stay in his bed at night. I so don't want that with Zed.

The first week was a very sleepless one. He had not napped except 1 day that he cried himself to sleep in my arms, in my bed and a couple times he fell asleep in the car. It is actually kind of funny because he is so tired that he comes to me crying, "Nap! Nap!" and we go put him in his bed, but within seconds he is up and peeking out the door. At night he started getting up in the night and wandering into our room. Then his 5 and 6 year old siblings started night waking too, so we have had at least one or two of them waking us at various hours for a few weeks. A very long few weeks.

Now we kind of have a system for getting Zed to sleep. At bed time, Daddy lays on the floor between Zed and Monkey's beds until Zed falls asleep. It is only taking 5 to 15 minutes, down  from 2 hours the first night. Unless Daddy falls asleep! Naps are still not happening, unless we take him for a drive, which happens at least 4 or 5 times a week. He so needs that sleep that it is worth the time and gas, I think.

I think all of the children are a bit off because of baby coming, maybe they are sensing some anxiety on my part. Last night was the first night that all of them slept through to almost 7 and most nights Girly has been in my room 5 or 6 times. I have been pretty much useless for the last few weeks because I really need some sleep. I am praying that they will all settle a bit and the only thing waking me up will be my bladder for the next few days until baby gets here!




Today, Baby Zed had gone into the house while the rest of us were still outside gathering all the kids to come in for dinner. When Daddy and I came in the backdoor, he was furiously trying to mop the floor with the broom. Turns out that he had found a marker and had written all over the kitchen floor and he was trying to clean it up before we came in. Monkey!