I know you have just been waiting on pins and needles to hear about my son's sleeping habits...
Sunday night was better - he stayed in his room for over an hour after we put him to bed, but then he came out twice at 9:10 and 9:20 PM (I think maybe he was just trying to "outwit, outlast, outplay" us!). But, I guess 2 times is better than 5 times, so even though he wasn't sleeping when we were hoping he would be, there was some improvement!
Monday morning he was UP early (before 7:00 - that's early to me!) and he proceeded to wake up the girls, too...which I was not too happy about. The problem then just becomes a "vicious cycle" and he's overtired for the day - and, no, he does not nap, either (I think he stopped taking naps sometime before he turned 3 - I guess I would know had I kept a blog, huh?).
After numerous incidents, eruptions, and time-outs throughout the day, I finally had him go into his room to spend some quality time by himself (his time-outs are usually in the bathroom!)...this was around 4:20 in the afternoon. The girls were outside and we were chatting with our friends who had been over to play for the afternoon. After they left, I went in to check on Lukas (it was now about 4:40). I walked into his room, thinking he would be sitting on his bed reading a book or perhaps playing with some Lego's, but this is what I found:
Sunday night was better - he stayed in his room for over an hour after we put him to bed, but then he came out twice at 9:10 and 9:20 PM (I think maybe he was just trying to "outwit, outlast, outplay" us!). But, I guess 2 times is better than 5 times, so even though he wasn't sleeping when we were hoping he would be, there was some improvement!
Monday morning he was UP early (before 7:00 - that's early to me!) and he proceeded to wake up the girls, too...which I was not too happy about. The problem then just becomes a "vicious cycle" and he's overtired for the day - and, no, he does not nap, either (I think he stopped taking naps sometime before he turned 3 - I guess I would know had I kept a blog, huh?).
After numerous incidents, eruptions, and time-outs throughout the day, I finally had him go into his room to spend some quality time by himself (his time-outs are usually in the bathroom!)...this was around 4:20 in the afternoon. The girls were outside and we were chatting with our friends who had been over to play for the afternoon. After they left, I went in to check on Lukas (it was now about 4:40). I walked into his room, thinking he would be sitting on his bed reading a book or perhaps playing with some Lego's, but this is what I found:
I had a moment of panic...where was he? Did he go outside without me knowing? My heart started thumping. Then I heard it...the snoring!
That's when I peeked around the door and saw this:
That's when I peeked around the door and saw this:
He had fallen asleep! I could not believe it...I can't remember the last time Lukas fell asleep before bedtime (except for when he has been sick or maybe when we have been travelling...). The poor kid has been sooooo overtired! I woke him up right away - because I wanted him to sleep at night!!! He was pretty groggy, though.
As I said, things have been a little bit better - last night he did not come out once (except to go to the bathroom) and he was asleep probably by 8:30 - a vast improvement from the last few nights!!!
Please know that my intention here is not to give my son a "bad rap"...I love him so very dearly and he will always, always, always have such a special place in my heart. I do believe he is a "strong-willed" child...and I also believe that the Lord placed him in my life to prune me in many areas (wow - so many areas!). It is with tears in my eyes that I write this...because I'm guessing that one day I will look back at this time and wish I were dealing with something as *simple* as bedtime. I also know that these disciplinary struggles and the setting of boundaries (with each of my kids!) are all part of the job of training and bringing up my children in a way that I pray will one day lead each one's heart to the Lord.
Oh, Lord...you know the depth of my love for each of my children. You know the heartache I can feel when I see them making wrong choices. You also know my desire to show them YOU through me. Please teach me...grow me...yes, even stretch me! Lend me Your wisdom - I can so often feel SO inept. I long for each of them to see Your heart in me as I strive to love and discipline them! Thank you for being my strength when I am weak. Amen.
Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Please know that my intention here is not to give my son a "bad rap"...I love him so very dearly and he will always, always, always have such a special place in my heart. I do believe he is a "strong-willed" child...and I also believe that the Lord placed him in my life to prune me in many areas (wow - so many areas!). It is with tears in my eyes that I write this...because I'm guessing that one day I will look back at this time and wish I were dealing with something as *simple* as bedtime. I also know that these disciplinary struggles and the setting of boundaries (with each of my kids!) are all part of the job of training and bringing up my children in a way that I pray will one day lead each one's heart to the Lord.
Oh, Lord...you know the depth of my love for each of my children. You know the heartache I can feel when I see them making wrong choices. You also know my desire to show them YOU through me. Please teach me...grow me...yes, even stretch me! Lend me Your wisdom - I can so often feel SO inept. I long for each of them to see Your heart in me as I strive to love and discipline them! Thank you for being my strength when I am weak. Amen.
Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.
5 comments:
Oh, Lori...what a sweet, beautiful post. My heart so echoes that prayer of your heart, my friend!
You ARE doing such a wonderful job of training your children...and it has been (and continues to be) a privilege for me to walk this "road" of motherhood with you!!! I have learned much from you and have been encouraged by your example as well!!!
Hang in there, my friend!! You are training up three GREAT kiddos!!!
Love ya!
Lori:
KUDOS to you for hanging in there and responding to Lukas in such a loving but firm way. I'm sorry for laughing the other day...it was not at the situation...it was your rendition that was hysterical to read (move over Erma Bombeck) and I'm certain you WILL be able to laugh at this in about 25 years!
I LOVE YOU!!
...and those 3 Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious grandkids!!!!...AND Jason too of course!!
Mom
Lori, I don't know how you feel about doctors and chiropractors and what not, but I went to my chiropractor this morning and she asked me if I had been sleeping and I said "NO" because my Olivia Never sleeps. Not naps, it takes her forever to get to sleep at night and she wakes up many times a night. My chiropractor is a christian lady and she said that maybe some way that she is laying at night is causing discomfort and that maybe a couple adjustments may work, so she is coming with me next week to just check it out. Just a thought. Hang in there. I just thought I would share what we were going to do as I know it has been a struggle for you too. I feel like I am at my wits end and Ry has to be up so early I feel bad when he doesn't get sleep, so I figured it was worth a try. I'll keep you posted. I will keep you in my prayers. The kiddos are so precious, but it is hard I know. Blessings to you!!
Dear Lori,
The picture of dear Lukas asleep and even covered up was so sweet. And yes, the day will come when you will wish that bed times were the only struggles in your day.
But ya know what? I just don't see it happening like that for you and your family. Your too involved...too hands on. And you care, really care enough to make sure your kids know WHY they have to do the things you and Jason ask them to do. Not just because "I'm Mom and I said so". Although I have had that line slip out of my mouth and spin around to see how MY mother snuck into the room, cause I just couldn't have said that!
Looking forward to what your kids do next,
Linda J.
Hi Lori! I know you stopped by my blog a while back and I've been meaning to THANK YOU for quite some time now!
I've really enjoyed reading your blog, particularly the posts about your son's sleeping habits. There were moments you had me laughing hysterically and moments I was almost in tears because I can SO relate to the challenges of having a "strong-willed-sleep-fighting" child.
My daughter, Ella (our oldest), was a decent sleeper as a baby, but come 14 months, when she found her "will," things took a drastic turn. She would throw endless, crazy tantrums, that literally lasted for hours some nights and we were completely at our wits end. She would finally fall asleep, completely exhausted, only to wake up again, several times a night, and throw more tantrums. We did realize, after time, that Ella was having night terrors that were sometimes confused with tantrums, but night terrors are triggered by exhaustion, so it was a vicious cycle.
When Ella turned 4, she slowly started to mature and become an "easier" child, though she's still very strong-willed and will I'm sure will always be. :) Through her maturing, her sleep has gotten much, much better and she doesn't fight us near as much as she used to. She still wakes up at least once a night, but more often than not, will go right back to sleep.
Britten, our middle daughter, is an excellent sleeper, but CHLOE (our baby), is by far the worst sleeper we've had as a baby. She's also the happiest baby we've had, so it's a strange combination and I'm curious to see her personality develop as she gets older. She's 7 months old now and still wakes up 5-6 times a night. She nurses, and like your Lukas, likes to nurse a lot! Needless to say, I'm totally exhausted and at a loss for what to do with her. Again, like YOU, we've had problems with room sharing, etc, so she ends up either sleeping in our bed (this is what SHE prefers, of course!) or in the pack 'n' play in our room. Her crib is in Ella's room. Amazingly, Ella does really well having Chloe in her room, but Chloe wakes up crying so often, we end up taking her out of Ella's room to avoid having 2 girls up at once! Ugh! You know how it goes...
Anyway, I JUST ordered a sleeping book, recommended by MCK Mama (Kristi's friend from NWC), and it should be coming in the mail soon. I am desperate for a change, as you can imagine! In the meantime, since you've already gone through it (twice, by the sounds of it!), do you have any advice for a needy baby?
SOOOOO sorry for writing a book. I just read through your posts and felt we shared so much in common with all of this! I am happy to hear that things are going better for Lukas and I look forward to reading more about it in future posts!
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