Fooled

Last week I blogged about Reed's transition out of his crib and into his toddler bed.

Did I make it seem like things were going well? Like it was maybe going better than I thought it would go??

If so...you've been fooled.

And so have I.

I've said before (although maybe not on here) that Reed is...well...kind of a punk. And I say that with complete and total love and affection for my little punk. ;) He's just so mischievous and naughty and sneaky and naughty and silly and naughty in a way that Drew never was. It's a bit to get used to without losing all sanity. Or hair.

I think the transition to his bed was going well because I was staying with him in his room until he fell asleep; at naptime and at bedtime. Thinking it would help ease the weird newness of it all for him, I laid down in the guest bed (which is in Reed's room) so he'd know I was there and that it was ok to fall asleep.

I soon realized it also helped control that little man's mischievous urges.

When I stopped staying with him, naughty things happened. On the worst day, it looked like this...

Reed's room is just around the corner from where the toys are. He and Drew go to quiet time at the same time, and once Reed discovered he could get out of bed without Mama's knowledge, he took advantage! Back and forth to Drew's room he would go, and as I heard the little pitter patter of feet upstairs, I'd make my way up there to put both boys back in their respective beds. Each time I went up, the threats got more intense, until this was how things ended up. Drew was gated into his room, and Reed was gated into his, with all of his toys removed to the hallway.

{And my visions of the boys sharing a room anytime soon have been effectively shattered.}

Let's just say Reed doesn't like the gate. And when it's up, he ends up like this...

...after minutes and minutes and m.i.n.u.t.e.s of crying! At the longest, probably an hour.

So, what's a mom to do? This is one of those parenting tests that I really wish would be less gray and more black and white.

Option 1: Keep things as is. Threaten to put up gate, eventually put gate up, Baby cries seemingly endlessly before falling asleep on the floor. Baby only stays asleep for 30-40 minutes because when he stirs and wakes enough to realize he's asleep on the floor, he becomes upset again. And the kicker: Baby thinks Mama doesn't love him because she doesn't respond to his cries.

Option 2: Stay on guard and put Baby back in bed every time he gets out. {I tried this. It's tiring. Kid wears me out when he's up immediately after I walk out of the room.}

Option 3: Lay down with Baby and risk falling asleep before he does, and then he sneaks out of the room. {Yep. It happened.}

For now, I've gone back to laying down with Reed at quiet time and at bedtime. I've snoozed a few of those times (which isn't all bad) but I think I've realized that this is the way it needs to be for a bit longer.

Mom seeking advice here. Hints? Tips? Recipes for mixed drinks???

{Note: In all fairness to Reed, Drew has picked up on the sneakiness and fills the role of ringleader quite well. The other day, Drew didn't know I was laying in Reed's room during quiet time, when I heard him from the doorway, whispering, "Reed, you wanna come to my room???" His feet moved pretty fast when he heard me say "Drew, back to your room!"}