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!"}

March Art

Drew's art gallery is a little scant this month. He brought home less art than he normally does...not sure if it got lost, got displayed at school, or if they didn't do projects on a couple days. Drew did miss one day of school this month when he had a five-day fever, and this week was spring break. I gotta admit...I'm pretty bummed when he comes home and his backpack is empty. I think I've mentioned this before, but...I love preschool!

3/1/11

Celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday with the Cat in the Hat's hat. When I asked Drew if he cut it out, he said, "No, I just painted the white stripes. That's all Mrs. Cindy needed me to do."

3/10/11

A "paint-dotted" rainbow and pot of gold.

3/15 & 3/17/11

A finger-painted shamrock, and a crown for our little leprechaun.

Family

Our little family has been incredibly busy this month. Our evenings from Sunday through Thursday are full of church obligations for either Brad or myself...leaving only Friday and Saturday nights for any kind of actual family bonding together with all four of us. And technically, you can count out Fridays and Saturdays for "just the four of us" as well because along with a busy work calendar, we've also have a very busy social calendar!

We have been blessed this month with several visits from family. Apparently spring makes people anxious to get out of their homes...and come to Pekin?!?! Well, probably not so much that, but we are certainly thankful they all chose us anyway!

March 11-13

Grandma & Grandpa

Brad's parents joined us for the weekend, continuing our celebration of Reed's 2nd birthday. Reed opened gifts, we enjoyed dinner out, and Drew took us all on in Kinect bowling.

March 16 & 17

Brent, Esther, Lewis & Lauren

Brad's brother and his family stopped by on their way through to Ohio for spring break. The boys enjoyed showing off their baseball moves to Uncle Brent, read stories with Aunt Esther, played video games with Lewis, and played silly with Lauren.

March 17-20

Jeremy, Ashley, Avery, Addy & Grammy

My brother and his family joined us for a long weekend...and Grammy even got to come along! The boys opened more gifts for both of their birthdays, sweated up a storm doing more Kinect sports, went to the zoo, shopped at the mall, and played a lot!

March 25-29

Grammy returned one weekend later, but this time was able to bring Papa along! My parents came for a long weekend, and concluded Reed's birthday with one last round of gifts. The boys watched "Mouse" on the computer, occupied Papa with games and puzzles, and I occupied Grammy with housework! ;)

It was a busy, but incredibly awesome and fun, month!

We love our families so much!

Thank you for coming to see us!

Don't be strangers...come again!

(On a sidenote: I'm exhausted! It couldn't be a better time to ship the boys off to Grandma & Grandpa's house for the weekend!) :)

Picture of the Day, Week 12

Sunday {3.20.11}

Reed's been transitioning to his toddler bed this past week, but it's taken a bit for him to adjust to having only a small rail to keep him in. I've found him like this a few times...apparently hitting a pile of blankets is pretty comfy as he rarely wakes when he ends up on the floor!

Monday {3.21.11}

I do almost anything to keep these two contained while we shop. Almost.

Tuesday {3.22.11}

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that it isn't going to be much longer before these shoes fit?

Wednesday {3.23.11}

The price of gas right now is $3.52/gallon. I filled up the van using my 20 cent/gallon discount with my grocery card and still paid this much. Yuck.

Thursday {3.24.11}

Brad won the "Thoughtful Husband Award" today when he brought me home a slice of my favorite dessert from a church potluck I wasn't able to make it to. Mmmm mmmm good!

Friday {3.25.11}

Grammy & Papa arrived today for a weekend visit, bringing Reed gifts for his birthday. This Mater train was a hit with both boys.

Saturday {3.26.11}

Grammy & Papa keep the boys' Twins attire updated with new t-shirts every year. Drew needed to wear his right away!

The Breakfast of Champions

The boys get many things from their father.

Among them, taste buds for PopTarts.

They all have them almost every morning. Brad only eats the brown sugar and cinnamon flavored ones, so that's all we buy.

Until Wednesday when the boys and I ran out to Walmart and Drew decided he'd like to try strawberry. Because they have sprinkles.

So yesterday morning he had one. It was good, he tells me.

When I pick him up at school yesterday, Mrs. Bland says, "Drew tells me he had a strawberry poptart for breakfast. We're all going to start eating them if they put you in this kind of good mood!"

Apparently Drew had a really silly day. Laughing and being goofy and telling stories. He had Mrs. Bland rolling with laughter, she said.

Strawberry PopTarts. The *new* breakfast of champions.

Growing Up

There are many defining moments in the transition from infancy to toddlerhood to preschooler where I find myself thinking, "My baby isn't a baby anymore!"

Reed has reached one such moment.

Good-bye, crib. Hello, big boy bed!

I was anticipating that this would be a difficult transition for Reed to make. He is soooo different from Drew in so many ways, and Drew made this switch without complaint. I remember that my plan was to have Drew nap in the toddler bed but still sleep at night in his crib, just to ease the transition. Drew had a different idea. After napping in his bed the first time, he didn't want anything to do with his crib anymore. Easy peasy. Drew made this move so effortlessly, I just knew that it was going to be a challenge for Reed (and therefore for me, too!).

We brought up the toddler bed from the basement last week Monday and made room for it in the nursery. (I am in flux trying to decide what do with the boys' rooms. Should they have their own, or share? What beds will they have? What will the theme and colors and decor be? Major decisions, I tell ya. We need to master the big boy bed before we decide on any of that, so that's why the accommodations for Reed remain in his familiar sleep surroundings.) Monday at naptime and at bedtime we encouraged Reed to sleep with Elmo. He'd get in the bed for books and prayers, but then take himself over to the crib and say "up." Tuesday was an unusual day (we had a busy schedule with things happening at odd times) so I left Reed in his room at naptime to see if he'd make his way into his Elmo bed. An hour later, I could still hear the crashing and banging of toys, so into his crib he went. Wednesday at naptime, he finally discovered how comfy Elmo is! I tucked him in to his bed, and as I peeked in from the hallway, he got out of bed, back in, out again, walked through his room, then back into bed and fell asleep. He has kept his naptime date with Elmo ever since.

It was last Thursday night when Reed attempted to sleep in his bed at bedtime. My mom was here with my brother and his family, so she was sharing Reed's room with him. She told me that he slid out of bed and onto the floor three times (without waking) before she decided it would be best to put him in his crib. A few more nights of the same thing (he's a mover, apparently!) until this last Monday night when he slept soundly, and remained on the mattress, all night long.

He's been Zzzzzz-ing well ever since.

All of his friends from the crib have made the move with Reed. Scout, Buttercup, Puppy, Tigger and his two favorite blankets, too.

My baby is really growing up.

Getting Stronger

Both boys went in to see Dr. Hunter yesterday morning for their two- and four-year well-child check-ups.

The stats...

Reed: 35.4 pounds, 37 inches tall, and a head circumference of 53 centimeters. He's holding steady in the 95th percentile.

Drew: 43 pounds and 42 inches tall. He's in the 75th-95th percentile.

Both boys were given vaccines today as well.

I didn't tell Drew that he'd be getting one. I didn't tell him until we had gotten back into the nurses' treatment room, and he got up on the table. I told him it was going to hurt, but only for a second, and then it would be all done.

He cried.

And I think he might have been a bit upset with me.

All day he kept referring to his band-aid as the "thing Mom surprised me with".

He was a good sport, though, and he's not holding a grudge. At least I don't think so. :-/

Both boys are healthy, strong, and vibrant...just the way I like 'em.