In her own time

As usual, just when you've given up on something new with Sydney, she goes and does it all by herself.


For months it seems we've had a mattress and/or full size bed in Sydney's room trying to gently coax her into it.  Honestly I have not been super eager to get her into a bed.  I liked the idea that she was confined in the crib.  History has proven, allowing her to roam free is a bad idea.


She would say that she wanted to sleep in the "big girl bed" but the second we left the room she would either race out crying behind us or climb up into her crib.  Yes, she never tried to climb out (that we know of), but she got darn good at climbing IN.  She has visited many a neighborhood friend and seen their own big girl beds, but it wasn't enough to persuade her.  Good girl.  Already resisting peer pressure.


The last few weeks, bedtime had become excruciatingly painful around here.  She is master of the stall.  Anything and everything to delay the inevitable.  Water, potty, books, babies, light, no light, door open, door closed.  There is an art to the length of time it can take her to simply brush her teeth.  With all the stalling, we quickly nixed the option to sleep in her big girl bed from her repertoire knowing it would just add another 5 minutes to the pain.  Regardless of our action or inaction, every night it was ending in her being chunked into the crib wailing.  Sometimes she wasn't even dressed - we'd throw her pajamas in there with her (and surprisingly, she would always dress herself before falling asleep).  We learned our lesson and became less willing to entertain her stalling techniques.  The result was always going to be the same whether we allowed it to go on for 5 or 35 minutes.  But it was exhausting and it always put a damper on otherwise great days.


So about a week ago, we had a very busy day.  Sydney didn't take a nap at all and was extra tired from a fun afternoon play date with her very best friend from school.  When she asked to sleep in the big girl bed that evening, I figured she might just be tired enough not to put up a fight after we tucked her in.  Sure enough - no fighting, no tears, no screaming.  There she stayed.  And again the next night.  And the next. And the next.  


She was so proud of herself each morning for sleeping all night in her big girl bed.  She has woken a few times in the middle of the night but goes back to bed very easily with a tuck-in and kiss from mommy.


The moment of truth - on Saturday down came the crib.  Sydney helped.  No turning back now.

She still asks every night if she can sleep in the big girl bed.  It is so nice to watch her go through all the bedtime motions without a fight - to tuck her in and give her hugs and kisses and high-fives at the end of the day.  I hope the thrill of it doesn't end soon.  


Sydney certainly is head strong and will be my biggest challenge.  But I need to remember to step back and let her take the lead - sometimes.


Night night sweet girl!