Toddler Mamas-Bedtime routines

Do they make you want to poke your eyeballs out?

Christopher doesn't go to bed til 9.30 b/c DH leaves for work late, but he is such a PITA lately. Stalls (tonight he was "hot" and needed his pjs changed) then I have to read Goodnight Moon 967 times, then kiss all of his animals, then he demands things for the next day...

Then sometimes I hear knocking and he is knocking b/c he wants another hug or Goodnight Moon performance.

Oh and this week we have to boo at monsters and ghosts

Is this the norm or does my kid have "personality"?

Re: Toddler Mamas-Bedtime routines

Me: Ethan it's time for dodo (french for nitenite). Come with Mommy! Around 8pm.
Ethan: extends arms to be picked up.
Me: change diaper, put PJs on and over PJs.
Ethan: already arching his back to be laid in his crib.
Me: Good night my love! Have wonderful dreams!

Turn off lights.

EJ usually falls asleep about 30 minutes to 1 hour later. He just chills until he falls asleep.

This kid is like his mommy. He LOOVES his bed.

Message edited 10/27/2009 9:52:15 PM.

Re: Toddler Mamas-Bedtime routines

Mollie is totally the opposite....bedtime is a breeze!

She watches Dora at 7, Diego at 7:30 and I say it's cleanup time. We clean up her toys she runs and turns off the TV and goes to her room. She picks a book, I read one story and say goodnight. She goes to bed without a peep at 8 pm I am VERY lucky

In the morning...she will play in her crib for up to an hour if I leave her sitting there and she's having a good time.

Re: Toddler Mamas-Bedtime routines

yes, miki is like that too

I always give her some warning before it is bed time, so it goes something like this

me - ok miki, one more show and then it is night night

miki - max and ruby

me - now remember, no drama when it is time for bed

miki - ok mommy, I promise

approximately 25 minutes later...

me - ok miki, let's go...

Miki - TOTAL MELTDOWN, crying, begging, asking to watch another show. When I say no, she compromises by asking me to watch 1/2 of another show

Then we have to brush her teeth, go potty, grab a few wipes and tuck in all the animals , etc

it is EXHAUSTING

eta - once she is in bed, she is great, I hardly ever hear a peep and she will play in her room for up to an hour after she wakes up

Message edited 10/27/2009 10:05:18 PM.

Re: Toddler Mamas-Bedtime routines

My DD has been killllllllllllllllllllllllling us lately. You should see my FB status updates about my Insoniac Toddler.

But seriously, if daylight savings does not help us, DH and I will lose our little minds. We both have work to do at home, and the only time we can really do it is after she goes to bed.

I've noticed that since she was born, sleep has been cyclical: good for months, then bad for months, then good, etc. We really, really need to move into a good cycle soon...

Re: Toddler Mamas-Bedtime routines

Oh thank goodness!! I just thought Lily was annoying!!

We've had to change up a few things recently because she was testing her limits.
Tom goes upstairs with her to pick out her pajamas...she gets to choose which ones she wants to wear. Then I go upstairs and we all play for a little while.
Then, we go downstairs and Tom gives her a bath and puts her in her pajamas. She goes pee pee in the potty before she gets in her bath, so she gets to put stickers on a chart in between the bath and pajamas.
Then, I bring her upstairs and read her stories...6 books in all, but I'll only read them once. She has to act out one of them
Then I have to put "special" cream on her face (she's such a girl).
Finally we get to the tough part....she has to then go into her crib where she insists on getting hugs and kisses. She could go on for hours like that, so I have to cut it short usually. I put her blankets down for her to sleep on top of (she needs to have 2), I make sure her stuffed animals are arranged to her liking, and then I turn on her Fisher Price Aquarium crib thingie. She usually starts crying when I tell her she has to lay down. So I give her a few more kisses, tell her that she has to go to bed so that I can go to bed...and then she'll put her head down.
I then rub her back and we talk about all of the exciting things she's going to do the next day (play with Grandpa and Freedom woo hoo!).
After she calms down, I say goonight, blow her a kiss and leave.

The rubbing her back part is new....I did that because otherwise everytime I tried to leave the room she would say "uh oh" and make me fix something else in her crib.....