Operation Toddler Beds ~ Week 2

This week started week 2 of the boys in toddler beds...

Last night we tucked the boys into bed, I was going to read to them but Kellan was crying about going to bed & I didn't feel like yelling over him, so I put the book away & took my place on the floor between their beds. At first everyone layer down & I thought thankfully this looks like its going to be an easy night... I thought too soon! The boys started jumping in their beds & then into each others beds. My back ached from laying on that floor every afternoon & every night, some nights all night long due to the boys being sick & waking throughout the night. I was too tired tonight. My patience quickly left me & I got up & walked out of their bedroom. Donna asked what was going on & I just said I cannot do this tonight. She reminded me that out plan wasn't o lay in their every night until they went to sleep & that they had to learn to stay on bed in their own & go to sleep. I agreed, I guess with Caden & Kellan being so sick & having trouble at night I just got sucked in & forgot the initial plan. So I watched from the monitor and as one got out of bed I went in & put him back, after a couple times of me going in, Donna took a turn at it, then I went in, then she went in & then finally... They went to sleep :)

Eason trying to wake Caden for a doctors appt...

So today for nap time I rounded the boys up into their room, got them each in their own beds & said night night. Garren was missing his lovey so I knew I'd have to go back in which worked out for today. I left closed the door & went to find Garren's lovey, I took it back in just in time to see Caden dive back into his bed. I then noticed Kellan was missing his pacifier, so agin I walked out, closed the door & went to find a pacifier. I walked back in again just catching Caden not getting out of his bed, lol...

I kissed them all again & said time for naps, go night night. I walked out, closing the door & headed to our room to get the monitor. I pick it up just in time to see Garren sneak into Caden's bed, so I go back in, put Garren back in his bed & tell him that's it, time to go night night. He cried for a couple of minutes & they were all out! :)

Garren not budging...

Last night the plan was again to read a bedtime story & say goodnight & leave. The story didn't happen do to crying again. We gave hugs & kisses, tucked everyone in, said goodnight & left. Besides the tears, it went really really well. The boys stayed in bed, they cried... Kind of like the early days of being put in their cribs. (I was never a fan of crying it out & they never cried for more than a couple of minutes, just letting us know their protest to going to bed) about 20 minutes after we left I spotted Garren crawling across the floor, lol... He grabbed a book & jumped back in bed. A few minutes later Caden was standing in front of bed, he looked like he was trying to decided what he could get away with. Donna went in at this point & tucked everyone back in. We didn't hear from them again after that until 8 o'clock this morning :)

Eason gave up on Kellan & just joined him :)

Hopefully it continues to go well. I am happy with the progress they have made staying in bed & sleeping all night with the exception of being sick. 

Rough Week

Donna sent me out this yesterday morning. I didn't have anyone to meet or any place I really needed to go so I decided to take the dogs to the beach for a walk.

Caden, Garren & the sick one, Kellan

Kellan & Caden

It's been a bit of a rough week here, last Monday started with Kellan coughing & just being cranky, Tuesday he was quite miserable & his cough was worse & he had a fever, by the time I got him to the doctor on Wednesday in addition to his cough, general misery & fever his nose had also let loose. Everything sounded & looked good on the inside & it was decided he had croup. There isn't a treatment for croup as it is a virus & just has to run its course. The next couple of nights were hard on him as his cough kept waking him up & he was having a hard time resting (in turn, so was mom!)

Caden's ER worthy look

He was happy with his ride until I pulled

out my phone to take a photo, lol...

Caden entertaining himself while

waiting for his test results

And right back to his spot on

the couch when we got home

Thursday morning Caden woke with same cough Kellan had, since it was most likely the same thing I didn't call the doctor. His other symptoms kicked in quicker than Kellan's though & by Sunday he was in really rough shape, crying every time he coughed or sneezed & not getting any rest. Donna & I decided he should be seen, so I took him to the ER. The doctors comments were "his breathing sounds tight, his lungs sound clear, his right ear is red & so is his throat." She suggested we run tests for the flu, strep, RSV & do a chest X-ray, so we did. He tested positive for RSV :( but everything else was fine including his chest X-ray. The ER doctor said to follow up with his pediatrician to keep an eye & hopefully keep it from going to pneumonia. 

I started giving Caden & Kellan breathing treatments after we got home from the ER (the dr there said it might help) & they both took the longest naps they had had in a week. They also slept better Sunday night than they had in a week. They did wake up at 3:30 am hungry but they haven't been eating well & barely touched their dinner so I gave them some graham crackers & milk & they went back to bed & slept until after 9 this morning. They look much better than they have & aren't coughing as hard but they still have runny noses & now Garren does too, he's also tugging at his ear :(

Lots of crying :(

Amidst all of this sickness the boys have been screaming & crying pretty much non-stop. They are fighting with each other, whining over their own misery, not eating, & needing to be held constantly! I was at my wits end by the weekend & it wasn't near over yet which is why Donna sent me out this morning. 

High tide!

Eason & Haddie after a nice

walk in the rain on the beach

The dogs & I had a nice but rainy walk on the beach. Eason chased the water as the waves came & went, Haddie ran from the water as it came up, lol. They both enjoyed running in the sand & just getting out for a while without the kiddos.

The boys all went to see Dr J this morning and so far we have no ear infections but some redness & fluid so I will keep my eye on that. Caden still has some tightness in his chest so I will continue the breathing treatments on him & hopefully everyone will be back to themselves in the next couple of days!

Flash Back Friday

Caden, Garren & Kellan's first week at home. 

All sleeping together in a pack n play bassinet,

look at all the extra room around them! 

Where did my preemies go?!? ;)

I'm a little early with the Halloween theme but I couldn't wait! I'm excited about the coming season & holidays. I think the boys will really enjoy Trick or Treating this year & picking out pumpkins & going on hay rides... maybe not dressing up so much but that won't stop us from trying :) I hope you enjoy the new blog decor'! Happy upcoming Autumn :)

Operation Toddler Beds

We decided to transition the boys to toddler beds this past weekend. They don't climb out of their cribs or even try but while we were on vacation they did climb from one pack n play to another. Technically they are all too big for pack n plays & if they even lean on the side they tip over. we got through vacation by strategically placing them so that they were against a wall & holding each other up bit since we travel pretty often we thought it was best for them to learn to sleep in beds so when we are at the grandparents we don't have to worry about them climbing, flipping or falling.

Donna is SOOO excited that we won't have to lug heavy pack n plays that take up valuable storage space around anymore!!!

This is how the boys' beds have been set up since they started sleeping in their own cribs, the hated being separated initially & this was how we worked that out. I tried separating them to give them more floor space to play in their room but none of them went for it. Hopefully we will be able to make some changes once they get the hang of their toddler beds :)

Donna & Garren taking off the front of the cribs

& installing the toddler rails.

Donna, Kellan & Garren attaching fasteners

to the toy box so that it stays closed

The finished product

(yes, those pictures are crooked,

the room belongs to 2 year olds!)

The First night was good! :) I wasn't sure what to expect out of the boys. We did our usual bedtime routine, "hey boys, it's time to go night night." They run in their room to get in their beds, only this time they jump in themselves & then jump out of their beds & take off running running down the hall... We got them all back to their room convinced them to get back in their beds & repeated the bed part over & over again until no one was trying to get out anymore. We stayed in their room with them, sitting on the floor making sure they stayed in bed, then we switched to "lay down & go night night" until each of them stayed laying down, then it was just a waiting game... They sang, bounced, played footsies & finally fell to sleep. The entire process took an hour and 45 minutes. Caden woke up crying at some point in the early AM hours but didn't get out of bed, I went in & laid down next to his bed & he laid down & went right back to sleep. They didn't get out of their beds when they woke up, they just played in bed like they usually do.

Nap #1, I was more nervous about nap time than I was bed time, at least I had Donna to help at bedtime. I wasn't sure if they would over take me at nap time or not, lol... They did good though. They pretty much had the staying n bed part down but Caden did try a few times before just giving up & going to sleep. It was an hour & 20 min until the last holdout gave in & went to sleep. Caden was out after 30 min. Garren about 40-45 min & Kellan decided he would give it his all & tried to get out of bed & then he tried throwing his stuff out so that he had an excuse to get up & get it. I stayed consistent & he finally gave in.

Caden (foreground) Kellan (background)

Garren

Haddie found the beds comfy for her own little afternoon nap :)

The second night was good too! How long did it take before they were all asleep, well who knows? I think it was about an hour & 15 or 20 minutes but Donna & I both dozed off & woke up about 11pm, lol... At least the boys weren't having a party around us! Everyone slept all night uninterrupted & when they woke in the morning Kellan joined Caden in his bed & they played until Garren woke up a little later. I showered & then set them free, I mean opened their bedroom door since it has a knob cover on the inside & they haven't figured out how to rip it off yet.

Nap #2, WOOHOO!!! The boys got in bed, only persistent Caden tried getting up a couple times & all 3 of the boys were sleeping in 35 minutes!!! I had hope that by the end of the week I would not be laying on the floor in their bedroom anymore waiting for them to go to sleep :)

Kellan

Garren

Caden

The third night also went pretty well, not as well as nap #2 but I'm going to guess everyone was asleep in under an hour or so. I sat with the boys alone this time as Donna thought maybe bedtime was taking so long because she was there & the boys are always a little more wound up with her. I fell asleep again though so exact time is a questionable again along with who went to sleep first. Caden didn't disappoint though, he tried sneaking out of bed a couple times before giving in for the night. It has always taken a bit longer for the boys to wind down at night but I'm still hopeful that I won't be hanging out on the floor every night for too long.

Nap #3 didn't go as great as yesterday. Kellan who is sick with croup went to sleep pretty quickly but Caden & Garren played & played & played & got themselves a little smack on the butt for not staying in bed (Caden) & for screeching at the top of his lungs (Garren.) They both finally gave up & went to sleep right at the 1 hour mark.

So that's what is going on here during sleep times this week. I think that it's going well? At least once they go to sleep they stay asleep & when they have woke up in the middle of a nap or at night they've stayed in their bed & gone back to sleep on their own, so really no complaints from me :)