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 :)