We got Chloe a toddler bed vs. a bigger bed! I didn’t understand the concept of a toddler bed because the crib I bought for Jake converted into a full bed(I had no idea what I was doing) so I bought a whole new mattress for Jake! Jake never ever liked his bed – it was too big for such a tiny human being. To this day we have a cot next to our bed that he sleeps in 80 percent of the time. With Jake we didn’t do the “cry it out”.. it’s all my fault, I don’t like to hear crying. So when he was 18 months old, and throwing up in his crib to get out, Chase and I thought it was time he moved into a big boy bed. Little did we know we should have let him sleep in his vomit! Sounds awful, but so true.
I thought for sure Chloe would sleep in her crib until she was FOUR {we have friends whose almost four year olds sleep in cribs}. About ten days ago, Chloe climbed out of her crib. I panicked and she slept in OUR bed for the next four nights – her bed arrived on a Monday and we assembled it Tuesday. Chase flew out to California for business Tuesday morning and said I must train her {ps I’m the most laid back person when it comes to letting our kids in our bed}. BUT because we fucked up so much with Jake and he still comes to our bed I got the message. When Chase gets home Chloe must be sleep trained.
Tuesday night – the first night she slept in her bed – was a disaster. I had no idea what I’m doing. I laid in the middle of her floor while she was in her bed. She fell asleep (took her forever to fall asleep, and my brain started flashing to our new beginning where I’d have to spend hours putting Chloe to sleep). After spending two hours in her room trying to hush her, I was exhausted so I just brought her to my bed! I asked all of you what to do and the best suggestion was to let her cry it out and get a gate!
Wed night- we have the gate in place and Chloe falls asleep fine. Then she wakes up every hour to make sure I’m in her room which means I run into her room every hour that night! I’m a zombie – so exhausted! – and you all tell me to let her cry going forward.
Thursday night – I wait in Chloe’s room until she’s asleep. She wakes up at 9 pm and cries until 10:30. The director of Jake and Chloe’s school said that I should speak to Chloe through the camera so I do this and it works! She goes back to bed and sleeps all night until 6 am!
Friday night- Chloe cries and screams for 20 minutes and passes out!
Let’s see what happens tonight but I feel very accomplished! Lucky Chase came back at the perfect time! I am using this turtle that lights up at night with stars which I think Chloe really enjoys.
So my advice for a mom going through this is to make sure you get a toddler bed so that they feel cozy, a gate is a must, let them cry, try to speak through the camera telling them they are ok, and lastly get something that lights up!
Hope this helps!
xo
Jenny
