A Sleeping Enigma

Tonight I took Rhett and Emersen to a prayer, worship service at our church. It started at 7 pm so I was prepared having both kids already bathed and in pajamas before we went to church. My plan was for both of them to fall asleep on the way home leaving me with some peace and quitet for the rest of the night.

Emersen was a piece of cake. Poor girl was awoken every time she tried to take a nap today so she was exhausted. After yawning a few times during the service and having her last snack of the day I knew she was soon down for the count. She was out before we left the parking lot. Emmie is a very light sleeper and usually the slightest noise or touch will wake her up. She was so tired that when I carried her from the car to her crib she didn't even flinch.

Rhett's sleep chronicle starts much earlier in the day. I have to put much more thought into Rhett's sleeping schedule especially when it comes to his naps. If he doesn't take a nap I can usually put him to bed at 8 pm with no problem. The problem is if he doesn't take a nap then we have to avoid any car trips from 3 pm or later because it's a sure thing he will fall asleep in the car (or watching tv or in time outs). Naps after 3 pm usually mean an 8 pm bedtime is out of the question.

Today was one of those days when he had no nap and we were in the car around 3:15 pm. He was starting to fade when all of a sudden his friend Maddie (also in the car) pipes up "does anyone know what baby bats are called?" Little did Maddie know she was embarking on Rhett's favorite subject of all time. For the rest of the ride home Rhett and Maddie discussed all of the animal babies names they knew. I knew reading Rhett all of those animal books would pay off in more ways then just having a vast knowledge of animals. In case anyone is wondering baby bats are called pups. If Rhett was typing this he would also want to inform you dogs and seals also have babies called pups.

So far we are on track with Rhett going to bed at a decent time. Then I decided to go to church. I left around 6:15 pm and thought maybe just maybe it's too late for Rhett to fall asleep. Wishful thinking. Five minutes after leaving our house his eyes were looking very heavy. I turn around and tell Rhett not to fall asleep. He was not very happy with this statement. It's kind of like someone trying to tell me in the middle of the night when I'm almost asleep not to fall asleep. So I try a different approach. "Rhett, was are baby lions called?" It's worth a try. I was pretty sure his very late nap was inevitable. All of a sudden I hear, "cubs mom." Rhett and I continued with almost the exact same discussion that kept him from his nap earlier until we arrived at church. During the service he yawned a few times like Emmie. I thought maybe my plan might actually work. On the way home he was singing along with one of his music cd's so I started losing hope. However, just as we were approaching our house I noticed that dazed, droopy look appear on his face. I was not going to take any chances. I did another lap around our block and pulled into our garage with my two sweet angels off in dreamland.

Mission Accomplished!

Or so I thought. I carried Rhett into his bed, layed him down quietly in bed and started to get up when he started crying for me. I figured I could lay down with him for a few minutes since he must be half asleep anyways. After a minute or so I tried to get up but the crying got louder. Each time I tried to leave him in bed he would cry louder and wake up more. Eventually he was alert enough to talk. This was our conversation:

me: "Rhett it's time to go to sleep. Mommy will come back in a few minutes and check on you."
Rhett: " I want to get up with you."
me: "no Rhett it bedtime."
Rhett: "but I didn't brush my teeth."

Now what would you do? I know I should never skip my child's nightly teeth brushing or ever discourage him from doing so but can you imagine how much that would wake him if we actually got up and completed this task. In addition my son HATES brushing his teeth. I thought it was rather interesting he was all of a sudden so concerned with this. I told Rhett we would brush harder in the morning and to go back to sleep. He seemed ok with that. Over the next 15 minutes I tried to sneak out of his bed at least five times. He would lie there silently with his eyes closed but just when I would make the slightest movement to get up he would move his hand and touch me to make sure I was there. Finally forty five minutes after I carried him in from the car I snuck out of his bed.

With Emersen I plop her in her crib and walk out of the room. Sometimes she cries but it's only for a moment or two. I don't think twice about it. With Rhett either he reads in bed until he conks out or Rod lays down with him. Tonight when I was sneaking out of his bed I literally tried to make my body as light as a feather so he wouldn't notice me getting up. It's amazing the things I will do with my body to elevate it in the air so my 3 yr old son will not hear the bed squeak or feel my presence removed. Emmie will probably sleep through the night. Rhett will sleep 5 or 6 hours and then come into our bed for the second half of his slumber.

I probably could try to help him sleep better and build better habits. I like to just chalk it up to a first child thing. But then again I know lots of firt borns who sleep much better than my son. Maybe it's just a poor sleeping gene. His dad never sleeps more than 5 hours at night which usually doesn't even start until 2 or 2:30 am. When Emersen gets older I think I'll take her on a girls getaway. We won't be shopping or going to spa's or much of anything for that matter. We will go to a hotel that has fabulous beds, sleep in, have room service breakfast in bed, watch a movie in bed, take a nap, have room service dinner in bed, read books in bed and go to sleep early. Then we'll come home to our sleep deprived boys and have compassion on them for the road they have chosen.

Good night all. Sleep well.