Thursday, February 24, 2011

After Blood and Tears: Back to the Crib

I'm not exactly admitting defeat on the whole crib-to-bed transition thing. It really is for my child's safety. Ok, and maybe a little for my sleep and my morning work outs.

Buddha started off so well, but once he figured out he could actually get out of his bed (only 4 days later) I couldn't get him to stay in. So, that led to me having to stay in his room with him until he fell asleep. While he used to self-soothe and fall asleep so quickly in his crib, I think he was excited someone else was in the room with him and would take forever and I do mean forever to fall asleep with me there. He used to be put to bed first, then Monkey, then Mommy could get a few stolen moments of TV, a magazine or blogging. No mas. I am now putting Monkey to bed first, and Buddha next. He at least sleeps through the night, but the morning wake-ups are a wild card...sometimes 6 am, sometimes 7 am, or 7:30. Once in a while it  is earlier. Gone are the days when I could just go get him out of his crib when I was back from my morning run, as he would happily play in there until I picked him up.

I am bringing the good times back, yo.

Two nights ago, my beloved youngest, who I refer to affectionately as Buddha or "The Bude", woke up around 12:45, in his bed. It may have been a nightmare of some sort that woke him, I'm not sure. But I heard him cry out a bit and went to check on him. Back in the crib days, I would have left him and kept an ear out for him in the event it went on for a while but now that he's in the bed I don't want him wandering around outside his room and waking up Monkey. So I lie down with him, rub his back, attempt to soothe him and he still seems mellow and half asleep. But over time, the excitement of having Mom there must have gotten to him and he seemed to wake up more and wanted to play. Then he wanted milk. So I got the milk, and resorted to putting Pinnochio on for him. He started to get really hyper for some unknown reason and started running circles around his room.

"Buddha, lay down. Bed time."

He'd humor me for a second, then the running would start up again. I was just thinking how I was tired, but still had time to get enough sleep before getting up for work. I was also thinking all this was worth it:

"Good night, Buddha, I love you," when I had him down for a brief moment.

"Good night, Mommy. I love you too."

My heart had just started to melt when he was off and running again. I asked him to please get back in bed a couple more times, which he did not, and then it happened.

SMACK.

Oh God, I could not believe it, he tripped on his nightstand and went face-first into the side of his bed. Not the mattress, but the furniture part. Wood, with an edge. Ugh. Immediately he started to cry very loudly and I picked him up, and I could see in the darkness,  lit only by night-light, blood. BLOOD.

I scooped him up in my arms, ran down the hall and woke up my husband, shouting.

"Buddha has a bloody nose."

Turns out, once the lights are on, his nose is not bleeding but his lip was split open. My husband held a wash cloth onto it, I did a quick change out of my pj's, brushed my teeth, put a coat on The Bude and took him to the ER. I was remarkably calm, I think because he stopped crying fairly quickly. I popped a DVD in for the drive, and we were good. To make a long story less long, there was no wait at the ER, they gave him 3 stitches which he took like a champ and we headed back home where he crawled into my bed with us and we slept for a long, long time.

Buddha recuperating on his bed, watching a movie with his Pillow Pet

That night, it was back to the crib. And he will continue to sleep in his crib for a while. I just don't think any of us are ready for him to be in a bed. Not that him sleeping in a bed caused his injury per se, its just that he's not mature enough to be expected to stay in his bed at 28 months. If he did on his own, great, but he doesn't want to and I think he is not mature/old enough to understand. And really, I don't have the patience yet to deal with this. If he was older and could comprehend it, I would try to work with him. But if he happily goes to his crib and stays there, where is the harm in that? He has never tried to climb out of his crib. He still fits just fine. It really is his "happy place." Maybe we will give it a go in another 5-6 months. And I am not judging myself, or feeling like a failure. I just feel terrible that my little guy hurt his face really badly and just want to go back to a place of calm for a while. And for the second night of putting him down at bed time and walking out, it's all good.

8 comments:

  1. Awww, poor little guy! But, like you said, he's taking it like a champ. :>

    My kidlets went from crib to bed "late" (you know, "late" as in when "they" say to move to a bed! ;>), but you know what? I think there's something to waiting until they are older as we had zero transition troubles (at night....naptime was sometimes another adventure altogether! :>). I don't think I did anything magical, nor do I think it's my kidlets, I just think they were more physically & emotionally mature because we waited longer. I'd love to say that it was planned, but it wasn't...just sort of worked out that way. Bottom line is, I think you do what's right for *your* kidlets and it sounds like that's exactly where you're at! :>

    Hope your little Buddha heals well! :>:>

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  2. I am so jealous that he soothes himself to sleep in the crib! Im glad you can have Mommy Decompression Time again :-)

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  3. I kept mine in a crib as long as I could. Who wants to rush them being able to run around?

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  4. That makes me want a burrito! Great post!

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  5. awww, poor, cute little fella! My guy is almost 3 and STILL in the crib! My first child went to a bed at 18 months (her sister was on the way and I didn't want her to think the baby took her crib) and she did fine. I don't remember when my 2nd started in a bed, but my 3rd (and last I might add)...I know he will not stay in the bed (he has a toddler bed in his room that he calls his "couch"), so I'm just keeping him in the crib for now. But he is getting a little old for it! Thanks for visiting, now following!

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  6. Do what you need to do to get sleep- as long as he's happy in there, no need to move him. I know kids that have been in their cribs past 3 years old.....Enjoy your mornings and evenings and I hope Budda's lip is better soon....

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  7. Buddha being back in the crib is going SO well! I can't say enough how it is the best thing for us. I'm just sorry this had to happen to make us realize that!

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  8. Thanks so much for stopping by and following my blog. I am so sorry your little got hurt. He sounds similar to my 2 yr. old, all boy through and through. I give you props for even getting him to sleep on his own in a crib. My son hasn't slept one moment in his crib or big boy bed. We were silly and co-slept, and now he's going to be in our bed till college. Or at least that's how it feels. Hope he's feeling better now. I'm following you now too, and can't wait to read more posts. :)

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