Sleeping Arrangements

Just because it's sleep it doesn't have to be dull . . .

One reason we finally decided to change Brooklynn's bed from a crib to a day bed (and no, we don't let her sleep naked, she took off her diaper and threw it in the diaper pail, climbed out of her crib and then started clapping because she was so proud of herself!)

She started climbing out all the time and getting in all kinds of mischief. Here she is COMPLETELY covered in Vicks Vapor Rub (she had also smeared it over every conceivable surface in her room. The whole house reeked for days.)

Her last night in her crib.

She didn't take to the daybed arrangement immediately either. (Yes, that is lotion she smeared all over the floor and I know, we're all asking ourselves why I leave these things within reach.)

Remy seemed to like the new arrangement more than Brooklynn. This is what we found one day when we went up for a nap

As I was getting the camera to take this picture, Brooklynn wandered off. This is what I found when I went to get her:

A few days into the daybed arrangement, we had another complication. Brooklynn had her first nightmare. She said there was a lion in her room "raring" at her. She was very upset and wouldn't even go in her room for a few days without me holding her. She either slept with us or I slept on her floor until we convinced her that Daddy took the lion to the zoo and that Remy and Gunner don't let lions in the house. So much for reading Maurice Sendak

Apparently, stickers are another sleep time fascination.

I'm starting to wonder if we should just pack up the bed all together and call it a day. I found her like this one night when I went to check on her.

Brooklynn has recently learned to open doors so nearly every night around 2:00 am she climbs into bed with us. I don't particularly mind except when she starts demanding Special Milk (Carnation Instant Breakfast) or that I tickle her non-stop.

Even before Brooklynn was trying to sleep with us every night I had my own problems. John and I both enjoy snuggling with the animals and have a hard time kicking them off the bed. At one time, Gunner used to sleep at the foot of the bed. But now he likes to sleep in between us and I end up hugging his backside (good thing I'm skinny and that he hasn't been farting lately).

This particular night, I had just taken the above picture and went to put the camera away. When I returned, this is what I found:

Nights like this I end up sleeping diagonally or go out on the couch. But even when I retire to the couch, someone usually finds me. Apparently, I'm pretty snugly myself (John took this picture of me and Remy in the wee hours of the morning).


Not to be outdone, here is our sweet little Ian (who thankfully has been sleeping through the night since he was about two months old and wakes up singing and happy every morning). This picture is from a few months ago. He fell asleep while holding his toys on his playmat.

We finally moved Ian from the portacrib in our closet to a crib in his own room (upstairs and across the house). He had a hard time falling asleep for the first couple days--I don't think he was used to all the space. But now he sleeps just fine. I still have a hard time with him being so far away and check on him several times during the night.

His first night in his new digs.

So if you ever can't sleep in the middle of the night (or are in need of some stickers), give us a call. You're sure to find someone awake.