Just when I think I've got this parenting thing down, things change! So I've got some questions for you seasoned moms. I've been blogging these in my head all week, but as I'm typing I can only remember 2. Maybe they will come back to me as I go!
1. My son (16 months) has woken up in the middle of the night every night this week, ending up in our bed. He is getting over a nasty cold, so we've been pretty lenient. Are we doing the right thing? Or have we created a bad habit?
2. When did you let your kids start sleeping in a toddler bed? With the new baby coming in July, we are going to have to get Cayson a bed soon...well not too soon. The baby will sleep in our room for a while. We had thought about getting him bunk beds and let him sleep on the bottom. That way when family visits someone could sleep on the top. Or would it be better to just get a small toddler bed first?
3. Cayson is starting to show a few signs of toilet training readiness. He gets a diaper out of his bag and brings it to us if he needs changed. He also can say "tee tee" and "stinky", just not at the appropriate times yet. My question is: should I begin the process of toilet training any time soon...or should I wait a while after the baby is born? It would be great if he was out of diapers by then, but I don't want him to regress after the baby gets here. He will be 23 months when the baby comes.
Well, that's all I can think of. Here are a few updates:
Cayson is talking up a storm! He has a vocabulary of about 25 to 30 words. He started at Christmas and hasn't stopped since! My favorites are "stinky", "trash", "please" (sounds like pease), "sweet tea", and "love you". I'm not sure how he learned trash...I guess just from observing us. He was eating a package of fruit gummies and when the bag was empty I said "All gone, trash." He then takes the bag and runs off to his room. Then a moment later he came bag empty handed. He looked like he wanted me to come to his room and I was curious as to where the bag ended up. Once in his room, he points to the trash and says "trash" and the bag is in there! I was a very proud mama!
As for me, I haven't been feeling well at all for about a week now. I thought that I was getting out of the morning sickness phase; I hadn't felt bad since before Christmas. But I have had some upset stomach problems this week. Plus, I haven't gotten a good night's sleep yet this week. With Cayson ending up in our bed, he kicks and flips and flops and makes my stomach queasier. And 1 night he woke up at 1:30 ready to get up. We couldn't get him back to sleep until 5. I broke down Thursday morning and cried because Cayson wouldn't eat his banana, which is his favorite food and had asked for it. I'm starting to feel a little better, though. This is my last week in the first trimester so hopefully the sickness ends soon.
Shaun is doing well, putting up with me and Cayson. He's had a rough week between the 2 of us! Plus, we're getting ready to start Discipleship University at our church and he has to design all of the graphics and stuff for that. With his computer messed up. It all has to be done by Sunday, because everyone is signing up then. He's done a terrific job, though!
Well I guess that's it. I'll be looking forward to some answers to my questions, moms!
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a better wife, mother, and follower of Christ.
About Me
- Brittany
- I am married to the best husband ever...Shaun! He is so good to me! We have two sons, Cayson, who is 5 and Bryce, who is 3. We also have a baby girl named Natalie. God has blessed me in so many ways!
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2 comments:
Both my kids were in toddler beds at 13-14 months. The first one was in there so early because I didn't want her to feel like "the baby" took her bed when she was born; I wanted her to have been out of the crib for a while. Kid number two was in there early because she learned to climb out of her crib, and I didn't want to worry about falls. I got a "short" height one that they both began in, close to the floor. After no falls from that one, we quickly progressed into "big" beds. No problems. I am anti co-sleeping. I would not bring Cayson into the bed with you if I were you, but that is just me. I think it teaches him, if I cry long enough, my mom will take me in there. I honestly cannot sleep well with a kid in my bed, and I value my pillow talk time with my husband as well. My kids are light sleepers, and this would never work. My kids have always slept alone, and are very secure. If one is sick, I sleep with them, in THEIR bed, but obviously, this is rare. My kids were preemies and on heart monitors and our NICU doctor's were adamant that we not co-sleep because their apnea and heart monitors could pick up OUR heartbeats because we were in close vicinity to them. They had those till 6 months, which is when I moved their crib from my room, into their own. As far as potty training, it was super easy for me, but I cannot take credit for that. They were just "ready" and I honestly believe that due to that, we didn't have to deal with accidents. I didn't push at all. Jordan was a little over two, and Karsyn was 23 months. I started out asking them to "try" to go before baths, and after naps. They slowly got the idea, and within a week, I got rid of diapers, and we were done. I never bought pull ups, and don't believe in them, except for bedwetters. But, you know "they" say boys take longer, so I don't know if Cayson is ready yet. I would just start out asking him here and there, but with no pressure or discipline about it, and see how he does.
at the early potty readiness signs i just start talking about it. "oh, are you poopying(in their diaper)? good job!" and introduce the concept to them. i think the key is to not get a timetable in your head. just a "you're doing great! do you wanna try this? no, okay." the diaper overlap won't be that long. and i always wanted to keep my older in them a bit longer because it is actually easier to change 2 diapers at once when the new one comes than to try to get a toddler who HAS to go NOW to the potty while you're dealing/nursing a newborn. also, they usually do regress some when the new one comes. that's not a bad thing. you haven't scarred him. it's just that he has a lot to process and anything that takes so much thought (like potty-training) goes to the background. if he makes great progress and then regresses anyway - don't stress out - he'll go right back to it when things settle.
the bed sleeping - it sounds like you're handling it just right. we always get a little lenient when they're sick and then retrain when they're well.
the toddler bed - i've heard a million different people say a million different things. we always left the older one in their crib (just the way they were used to) until well after the new one comes. they know that life is changing while you're pregnant. and they may connect the two even if you try to sell it as otherwise. so, we just put the pack-n-play next to our bed and use that for a good while. then after the baby's been here for a while (at least a couple of months) then we make a big to-do about getting a new "big boy" bed. we never did the toddler bed - they outgrow it so quickly, but you'll always have it for the next one coming up! it's just what we do - there's no right or wrong. try it and drop it is my motto!
and hey - i tried to call you, but the number i have is an old one. will you email me with your new one. i'd love to chat!
suzannerparker at gmail dot com
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