Work in Progress

Big Girl room work in progress.

Eloise has not yet figured out how to get out of her big girl bed, and thank goodness. She can climb in by herself and happily plays in her bed throughout the day, but when she wants out she calls for me. I plan to keep it this way for as long as possible.

First time in our trying bedtime experience over the last year I am actually the one who manages to get Eloise to sleep in under an hour. I've got naptime down to a 15 minute process and if I do bedtime it takes me around 30. Unfortunately, the only way to get her to sleep is to lie down in bed with her. I know, slippery slope. But here's the thing, if lying down with Eloise gets her to sleep quickly and without any tears, then what is the harm? I figure in about 12 years she's going to want nothing to do with me so I'll take all the snuggles I can get.

The biggest issue we've had with Eloise's transition to her big girl bed is that she's started waking up in the middle of the night again. We've tried to just leave her cry but when she calls for us over and over saying "scared" (or starts doing the dreaded cry-cough) we can't just leave her. Chris and I have alternated between sleeping in her bed but last night I remembered to turn on the nightlight and she slept for a solid 11 hours. Why did it take me so long to figure this out?

Her new room is still very much thrown together. We haven't picked out her linens or hung things properly on the walls and come spring her bed will be getting a very lovely coat of pink paint. Still, she loves her very own Big Bed and although getting her to sleep is still a work in progress (but isn't it always?), this transition was the right choice.