Big Girl Bed - Round 2

We never got Maddi used to sleeping in her big girl bed during our first attempt around Christmas.  

Here we are 7 months later on day 4...

I decided it was time! Sydney sleeps so well through the night and I think she'd do just as well in the crib, which just so happens to be where the toddler bed is since the girls will be sharing a room.

I knew Maddi would fight me. She LOVES her crib. She cries for it!

The first 3 nights actually went a lot smoother than anticipated. It takes Madison quite a while to fall asleep so I purposely had her skip naps so that by bedtime she was actually ready for sleep.  

Night One: Bed at 8, cried for her crib and wanted me to sit there until she fell asleep. I was out by 8:30pm which is pretty much a record. She slept through the night and woke up crying the next morning at 8am.  Since she did so well I took her out to lunch and Toys R Us to let her pick out a new toy. When we got home I told her I'd open her reward and let her take it with her to her big girl bed for a nap.  She was all for it! She crawled right into bed and waited patiently for me to open her new Dora the Explorer cellphone. =] Well she didn't nap. She also never left her bed. Apparently she and Dora had quite a bit to discuss.

Night Two: Since she didn't nap it was bed at 8pm again.  A new world record. She was asleep and I was out of there by 8:20pm. She woke up, again crying, the next morning at 7:30am. No complaints here, I was up feeding Sydney anyway. So far so good, right?

Night Three: We ran her ragged that day with errands and shopping so no nap and bed at 8pm. Another 20 minute session of me reading to her, rubbing her back and explaining that her bed is beautiful all the while she's crying and pointing to her crib.  Did I forget to mention that was routine for the previous two nights?! The following morning didn't go as smooth. She was up at 5:30am!! She woke up crying for me again and ran straight to our room. We put her in bed with us and she DID NOT go back to sleep! She laid there and talked and stared and tried to get her sister's attention.  At 8am Chris got up and she followed. Shortly after she decided she wanted to "nap" with Mommy so she came back to bed.  She actually ended up falling asleep at 9am and slept until 10:30am.   

Night Four, tonight: After trying to get her to sleep in her bed at naptime and not being very successful we still tried to get her in bed at 8pm.  She fought me a little harder tonight and I think I was a little less patient. She fell asleep, I made my way out and she was awake, crying and making her way to the living room about an hour later. Back in I go... She held my hand and I rubbed her back until she fell asleep. Now she's sleeping peacefully and hopefully she won't be up earlier than this morning since that seems to be the pattern so far.

Wish us continued luck. Sorry this was so long.