Changes

Something's missing, don't you think?  Mr. Bear, blankie, his pillow.

A relocation has occurred.  This is the daybed in John's room.  For about a week or so now, he's been sleeping in this bed.  When asked if he wants to move back to his bed, the answer is a firm no.  It started when he couldn't sleep one night.  Anything to get him to settle down and sleep is OK with me.  The floor has been used before.  But this seems more permanent.  Now I'm thinking about if it's time to convert his bed to a full size or just to continue to leave him in this twin. 

You'll notice the rumple in the comforter.  That's actually a bumper pillow from his baby bed stuffed up under the comforter.  it serves the purpose of keeping him from falling out of the bed.  And the big dark brown bear has only recently become an important part of his sleep routine.  He often sleeps with his arm tossed over it's neck.  The drawback to the big bear aside from the space he takes up is that he makes John sweat worse than he already does when he sleeps.

We are struggling with naps and going to bed at a decent hour.  Half the days he doesn't want to and won't take a nap during quiet time, which lately has started about 3pm.  The only constant when he doesn't nap is the question, "Is my quiet time over yet?"  On those days he's mostly bearable through dinner and into bath time.  Bath can get a bit dramatic if he's too tired.  By the time he hits the bed, he's ready sleep won't be too far from coming.  The other half of the days, he naps and the evening is pleasant until we leave him in his bed.  And he won't sleep, sometimes for an hour or more.  He's getting up to potty or ask what we are doing tomorrow.  Lately, I've taken to telling him if he comes out again, I'd spank him.  Unfortunately, he forgets that after some time and I have to spank him.  That's usually the end of things, for that night anyway.  We need to change something, but I'm just not sure what.  Maybe move QT earlier?

The other thing we are struggling with is JHP's attitude.  As this week leading up to school starting has progressed, John's gotten more and more difficult.  Lots of means words, yelling, trying to be in charge, being disrespectful and generally an adversarial attitude.  I've done lots of counseling about being nice to people so they'll be nice to you.  Sometimes that works and other times not so much.  Daddy and John have had their share of run-ins.  It's not been fun, although it's not been as bad as some of the other phases we've been through.  I'm hoping that with the start of school and a new routine things will line themselves out.  Hopefully being around other kids and not around Momma all day will help make us all appreciate each other a bit more.  And I really hope that the attitude disappears and doesn't sneak out at school.  Otherwise I'll guess I'll be in for a ear full at the end of each day.

-EBP-