Generally speaking, my kids are good sleepers. They go to bed by 8:00. They get adequate rest. They do not usually get up before 7:00. When it comes to sleep-time habits, I can't really complain. But I'm going to anyway.
Adelie and Staley have bed time down pat. We do our bedtime routine with books, prayers, and a lullabye. We turn out the lights and generally don't hear from them again until morning. Briggs, on the other hand, has been going through a bit of a rough patch when it comes to bed time.
Briggs still usually takes a 2 hour nap every afternoon. I still think he needs that nap time. I still think I need that nap time. But I think his body has determined that, with his daily nap, he just needs less night time sleep. Although Briggs still goes to bed around 8:00, he does not fall asleep right away. When you go to bed at 8:00 and don't fall asleep until 9:30 or after, that gives you lots of time to think about your needs. Like hugs. And kisses. And drinks. And Kleenexes. And chapstick. And going to the bathroom. And fixing the covers. And although his room is set up in such a way that he can reach all the things he might possibly need from his bed, he does not feel compelled to meet these needs on his own. Instead he calls down to us frequently with various needs. And, as I've mentioned before, patience is not his strong suit. Or, with the new found freedom his big boy bed allows, he will creep down the stairs just to tell us something or ask us something. Often he comes downstairs to let us know that his blankets came off. Yes, that is likely to happen when you keep getting out of bed. And although he was previously sleeping through the night, it is now not uncommon for Briggs to wake up at least once in the night needing some quick need met before going back to sleep.
The hour or two between the kids bedtime and ours is usually the only time of day that Zach and I can talk, relax, spend time together, or get a few things accomplished. Having a 3 year old yelling about his foot coming out of the covers and lamenting that it will be a "long, long time" before anyone comes up to remedy the situation takes some of the relaxing out of the equation.
I know that eventually Briggs will be done napping and his night time sleep will improve. I know that soon enough he will be able to meet his own night time needs. I know that this is just a phase that will pass. But right now, it feels like it will be a long, long time...and Briggs and I both don't care to wait that long for anything.
