Bump in the Night

Let's start at the very beginning - Elli.  Right before she turned 2, I was 9 months pregnant so it was time to move her into a big girl bed.  It was a breeze.  Every night when it was bedtime, we would tuck her in and that was that.  Nap time, same deal.  And each time I tucked her in I mentally patted myself on the back, what a good mom am I. 

Chapter 2 (short chapters)- Adeline.  Things went so well the first time, when Addie turned 2, out of no necessity, we thought how great it would be to have the girls share a room.  I remember how much I liked sharing with my sister, oh the memories of snuggling- even if it was one-sided, and jumping on our canopy bed (maybe we shouldn't go there...)  Addie isn't Elli and the next 2 years bedtime was hellacious.  She would get out of bed over and over.  We tried everything, locking the door (which scared Elli so she would fall asleep in our bed which defeated the original purpose of moving Addie to a big bed), 2 different baby gates which worked but it still wasn't ideal having Addie call for us for up to an hour from behind the gate, to watching Super Nanny and following her bedtime routine to a T, but it must be because I didn't have her accent, it didn't work.  We still have some difficult nights with Addie 4 years later, but it is definitely better.

So they say that those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it, and boy do I remember.  Baby Girl #3, aka Amelia, is 2 and a half and still in a crib.  She has a big girl bed waiting for her in Addie's room, but knowing her personality, it can collect dust for all I care.  I still depend on her 2 hour nap time for my sanity, and though she protests, it falls on deaf ears as I lovingly place her in her crib every day.  Until last night.  She wakes up each night about one time yelling "peepeepotty" over and over, she thinks it's one word.  It takes a few moments to register, I crawl out of bed and stumble to her room, take her peepeeputty, go back to bed.  But last night as I was coming to, I heard a loud THUMP.  I jumped up, ran down the hall, and found her curled in a ball on her floor crying, it was my nightmare come to life.  The epilogue of this story has yet to be written but I have tried everything today to keep this from reoccurring soon from fear (you could fall and cut your head and get blood all over your jammies,) discipline (You don't climb out of your crib!), commitment (tell mommy "I will not climb out") to shame (only bad girls climb out of their crib).  Just kidding, I haven't had to resort to shame yet, but I will go there if needs be.

You can tell by her eyes, she's up to no good