They do it on purpose!...

[AnKsMommy]

Why on earth do my children gang up on me and not sleep on nights that my husband has to work? It's driving me crazy!

I can't get either to sleep, and tomorrow is my last day of work to top it off.

I'm feeling horrible because dh and I were fighting about how I nag too much and I'm pretty much bitchy...I don't clean enough...blah blah all of that. So I'm trying to clean, get babies to sleep, get ready for my last night of work and I just want to cry!

Is this what I get to look forward too for the rest of my days as a stay at home mom?

 

[HappyMomma]

Awww! Rough day, huh?

What does your bedtime routine look like?

What is different about the days that the routine is most effective?

Give yourself a little bit of time to adjust to the new life changes and you will soon get organized and have a daily routine that works for you. Just remember to try to schedule at least a little bit of "catch my breath" time if possible.

 

[AnKsMommy]

Bedtime routine is always the same.

We'll have dinner, bath and pjs, some quiet time which can be playing or tv, but nothing to excite the girls too much, brushing teeth, bedtime stories, and then lights out.

Thats how it goes for Alenya, but today she kept coming out of her room trying to play dress up.

Kaitlyn will fall asleep before or during a bottle, stay asleep for about an hour or two and then wake up to eat and will normally fall back asleep...but not tonight.

I'm tempted just to let them CIO! It's been too rough a day and right now a 5 am wake up isn't sounding too great. I wish I could call dh and tell him how hard it's going...but I'm afaird that he'll just say I'm nagging/bitching again.

 

[HappyMomma]

I was a CIO momma. It worked for us. (but not gonna start that debate up. LOL)

Sounds like it's just one of those days.

{{HUGS}}

 

[AnKsMommy]

I did CIO with my oldest as a baby...and it worked...I am trying to do things different now that I feel I'm older and know more...but it's hard because CIO worked! After ten minutes Alenya was out for the night. I think I'm going to lower Kaitlyn's crib tomorrow and then let her lay there for five minutes and see how it goes...she's never cried for more than ten minutes in her ten months life haha...very spoiled. Alenya is now too..she gets away with a lot more.

It is one of those days/nights! I'm glad that I have a few more days of daycare while I'm not working...I'm going to need those days to recharge before I go at this FULL TIME.

 

[AnKsMommy]

FINALLY! I got baby down! Now I have to work on the toddler.

 

[WhoCares]

Why don't you just explain them (at least the older one) what are you doing and why are you doing it and ask them to help you by (if not sleeping) being quiet? Worked for me and my 3 kids.

EDIT: If they are sooo young and you can't explain it to them, just lock your room (or their room) while you are working. If they are not sleepy, have they been sleeping all day??? It's better to take them for long walks outside to get the toddler tired. The baby won't understand alot, so just wait until she is asleep. The toddler is the one who has to get tired.

 

[evilbrent]

Work schmirk. I work and I get out of bed at 3am still.

Just because you have a day-job doesn't mean you stop being a parent at night-time. You tell him that a guy on the forums said that telling women about how much work they do or do not do is highly ungrateful, that real men take responsibility for looking after their wives and sharing the burden of parenthood as evenly as possible.

I repeat: I work and I still get out of bed at 3am.

 

[evilbrent]

Oh, and btw, there's a difference between CIO and learning to self-settle. Paradoxically, the more secure kids feel the less likely they are to scream when they wake up in the night - so, somehow, the more you're able to go to them and comfort them the more they're able to feel less panic at being alone.

That - and earplugs.

 

[MummyatHome]

Oh I hear you! I hav to "parent to sleep" my little one. But I think he just likes company in the night. He is very clingy - velcro baby! - during the day. I put them in the same room and this seems to help.

But back to your day/night - sorry to go OT - I know how you feel. It is always the way! Perhaps they instinctively know that you are the only one there and might cave without the backup of DH? (not saying you would, but they are little devils in their thinking!)