sleep | The Zimmer Zoo

Way Back When-esday

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Nancy

Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Go on over to see who else is playing – and join in too!

When Burke and Maggie were still under 2, I was kind of a schedule freak. (It was the only way to keep my sanity!) When one slept, the other one did too. When one woke up, the other one had to as well. When one ate, the other one did too. You get the idea.

We were up in Vermont (for Thanksgiving? Christmas? The Twin’s first birthday? I can’t remember which now…) when the kids were between 10 months to a year old. It wasn’t nap time yet, and I’m fairly certain that Maggie wasn’t the least bit tired…but Burke was slowly nodding off. I was in the other room doing something and yelled in to Mike to not let Burke fall to sleep.

He did the best he could…

"Keep him awake, huh?"

(I suppose this should have prepared me for when Logan didn’t wake up when he fell out of the rocking chair…but it didn’t!)

Filed under: Burke, sleep, WBW | Tagged: can't keep him awake, sleeping toddler | 3 Comments »

Good Night Routines

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Nancy

Our typical bed time routine is Burke and Maggie go into their room with Daddy for a good night story (usually a made up story that involves Lightnin’ McQueen, Cinderella, a castle, someone needing help and Maggie, Burke, and Logan saving the day. Throw in a wizard, tunnels through the mountains that get you anywhere you want to go just by walking for 5 minutes, a flying – and talking – bathtub, and various other things I can’t even begin to keep track of and you’ve got quite the story each night. Perhaps I’ll have him start to write some down…)

While that’s going on, I’m in Logan’s room with him trying to decide if he wants the Good Night Song, Twinkle Twinkle, or – most recently – the “Bear song.” (Ya…funny story. While Ms. Speech was here one day, she was asking about how his speech group was going and asking if he sang this song or that song…he answered “yes” to all of the ones she asked. She looked at me as if to say, “Is he just going to say ‘yes’ to everything?” so I asked, “Logan, did you sing the Bear song?” just to see what he’d say. He looked at me and said “no….” but then asked for the Bear song that night for a bed time song. Luckily, I could remember some words to The Teddy Bear Picnic, and that seemed to suffice.)

Then Logan tries to figure out if he wants to sleep in his bed or on the floor. (He hasn’t requested the rocking chair much since that one time I found him up-side-down.) More and more he heads for his bed. WOOT!

Then I go in to Burke and Maggie’s room to sing the Good Night Song and recently, Burke’s been requesting that I stay to sing the Lullaby song as well. Leave it to Mike to make up words to Brahms’ Lullaby (Lullaby and Good Night):

Lullaby and Good Night,
Go to sleep Burke and Maggie.
Mommy loves you,
Daddy loves you,
And Logan do-es too.

You’re honest and kind,
And you work very hard.
You’re handsome and pretty,
And both brave and smart.

(And then Burke added: And pretty cute.)

On my way out the door I hear “Good night! I love you! See you in the morning! Sleep well! I’ll love you forever!”

Filed under: kids, Mike, sleep | Tagged: bed time routines, bed time stories, good night, rituals | 3 Comments »

Friday’s Fotos and Kiddo Conversations

Posted on April 9, 2010 by Nancy

The things kids say can really crack you up. And sometimes, they come up with their own special word that actually fits perfectly.

Burke

Apparently Burke has a “sneak-ret” hiding place for things. I need to try to get him to say that on video…it’s so cute!

Maggie

When we were in Vermont, Maggie had a very deep conversation with Grandpa. I wasn’t there, but I hear that the gist of it is she asked about his mom and where she was (Heaven). Normally when we talk about Heaven with her (that’s where Mike’s mom is as well), she gets very teary and starts worrying about HER mom. While talking with Grandpa, she just wanted the facts: Do you miss her? Do you still talk with her? Stuff like that. At some point the conversation turned to “There are no cell phones in Heaven.” LOL!

Logan

I was talking with Logan about playing at the park. I knew he’d run into one of our neighbors and I was asking how that went. He was all excited and told me he was playing with Audrey going around and around. So I asked if he was chasing Audrey or if Audrey was chasing him. He started talking, stopped suddenly, and then said, “I sayin’ it wrong!” (I still don’t know who was doing the chasing LOL!)

Last night, Logan wanted to sleep in the rocking chair (the night before it was the floor…), so I said sure since that’s where Burke and Maggie spent the first few many months of sleeping when we switched to big kid beds for them. Mike and I were watching TV downstairs when we heard “THUMP!” and then nothing. Logan had “switched” to the floor from the rocking chair a few nights ago as well, so I wasn’t too worried. When I went in to check on him, this is what I found.

I can't believe he's still asleep!

How did he not wake up??

Crazy kid. 🙂

Filed under: deep thoughts, kids, sleep | Tagged: deep conversations, kid conversations, sleeping up-side-down, sneakrets | 4 Comments »

Baby Picture Sundays

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Nancy

Debi hosts the Baby Picture Sundays. Hop on over there to see who’s playing, and join in too!

This week’s theme is Babies Can Sleep Anywhere.

Twins: 2 months old

Filed under: BPS, sleep | Tagged: sleeping babies | 3 Comments »

How To Keep a 4 Year Old In Bed

Posted on December 29, 2008 by Nancy

New sheets! (and comforter)

Princess Bedding

Last night marked the VERY first night that I didn’t have to move Burke into bed from the floor, or rocking chair, or some other spot he’d decided was a good place to sleep.

Cars Bedding

(old blanket on top of new bedding)

Filed under: sleep, twins | Tagged: new bedding, sleep | 3 Comments »

Baby Picture Sundays – Peaceful

Posted on December 14, 2008 by Nancy

Debi hosts the Baby Picture Sundays. Hop on over there to see who’s playing, and join in too!

This may not be what Debi had in mind … but these are what make me think “peaceful” when I see them. *grin*

Sleeping Burke

Sleeping Maggie

Sleeping Logan

Filed under: BPS, sleep | Tagged: peaceful | 5 Comments »

When Daddy’s Away

Posted on December 13, 2008 by Nancy

Mike doesn’t leave us that often, but there are a few conferences he goes to throughout the year, and there are nights when he teaches so he’s not home for the kids’ bed time.

Our usual bed time routine is that Mike gets the twins ready for bed while I put Logan down. Once Logan is set for the night, I go in to kiss the twins good night and then Mike stays with them for a little bit while they settle down.

Obviously, this routine changes when Mike’s not here. A typical Daddy-night-out bed time routine means that the twins get a TV show while I go up and put Logan down.

Once Logan is set, I bring their PJs down and we get ready downstairs instead of in the bathroom that’s next to Logan’s room. We brush our teeth with the the downstairs toothbrushes and then (ha ha) quietly go up to their room.

As with Daddy’s usual routine, one kid gets the coveted rocking chair and the other gets the blanket on the floor. (I’m still not sure why these spots are more appealing than their beds.) We then break into song.

Good night, good night, good night <person>
Good night, good night, good night <person>
Good night, good night, good night <person>
Good night, good night

Or if it’s a longer name (like Aunt someone), it’s:

Good night, good night <longer person>
Good night, good night <longer person>
Good night, good night <longer person>
Good night, good night

You get the idea.

After we get through the immediate family, I ask the kids who comes next. Here’s our list, in no particular order except that Burke and Maggie are always first and then last together.

Burke
Maggie
Logan
Mommy
Daddy
Grandpa
Nana
Pop Pop
Mop Mop
Granny Frani
Aunt Meghan
Aunt Sharon
Aunt Cathy
Uncle Jason
Cousin Grey
Uncle Jim
Aunt Lynn
Aunt Kahki
Cousin Jainee
Cousin Joshy
Burke and Maggie

Occasionally my dad’s dog, Qunicy, gets thrown in. And Brenda shows up as well. And random friends from school (I won’t name names – but *sigh* Burke usually requests girls…and boys for Maggie…really? already? 😉 )

Lately, the kids have wanted to sing the song with both mommy and daddy. That’s cool with me 🙂

Do you have different bed time routines depending on who is around to help?

Filed under: kids, sleep | Tagged: bed time routines, plan B | 5 Comments »

Help! I’m Standing and I Can’t Fall Down!

Posted on July 8, 2008 by Nancy

Yup – Logan’s at that stage. I was putting him to bed and did the typical leave-the-room-because-he’s-not-settling-down-while-I’m-there thing. He, of course, *loves* this (roll eyes here). I usually go back in after he’s cried a bit and worn himself out. Well tonight I went in and he’d pulled himself up and couldn’t figure out how to let go to sit back down. Ah the joy of stages 🙂 At least he’d gotten too tired to try it again (tonight)… 🙂

Filed under: Logan, sleep | Tagged: stages | Leave a comment »

Sleeping Babies

Posted on June 29, 2008 by Nancy

Oooh! How fun! Who Says 8 is Enough just asked for sleeping baby pictures. I’m game!

Here are Burke and Maggie while they were still in the hospital (2005) – obviously after they got out of the incubators. This is the picture we used for their announcement cards.

And here’s Logan (2007). This is the picture we used for his announcement card.

Filed under: BPS, kids, sleep | 6 Comments »

Monster Spray

Posted on June 23, 2008 by Nancy

A very clever mom taught me about Monster Spray. (She’s also a good friend, a former co-worker, and an essential oil guru – don’t worry, Paula, I won’t mention any names 😉 ) She said that kids like to be in control – especially when they don’t feel like they have it – and one major time is when there are “monsters” around at night. Her solution? Monster spray! Let your child spray it herself and life will be good. (I’ll give Paula a little plug here…she wrote a book on essential oils: Seasons of Aromatherapy. Well. she’s written a few, but I know the monster spray is in this one.) Okay – back to my point. At one time, I made the monster spray from her book (before I had kids LOL), but we’re just using Febreeze now (Sorry Paula!)

It all started one night a few months ago when Maggie woke up crying and talking about how she was scared of the Cookie Monster. (Yes. The *cookie monster* – of all things!!) We got some “monster spray” out and that seemed to help a little. We doused one corner especially (I think she saw the laundry hamper and decided IT was the monster.)

We now spray before bed every night – everyone has to have at least one squirt if they’re in the room, including mommy and daddy. Figuring out how to make it so that beds, blankets, Dad, kids, etc. don’t get soaked is for another day…

On the subject of bad dreams, one other thing we do for Maggie is to make a big deal about how we must have put her pillow down on the wrong side… And then make a bigger deal (making sure she’s watching) out of turning it over to the “good dream” side. So far, this seems to help too. (I’ll thank my Mom for that idea – I remember her doing it for me 🙂 )

Any other bad dream breakers out there?

Filed under: behavior, Maggie, sleep | Tagged: bad dreams, essential oil, monster spray | Leave a comment »

The Zimmer Zoo

Affiliates

You are visitor number

Way Back When-esday

Good Night Routines

Friday’s Fotos and Kiddo Conversations

Baby Picture Sundays

How To Keep a 4 Year Old In Bed

Baby Picture Sundays – Peaceful

When Daddy’s Away

Help! I’m Standing and I Can’t Fall Down!

Sleeping Babies

Monster Spray

Recent Posts

Don’t feel like commenting?

Email Subscription

Categories

Archives

Blogs I Don't Have Time to Read But Still Do

2012 Book Reads

I’m All a Twitter