We’ve made two major transitions over the past 2 months; Potty Training and Toddler Beds. I thought I’d fill you in on how they’re going and how the quads are adjusting.
We went with the 3 day method on potty training and had great results. Here we are 2 months out and they are still doing great! They regressed a little the first few days we went to toddler beds but quickly picked back up what they had learned. We’re still doing diapers at night and pull ups during “nap time” (and I use that term loosely. ugh.) but strictly big girl panties and big boy undies during the waking hours and all outings. I actually can’t remember the last pee accident anyone has had (it’s been a few weeks-knock on wood). They still prefer to poop in their diaper at night/nap and have only gone on the potty a few times each. We’ll tackle night training soon enough, for now, I know they’re not ready. I will say, unlike most moms say, my BOYS have been easier overall than my girls throughout the whole process. We still don’t dare leave the house without a potty or two and make frequent breaks when out and about but it’s working! I no longer fear them not being able to hold it until we reach our destination, they’ve just continued to amaze me!
Toddler Beds. Toddler beds have by far been the hardest transition yet since bringing these 4 crazies home. We made the switch just days before Christmas and Ay Yi Yi! My other mom friends have always been super jealous of me and my “perfect little sleepers”. I’ve grown used to babies sleeping a good 12-15 hours at night, every night, and the thought of my kids waking up by 7am on a daily basis is unfathomable. I hear parents talk about their littles being up at 6am ready to start their day and think I could never do it…everrr. If there’s one thing that’s gotten me through this journey of having quadruplets, it’s SLEEP. I’m lucky, I understand. Well, breathe a sigh of relief other moms, and silently laugh to yourself as I tell you my perfect little sleepers are disappearing before my eyes. Our 6:30pm bedtime has been more like 7:30 now days and our 9am wakings have been moved to 8am. We’re still not set on a specific schedule and may never be again. As a mom of preemies, and multiple preemies at that, our world has always revolved around a set schedule and it’s hard for me to let go and go with the flow as they get older.
Of course as they get older they need less sleep, that’s a given. I was just hoping a little older like the day before kindergarten ;) The toddler beds have given them a new found freedom that they enjoy far too much to sleep. I don’t mind the “stay up and play a while” or “play until you crash” ideas but DUDE, mine don’t crash. It takes (especially the boys) hours. Talking turns into laughing, laughing turns into rough housing, rough housing turns into crying and before you know it it’s 11pm and I’ve got 2 year olds with more energy than I’ve had in the past 5 years combined. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve turned the boys beds back around, against the wall, so they’re basically in a crib again. After a few days we turned them back and the chaos continues. I cannot get them to stay in their beds for anything and I don’t have enough spare rooms to separate them (yet..heehee) which I think could do the trick.
Some people have mentioned that it may be time for them to give up naps altogether. I tried it and it was no bueno. I don’t mind if they stay in their rooms and jack around the entire time, not napping at all, IF their attitudes were fine the rest of the day. When I tried that method with the boys, pulling them out of their room after a few hours with no sleep, they went DOWN HILL by5pm. They were a mess and clearly couldn’t take an entire day with no down time. When they did hit their beds that night, they were out cold in a matter of minutes.
One of the sweet moments…
One of the not so sweet moments… had a little talk with Korbin about “fairness” this particular night…
I assume they tried to barricade me out of their room on this night by placing every object they could get to in front of their bedroom door. I went to check on them and their silence and could barely push my way through!
The good part to all of this nap/night time chaos is that they are bonding. I mentioned that Korbin and Baxlyn are super close and this new craziness is bring the boys a little closer together as well as the girls. For now it’s a transition we’ll continue to work on.
I guess they can’t all go so smoothly, ehh?!
Johnathan was my easiest with potty training too, took me completely by surprise! He's now wearing undies to bed at night and hasn't had 1 accident, knock on wood! He did it on his own, started staying dry at night and kept with it, so proud of him!! Mine also did their pooping in their pull-ups at naps or diapers at night for awhile, this too just all of a sudden stopped one day, I really didn't push it. Now if I can just get Annabel trained...
ReplyDeleteJamie