I don't know when exactly it hit me like a ton of bricks, (thrown straight at my head), but what's important here is that I now have a clue!
This charming, adorable, spunky boy:
...has been waking me up in the middle of the night frequently to go to the bathroom (why he can go during the day ALL BY HIMSELF but NOT at night is yet another topic!). Yes, I really am thrilled to pieces that he is excited about being potty trained, (he's a rock star in this department, I should throw in), however, I just feel that my overwhelming sense of gratefulness and pride is lacking a wee bit at 2:45 am. To put it short: It's. Getting. Old.
(Yes, we are the crazy parents that skip the Pull Ups for potty training, and yes, even for sleeping, so when he needs to go, it's a HUGE puddle and lots of laundry if you attempt to push the "snooze button" when he's sounding the alarm!)
I also feel the need to add that another delightful aspect of this age is the testing of all expectations of staying in his new big boy bed during nap time. So, as I limp through each day on little sleep, pieced together in between potty parties in the middle of the night, I also am also now "on" during my one small break I used to have in the middle of the day from this precious toddler.
I now go into broken record mode : "No, you don't need to go AGAIN, you've already "gone" 5 times in the last 10 minutes...go back to your bed for a nap." This, followed by a complete meltdown masterpiece (yes, it's truly perfected now!), (him, not me -- ha! Ok, sometimes it's mutual!) due to his need for the downtime he so clearly "doesn't need".
In the case that he DOES actually stay in his bed long enough, (in between potty breaks that could easily rival a pregnant woman,) to actually reach REM -- THAT is when we now have a amazingly delightful toddler for the rest of the afternoon and evening (when we are reminded just how precious he really is!)...that is until bedtime.
Now, let's visit what bedtime looks like. Wow. So, I've now pushed through the day on little sleep from the night before, a lively afternoon of redirection back (wearing down that strip of the carpet on the way back) to the fabulous big boy bed from the bathroom (times 100). And, let's say he did actually sleep for a bit for a nap (then I am actually praising Jesus that I have a couple of moments to spend one on one with P and also get a few things done before I run up the street to get T and the little boy I watch after school). There in lies the problem. He's had some sleep.
Can someone please explain to me the whole equation of 1 hour of sleep for a nap equals 4 hours less sleep needed at night?! Yes!! It sounds funny it IS true!!!
So, the hour break that I got during the day to begin to restore a teeny tiny bit of energy back on my iceberg of deprivation is now being burned rapidly with a blowtorch as I then convince him until 11 pm that yes, he really does love his toddler bed, no there really isn't ANY drop left in his bladder after going 8 times since 8 pm, and he REALLY IS TIRED!!!
Ahh, it's 11pm and he's finally asleep. I finally crawl into bed! To be woken up at 2:45 am. For yet another potty party!
As a result, yesterday I opted to cut out nap time. And you know what? He WANTED to go to bed at 8!! AND, I slept through the night last night (as did he -- for 12 whole hours!!!)!!!
Why had I NOT done this sooner, and how I could have forgotten this whole cycle at 3 with my other 2 boys?!
:) Now, to fill the whole 12 hours of daytime and keep this Little Monkey awake!
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