29 April 2008

What Do I Do?

I want Deacon to start sleeping in Zeke's room. The crib is already set up in there, his wardrobe is in there, it's what I want. Currently, we put Deacon to bed in the pack and play in our room, then, whenever we go to bed, we do what Josh calls the "prisoner transfer", and we move Deacon from the pack and play in our room to the pack and play set up in the living room. This has been working fine, however, the "prisoner" is getting bigger and heavier, and this is making it harder to transfer him without waking him up a little bit. Granted, he usually falls right back asleep, but he's just so stinkin heavy. Plus, the sun is coming out earlier and earlier, which means Deacon is waking up earlier and earlier as there is no way to keep the sun out of the living room. Zeke's room, and Zeke's room only, has outdoor light control.

Here's the problem...the two or three times I've tried putting Deacon down in Zeke's room he has screamed like he has never screamed before. Normally I would just let him cry it out until he falls asleep and then I know he'd be fine. However, his screaming keeps Zeke awake (and I think it freaks Zeke out a little bit) so I don't like to let him scream for longer than a half hour (since Zeke almost never falls asleep a half hour after being in bed anyways). The last time I put him in there he screamed for twenty minutes, then was quiet for twenty minutes, then REALLY started screaming, like his arm was stuck in the crib slats or something. He was fine, just lying there, but I took him out then, so Zeke could sleep.

What do I do? I don't want to keep Zeke awake for who-knows-how-long for who-knows-how-many-nights, but I'm afraid that if I keep putting Deacon in, let him cry for a half hour, then take him out, that will become the routine. I've thought about just putting Deacon in the room until he stops crying, but what would I do with Zeke? He is definitely too big for "prison transfers" and it's not fair to him to have to sleep in a little pack and play instead of his bed.

Josh says I should just move Deacon into one of the bedrooms upstairs. And maybe he's right. I just don't feel comfortable with that, and I really can't explain why. I don't know if it's because of the type of stairs we have, twisty and slippery, that if I need to rush up (or down) them for some kind of emergency (not that I can think of one that would occur), it would make it all more dangerous? I don't know if it's because I enjoy having a "guest floor" with two guest rooms and putting Deacon up there would make one less guest room (even though it would open up the comfy couch bed)? I don't know if it's just beacause I don't like the idea of him being up there by himself all night long. I know he'd be sleeping and wouldn't notice, but I don't know.





8 comments:

Julie Danielle said...

That is a hard one. I know when it was time to move Drew I worried about that. I moved him in with Daniel when he was about 9 months. If he cries I just go in and take him out but it does make for a frustrating night. If I had your set up I might move him upstairs even though that wouldn't be my ideal choice either. But I think that is what I would do. Now if Zeke has no problem going right back to sleep then maybe I would still keep them in the same room. But once Daniel is up he is up so I try not to let Drew cry too much in their room. In the long run it is easier to put Drew to sleep than put Daniel back to sleep.

Anonymous said...

I have no answers for you. But I'll support whatever you do! I admit, having a sweet little Deacon-baby to share the upstairs with me when I come to visit would be pretty awesome. Unless Josh is away, in which case, I'm probably sleeping with you and wouldn't be upstairs anyway. Maybe Zeke would like to borrow some of my ear plugs?

xxoo
Linda

Anonymous said...

Is there any way to put Deacon down early and keep Zeke up a little later. That way maybe Deacon can cry for awhile and then settle down and then Zeke can go to sleep. Have you tried rocking him a little before you put him down? I used to be able to put Anna down no problem, but a couple of months ago she started throwing fits so now, except for the last two nights so maybe she's over it, I rock her until she is calm and drowsy. She doesn't have to be completely asleep just on her way and she's a happy camper.

Amber

Anonymous said...

Is there any way to put Deacon down early and keep Zeke up a little later. That way maybe Deacon can cry for awhile and then settle down and then Zeke can go to sleep. Have you tried rocking him a little before you put him down? I used to be able to put Anna down no problem, but a couple of months ago she started throwing fits so now, except for the last two nights so maybe she's over it, I rock her until she is calm and drowsy. She doesn't have to be completely asleep just on her way and she's a happy camper.

Amber

summer said...

I agree this is tough. I remember when we lived in Germany and we had 2 bedrooms up stairs and we were tired of having Soren in our room so we slept down stairs for a while but somehow I think they ended up sharing a room. They do now too. It's not always easy and there are times when one wakes up the other but all and all it works itself out. NO easy answers here go with what works for your family.
I think we did the alternating thing. Put one to bed first then the other a bit later.
good luck

Embrace the Circus said...

So, I have no words of wisdom for you, but I'm eager to hear what you decide and what works for you. I really want Kathleen and Madeline to share a room, but I don't know when to begin that. Now's not good; Madeline's still not a good night sleeper, and she wakes up impossibly early, so she'd just wake Kathleen at 5am. (What's worse than a baby who insists on waking at 5am? A baby who wakes your toddler at 5am!) When we get to California, though, I think we'll only have three bedrooms, instead of four, so I'll have to work it out then. Of course, hopefully Madeline will be a better sleeper by then...

Anonymous said...

Could you move both of the boys upstairs to seperate rooms and keep the downstairs room for a play room/ guest room? Good luck with this. Hope you hear soon about whether you are moving or not.

How is knitting going?

Sara said...

Okay, I've been thinking about it and I have an idea and a question.
I'm not sure if you mentioned whether or not you have started transitioning Deacon into the room in his packnplay or if you went straight for the crib. He may just miss his bed.
And then, can you let Zeke stay up a little longer than Deacon so that Deac can fall alseep first and then not bother his big brother?
I wish you luck, keep us posted.