Movie Nights

When Squish was about a year old we got a DVD player for his room. It wasn't a popular decision and I knew that my other mommy friends didn't care much for the idea. But we were rocking and feeding and walking and shushing and covering our ears from the crying sometimes until way past midnight. He just wouldn't go to sleep. If he did fall asleep he woke up about 20 minutes after we put him in the crib (anyone recognizing a pattern with my kids here?) The Dr. told us to just let him cry it out, that it may take 30 or 45 mins but that he needed to learn to self soothe. His record was 3 hours, a night that I will feel guilty over for the rest of my life. So one night we got his portable DVD player out of the car and just gave it a shot. He sat quietly in bed watching the Backyardigans singalong and feel asleep on his own in about 30 mins.

Since then he has gotten his own TV and DVD player in his room (I don't have a DVD player in my room) and at Gaggi and Pops house he has a flatscreen HD mounted on the wall above his bed (I don't even have a TV in my room there!)

But the past few months we have moved from falling asleep quickly to starting Toy Story over 3 times a night. He was staying up until 9:30 or 10:00 every night and I was paying for it every day. So we have removed the movie, a process which has bee FAR smoother than I thought it would be. I forgot to turn it on one night and he had not taken a nap that day. By the time I rocked Bear to sleep and went back in to turn on the movie Squish was asleep. So we tried again the next night, and the next and the next. And now....no movie. AND he sleeps later in the morning, until at least 8:00 every morning.

We were worried about Gaggi and Pops house and if he would be so agreeable there. Gaggi put him to bed and gave him his blanket and stuffed animal and his beloved papi. Then he said "I need to see my Pop" so Pop went in to say good night and Squish made him put every stuffed animal he has in the bed. Once he was all settled Pop tried to tell him good night and go out. But Squish kept saying "I think I'm missing something Pop." Pop did well with it, he just said "I can't think of a thing" and off to sleep my little monkey man went, again with out his movie. It has made such a nice difference in his sleeping habits, but I tell you....If I had it to do over again, I would put that DVD player in his room 100 more times. My sanity comes with a price and for the last 2 years that was it.

Wonder what the price will be next......