Bedtime Woes

The hardest part of traveling, I think, is bedtime. If we're in a hotel we have to figure out who sleeps where, and when can we get them to bed, and the biggest question of all- HOW?! Delaney is at the awful point where she is too big for a travel crib, yet too small to sleep in a "real" bed or on the floor. So that poses some problems. The other kids are all too happy to sleep on the floor, but they tend to quarrel over who gets the best sleeping spot.

When in a hotel, it kind of works out okay for everyone to go to bed at the same time. The kids are so wired and hopped up that they are so not going to go to sleep at their regular time, and Mom and Dad are so pooped that we're content to hit the hay a few hours earlier than usual. So we all lie down about the same time and after 30 minutes of whining, giggling, threats, complaints and wiggling, everyone drops off to sleep.


Now that we are at Grandma and Grandpa's house, the 4 children and I are sharing 2 rooms. It is much more complicated than I expected. Mostly because of Delaney and her refusal to go quietly to sleep. I had planned to put her in a real bed with sides, but she seems to be incapable of sharing a room, so that was nixed the first night. That only left one other place to sleep.....

....my room.

Yep, by big baby is sleeping in the travel crib in my room. She's so big that if she stretches out, her feet are touching one end and her head is touching the other. Not ideal, but so far its working okay. Poor kid.

Due to noncooperation of the middle children, last night I staggered their bedtimes. Callie was very upset that SHE had to go to bed alone and first. I finally took everyone else upstairs and left her complaining in the hallway.

This is how I found her later. Funny, funny girl, all sacked out on the hallway floor.

Marian got to go to bed an hour after her sister and she fell asleep quickly. The girls were originally going to share the double bed, but Marian did not want to share with Callie. Callie was a pill as well, so this is where Marian is sleeping- on the floor. Me, I do not care where they sleep, as long as they sleep! Joshua didn't go to bed till 10pm, and that's when I went to bed, so no picture of him.

I do expect it will all get better. It seems to take 1-2 weeks for them to adjust and settle all the way in, so it won't be a hassle forever. It just feels that way!