Any wavering convictions regarding splitting the girls up into separate bedrooms were fully tossed out the window this weekend. I believe it was Em who kept talking in her sleep and rolling about Friday night. She eventually fully woke up and wanted me. This woke up Anna. Once again, I had to haul two toddlers out of the bedroom and downstairs all the while hoping that Allie would sleep through it. She did. That time.
I slept in the family room with Anna and Em for the remainder of the night. And now we are at Saturday Nap Disaster. The girls had been in their room for about a half an hour or so. There was a lot of chatting going on before one of them started saying that she had pooped. I raced upstairs to find Em asleep, Allie awake with a poopy diaper and Anna awake. I managed to change Allie's diaper in their room without waking Em but when I tried to sneak out of their room, Anna started to have a meltdown.
I sat down on the floor between their two cribs thinking that they would quickly fall asleep and then I would sneak out. Anna fell asleep and Allie was so close when Em woke up. She had had her power nap. I thought I could run out of the room with Em seeing as Allie wasn't even looking at me and she was half asleep anyway. Didn't happen. Within an instant, they were all awake.
So then Rich and I started arguing because I thought he was accusing me of destroying the nap with poor parenting when I really was trying my best to save the nap for everyone. I'm not going to lie and say that we agree on everything. We don't and when both parents are stressed/frustrated/tired, arguments are going to occur. We virtually never argue in front of the girls. And it is not that common for us to argue anyway.
What I did not realize is that the girls picked up on this. And when I did realize it, my heart just about broke. I lose my patience with them quite often - I think it would uncommon to find a parent of triplets who doesn't - but it is not the same as arguing. So after all was said and done I was with the girls in the family room reading books to them. After a short bit, Allie walked over with another book and said, "Mommy's happy now."
We also had a bit of progress with the potty training this weekend. After Em pooped on the potty Friday night, I pushed for her to try on some big girl p.a.n.ties during the day Saturday. She had been refusing but once she took stock of the selection, she happily chose a pair of Zoe ones. Anna picked out a pair of Elmo ones that we had her wear over her diaper and Allie ended up with monkeys.
Allie peeped through hers within ten minutes. Clearly not ready. Em was doing really well but we had to go to the grocery store. Rich was hesitant to have her wear them but I insisted because she needs to learn. I did bring a back up outfit just in case. I also brought one of the potties for the van because there was no way, no how I was taking her (and potentially another munchkin) into a public restroom this early in the game. She was dry through the entire shopping trip and I was a bit nervous about her making it home so we set up shop in the van where she peeped in the froggy potty while Daddy loaded up the groceries. Super proud M0mmy here.
Later on, she did pee in her clothes. She came running up to me and said, "I did something in my pants." I stripped her down and put her on the potty where she finished. She's learning but has a way to go. I personally don't believe that kids are fully potty trained until they consistently tell you that they have to go. With Em, I have to keep asking her. I would say that she tells me about half the time that she does have to go but I still end up constantly having to ask her.
Moving on to Saturday night. Well, Sunday morning really. Em was awake at 5:40. My plan was to try to sleep downstairs with her for another hour or so. Of course, Anna woke up as well. So there I was trying to wrangle 50 pounds of toddler out of their room when Allie woke up crying. She refused to sleep in our bed with Rich because she knew that Anna and Em were downstairs with me. That left me with three fussy toddlers on the couch cushion bed. Em fell asleep right away. (And if you are wondering what toddlers dream about, at one point Em cried out, "Don't clean up my toys," in her sleep) After some cuddling, Anna fell asleep. Allie tossed and turned and eventually gave up and announced that she wanted a book.
Em slept through about 15 minutes of Allie's book reading and then I had three semi-grumpy toddlers to care for. Em told me that she needed to peep on the potty so I locked Allie and Anna in the playroom. Allie had already started freaking out announcing that all of the books were hers and that no one else could read them. As I'm trying to take care of Em, I hear Anna crying, "No, Allie. Don't bite me." I lost any patience that I had right there. I took Allie and Elmo and Dino and blankie and sippie cup of water and threw them all in her crib. I told her that she could either share the books with her sisters or stay in her room. I suggested that she take a nap. She screamed.
Rich brought her back downstairs a few minutes later and I have to say that it worked because she didn't act up again. Also, Em kept reminding her that Barney says that they all need to share. It was extremely frustrating on my end knowing that she was acting that way because she was overtired.
This is how I found her before lunch.
3 comments:
Oh my goodness...this post makes me sleepy just reading it! I've read on your blog that you continue to have sleep struggles and I just want to say that I think you are doing great! Only one of my girls had a sleep issue until she was about 15 mos. and that was enough to put me in the loony bin. Your girls are absolutely beautiful and I hope that you all get some much needed sleep very soon. :)
You really have your hands full with sleep issues. Did you ever do sleep training with the girls? I don't know what my mom's secret was but all three of us took great naps, slept through the night - and all in one room until we were 8 years old. Do you ever feel like a "sleep short order cook"? Trying to do what seems right for each girl in the moment? I'd recommend you talk to a sleep specialist if you do - Mommies need sleep even more than growing girls. Jewish Family Services often have sleep consultants and I know we have a number of doctors (inculding Dr. Ferber) in Boston who provide sleep services. Sleep was one thing that was non-negotiable for me with my twins. I needed it too badly with going back to work fulltime. It may be harder to train them now that they can talk but I'd see if there are any toddler sleep training books out there. I think a dark room with white noise might help - maybe once they are separated? Are you keeping them in cribs? okay, enough unsolicited advice - sleep is just so near and dear to me that I can't help but feel passionate about it.
I've heard people rave about the book "The No Cry Sleep Solution."
It's a gentle approach (as the name indicates) and although I haven't really had the need to try it out, I've heard it being suggested to everyone having sleep issues with their kids. Read a few pages and reviews on Amazon to see if it's your style.
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