Training ... of some sort

Hague training has commenced! However, we've decided to direct our attention away from potty training and focus on a more urgent matter - sleep training.
Toddler bed ...
... is made for jumping!
Kambry started out in her new bed ...
... and then, as usual, she wasn't there in the morning.

But Kaeleb loved his toddler bed! (he only fell out once)Okay, so it's no secret that I haven't had an uninterrupted night's sleep since September 2004. First there was the anticipation of bringing our baby Kayden home, then there were the escalating night terrors. It was during this time of rocking and praying her to sleep that we formed a lifelong bond. About the time she developed a good sleep pattern two years later, Kambry was coming home. There's just too much life going on for her to sleep, then came Kaeleb, who is a great sleeper. Kaeleb has been in a pack n' play beside our bed, and Kambry has been in a crib converted to toddler bed, but usually ends up in our bed.

I have always rocked my kids to sleep. I admit I don't know how to just lay a baby down, until Kaeleb, who prefers falling asleep on his own. Right before he came home I was still rocking Kambry, but it would take more than an hour and we knew something had to change. So, Daddy would tuck Kayden and Kambry in, then read two stories, and stay in the room until Kambry fell asleep. Somewhere along the way, Daddy got really tired and Kambry decided co-sleeping with Mom and Dad would be better! I've read Sleeping Through the Night and The No-Cry Sleep Solution

but we decided it was something we could cope with until Kambry started sleeping on her own ... and then God placed Mei-Mei on our hearts, and we wondered if we could really rest with three kids in our room!

We made a big deal about getting Kambry a new bed and moving her old bed into Kolton's room for Kaeleb. We all went together and got the bed, Daddy assembled it and the switch was made (as well as disassembling the pack n' play - yeah!). Kaeleb went right to sleep in his new bed. I tried what I call the Super Nanny approach with Kambry, where I briefly explained it was bedtime and put her back into bed the first time she got out. My daughter is stubborn! I stood right outside her room, and eventually she would see me coming to put her in bed and she'd jump back in, screaming until she climbed out again. She would try everything from, "Mommy, where Daddy?" to "Want Daddy," to "Wuv ooo Mommy." An hour later Daddy said we needed to try something different, so I laid beside her bed and held her hand until she fell asleep. Three hours later she came to the safety of Daddy and Mommy's bed. I admit, I'm no expert on sleep issues, and I've always loved spending those last minutes with my kids before sleep ... so maybe Daddy just needs to get a soft rocker big enough for Mommy, Kambry and baby sister :)