An update: He isn’t waking up and playing now. Now he wakes up crying, calling for his mommy, with a soaking wet diaper (which I change). Then he wants a bottle of milk. He lays in my arms and TRIES to go to sleep, but he has trouble. It takes a couple of rounds before he finally passes out.

He hasn’t been eating as much during the day so I am assuming that he is getting hungry at night? We are adjusting his diet and giving him a small healthy snack an hour or so before bed to see how that goes.

Thanks for weighing in. I will keep that option open.

I came back to this post, after not having commented the first time. After Why Buy’s comment, I feel a bit more secure in writing this:

You’re a Poop! If you let your sweetie control you now, there will be no end. He is old enough to have a bed time. If he shrieks, go in once, make sure he’s not ill, and close the door. End of story. Let him cry, even though it will break your heart. After a few nights of knowing that HE doesn’t control the household schedule, you will ALL sleep better at night. Keep a baby monitor by his face, so you can hear those little noises and breaths as he sleeps – and hold firm!

I know – I sound “old school” but what are you going to do when you leave him with somebody else? Do you and your wife NEVER plan on “sneaking away for a night – or a weekend?”

Hold firm – end it now!

Rita

Dave – I wish I could say tonight was better. He woke again around 2 a.m. and I just got him down (4:11 a.m.). Thought tonight he had a good reason to be awake, he had gone poo. We determined he was constipated yesterday, so we gave him some juice and bananna and he had one poo before bed and another in the middle of the night. Maybe tomorrow, he’ll be normal and sleep through the night.

Mom/Mum – Amen to that!

Why Buy – Thank you. I am trying my best to stand my ground. I hope to remain calm and balanced so he remains so.

But don’t be afraid to be the parent and stand your ground on some things. If your child senses that you are a push over, they’ll keep pushing you over – that isn’t any fun at all, especially when they become teenagers.

I wish you well. I hope that your family stays safe during the storm.

My theory is that they have little ‘awakenings’ as they grow and as they discover something new, they feel compelled to explore it, whether that be a feeling, a noise, singing, or manipulating their parents, even if it’s in the middle of the night.

I feel for you. I’ve been there. I’m still there!

Take care in the storm BloggerDad!!

Here’s to a good night’s sleep for you all.

So, I took her into the living room and started the process; change diaper, rock her, talk to her, walk around the house, feed her, sing to her, tell her a story, play with her…still no relief. Long story short, I continued on this process over and over and over again.

4 hours later my wife comes stumbling out of the room (she started at 2AM and I usually wake up for work around 6), walked over, picked her up and immediately she stopped crying.

This is the point when it finally hit me that no matter what the child wants, he/she will not be content until that want is fulfilled.

Writer Dad – Which makes me wonder why ANYONE would choose to have another child after going through stuff like this.

2. Reading about someone’s adventures/trials/tribulations with toddlers, and about the poo of toddlers, is scintillating when you yourself are also the parent of a toddler. It’s the bonding thing. We bond over shared experiences. Unless the writing is done so very skillfully that it brings everyone back to a moment from their own universal toddlerhood.

3. Daddybloggers didn’t make my list, so you’re still in the clear. Carry on.