Bed Time Bliss

The first few years of Ammon's life, I was stupid. I guess I just didn't realize that babies will somewhat automatically put themselves on a schedule if you just help them decide what it is. For our entire marriage Andy and I had worked nights, and although I quit my job, Andy was still working nights and not getting home until late - even though he generally left the house for school at 6:30 in the morning. So having a bedtime for the baby didn't occur to me. Ammon slept when he fell asleep and was awake the other times. There was absolutely no rhyme or reason to it. And it wreaked havic on our lives as he got older.

Because I never forced bed, Ammon never really learned how to unwind and fall asleep. We got into the very bad habbit of driving to put him to sleep. We would get in our car at 2 or 3 in the morning sometimes because Ammon had still not gone to bed. We were always up at least until midnight or 1:00 and often times later than that.

We lived this way until Ammon was big enough to not take naps at all. And then our lives changed for the better!

Now I have two boys who are perfect at going to bed! Peter has always been really good about adhering to a schedule, and lately Ammon has been coming to me telling me he is ready for bed. And I am talking about 7:30 at night - none of the midnight stuff anymore!

Tonight I put Peter to bed at 7:30 like I always do. Ammon was having a good time playing on the computer so I decided to let him stay up "late" until 8:00. I came down half an hour later to put him to bed and he was no where to be found. After a few minutes searching I found him already snuggled into bed sleeping. It just cracks me up that he put himself to bed!

I am so glad that I can rely on bedtime every night. It takes half an hour or so by the time I nurse Peter, get him to bed, and then help Ammon get his teeth brushed etc and get him to bed. But it's never a fight with either one of them and by 8:00 every night I am free and clear and able to do whatever (usually talk to Andy for a few minutes) and have some child free time before I go to bed myself. I am so glad for my boys who love their sleep!