bed time

Well, last Monday, the 29th I drove to Denver with the 2 year old to celebrate Passover with our extended family. I was trying to figure out the best way to go about the bedtime thing since her bedtime is at 7:30 and we are very strict about following this. There have been times where she may have been up closer to 8 but it is very rare. Like I said in my last post, we bring a pak and play if we know we will be staying at a friend's house well past her bed time. This night though...with the many people and the many young kids there I wouldn't have a prayer putting her to bed in a bedroom upstairs at the house we were at with her knowing there were many, many young kids running around. I figured since we were supposed to be there at 5:30 we had a chance on getting out by 8. I should have known, timing doesn't ever go the way you want. Everyone arrived at 5:30, we didn't sit down until after 6 to begin the seder and by the time the first course was served, matzoh ball soup, it was 7. I was cringing inside thinking this is going to be a late night. She has never had a late night like this before, what will it be like. I guess we will find out. A friend of mine and his wife actually left with his 2 year old just after 7:30 b/c that is his bed time. It reminds me of us usually, but my 2 year old sees this extended family once a year if we are lucky so I had to get over it. Well, by the time dinner was done it was just after 8 and then there is desert. Now my 2 year old helped me make the passover cake so she was looking forward to having it so I couldn't leave and deny her the cake. She had her cake and strawberries and by the time we left it was after 8:30. We weren't too far from the house we were sleeping at. She had been a rock start this entire time. She wasn't cranky or moody even though she was almost 2 hours past her bedtime. I expected her to crash out in the car but to my surprise she was on the lookout for "big trucks". By the time she was in her bed it was almost 9:30. Yes, she crashed out. I knew she wouldn't sleep in later than her normal time but I didn't expect her to wake up before 6. She did and played for over an hour until I got out of bed until 7. The day was fine...as we got closer to nap time she was exhausted and getting a bit cranky but she was a trooper as always.

Interestingly enough...I received an email newsletter from "The Sleep Lady" the author of the book, "Good Night, Sleep Tight" I would definitely recommend this book and signing up for the newsletter. It is free and great information. Anyways, her article talked about what happens when a child goes to bed too late...they tend to wake up earlier than normal. It all made sense to me now. That is why she woke up before 6 the morning after Passover.

Needless to say, the next night she was in her crib and lights out at 7:15, back to normal.