Sharing a Room: New Bedtime Routine

So, two weeks ago, we decided to put both kids beds in Atticus's room and see if they could share a room and sleep there at night. Although they have had separate rooms until now, it's just because of their sleep routines and schedules. We have the playroom and most toys are in that room, so they do not play in their rooms nearly as much. We've been debating giving each kid a room of their own when the baby arrives or keeping our guest room/scrapbook room/home decor closet as it is. Grace and Atticus are both good sleepers, but Grace still has a hard time going to sleep at night by herself and almost always wakes up once a night to cry because nobody is with her. Plus, she just doesn't always need as much sleep so she will wake up earlier in the morning (before 7:05 which is when we tell Atticus he can come out). Atticus, on the other hand, is a great sleeper and needs and likes his sleep. So, the only way to know if it would even work was to try it. If it just doesn't work, we know we have the option to put them all in different rooms and maybe we can get some of that organized before the baby arrives in April.

So, on Saturday, two weeks ago, Vic moved Grace's full sized bed into Atticus's room. Atticus also has a full-sized bed, and we are glad that his room is big enough to fit both. Eventually, we will probably go to twin beds, but for now, this works. The kids were excited to sleep in the same room, sot hat was helpful too! It took about 3 nights for us to get them to have one full night of sleep. We have laid in bed until Grace falls asleep each night - which usually only takes 5-10 minutes and then we leave. We need to break that habit too, but for now it works. Anyways, the first night was kind of rough. Grace woke up around 1 or so, as usual, crying. She woke Atticus and he came into our room crying and upset because he didn't know what to do to make Grace stop crying. Well, the truth is that Grace just wants someone to sleep with her and my hope all along, has been that Atticus would just sleep in her bed with her. But, he likes to start out each night in his own bed. However, that night, I went in, calmed them both, turned on her bedtime music that plays for about 25 minutes, and left them. I also convinced Atticus to lay in bed with her to comfort her. He was hesitant because he didn't like for her to cry and I think, since he was just woken abruptly himself, he was just emotional too. So, that first night, when I left, I stood outside the door to listen. Grace was crying for about 30 seconds, but here was their conversation: (note, Atticus was in a pleading, sweet mood and really just wanted to help make Grace feel better. It was the CUTEST, sweetest, thing I'd ever listened to.)

Atticus: "Gwace, don't cry, I'm here for you."
Grace: "I want Mommy."
Atticus: "Gwace, Mommy has to sleep."
Grace: "Why?"
Atticus: "Gwace, Mommy and Daddy need their sleep."
Grace: "Why?"
Atticus: "Because they are tired Gwace. Just go to sleep Gwace. I'm here for you."
Grace: "Okay Cass." and a little while later they were both asleep.

I cannot tell you how sweet Atticus was. This has now turned into a routine of every night, when Grace wakes up, he will leave his bed, drag his blanket and stuffed animals to hers, and crawl in to sleep with her. He always tells her to go to sleep and they do. He no longer comes to our room in the middle of the night. Sometimes, Grace, being the talkative girl she is, just wants to talk. And Atticus will typically answer her questions, but will keep telling her to "just go to sleep Gwace". He is the sweetest to her and I'm so glad because it is really helpful that he just takes this as his role and does it. And I know Grace is so happy and that's why she goes back to sleep.

I will say that Atticus gets a little less sleep, because Grace wakes up closer to 6 and wakes him to talk right away. We have had a rule now for 6 or 8 months that Atticus cannot come out until 7:05 and when his clock turns green. He has always followed this rule with no problem. But, he also usually sleeps until almost 7:05. Now that Grace is up and waking him earlier, they have a much harder time waiting until 7:05. Part of me wants to put them back in their room each time and the other part just knows I should get up at 6 when they do and start our day earlier. When school starts this fall, we will have to be up by then anyways. I just cherish that sleep so much now....

Also, I remember after the second night of them sharing a room, Grace comes into our room one morning at 6:45. Atticus told me a little later that he sent her out "because he needed to get some sleep". That Grace is a talker!

So, overall it is going well. I think they could both use another hour of sleep each night due to waking up in the middle to move around in beds and then getting up earlier to start their day. But, we will just see how it goes. Naps still don't work on a regular basis, and Vic and I like this 7:30 to 8:00 bedtime routine, so we will keep going for now. But, I think this will work and we can keep a guest room a little longer.

Also, I want to mention the last thing we do each night, after books, is prayers, and then say goodnight. Sometimes they will lay in bed together to read books and sometimes I'll read to Grace and Vic to Atticus at the same time. And then we do our prayers. Grace has started adding to her prayers of "Mommy, Daddy, Cass, Grace, and Baby Mommy Tummy" other things during the day. She might say something about "I cwy" and explain when she cried or talk about something she did. I think it's funny because we will have Atticus talk about things he would like help from God with or things he should do better. So, I think she just picks up on that. Also, for a long time now, every night, Atticus will say "I hope you dream about dinosaurs doing...." and say something. And we will reciprocate and tell him what we hope he dreams about dinosaurs doing. So, he has continued that. Just a couple of nights ago, Grace says "I dweam bout my dollhouse, my pinc-wess (princesses), my titties, my minnie, etc." and just names stuff. It's cute because she just acts serious and like that she totally understands and is just doing what Atticus does. Atticus also always says to us "Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" as Vic has taught him. Bedtime routines, at any age, are just my favorite!