To Sleep or Not to Sleep

That's not MY question, but it seems to be Ben's. Ever since learning that he could get out of his crib, open his door, and come upstairs any time he wanted, our nights...and days, haven't been the same. About the same time he discovered that he was no longer confined to his bed, he also became acutely aware of the monsters and dinosaurs lurking in his closet. AND he decided he doesn't need to nap anymore. Because I cherish my alone time, I've always been strict about bed times and I never allow kids to sleep in our bed. However, when Ben started joining us at around 3am every morning I was too tired to fight it. I must be getting old.
We decided to get him a cool new bed, in hopes that he would be excited to move out of the crib. He was pretty excited...until he found out he had to sleep in it. A new bed doesn't get rid of monsters and dinosaurs. Next, we moved him upstairs across the hall from us. That hasn't exactly worked out either. I'm not sure what else to do short of locking him in his room and making him stay there. But knowing that he truly is scared, would make me feel bad. He really is certain that he's going to be eaten by a dinosaur. In fact, if he notices someone with a scratch or scrape, he'll ask if a dinosaur ate them. Or even with his own wounds, he tells everyone that a dinosaur ate him. I'd say he's borderline obsessed.

Ben in his new bed, before he found out he's actually supposed to sleep in it.

There's no official nap time anymore. He usually just passes out somewhere at some point during the day. On the couch, the wood floor, outside in the sandbox, in the car, he's not too picky as long as he's not told he has to sleep.

He feels much safer sleeping in camouflage. The monsters and dinosaurs are much less likely to eat him if they can't see him.


Then there's the idea of sleeping with your comfort food. By the way, Ben doesn't care to eat his marshmallows. He only likes to either burn them up on a stick over the fire, or sleep with them. On this particular night, I heard him come out of his room, go into the kitchen, and get a handful of marshmallows before joining us in bed.

Recently, all the boys (except Weston) have started sleeping in the same room together. Spencer on the cool new toddler bed, and the other two on the floor. This method of sleeping will occasionally keep him from visiting us at 3am, but not always.

We're leaving him with my mom this week while we go to Boston. But don't worry Mom, I'm sure he'll do fine. Just keep taking your sleeping pill, and you'll never even notice when he climbs into bed with you.