Cross it off the list!

Two peas in a pod...Caroline is 2 1/2 and Emily is 15 months old.

I have been waiting for the right moment to begin these "tasks" that I have on my to do list before new baby comes into our world. #1 was transitioning Caroline into her big girl bed...which is just a toddler bed really. That went flawlessly! She is doing amazing with it and loves it. She loves to cuddle up with her gazillion blankets and her little pillow and has pretty much learned to "stay still" and not do cartwheels around her bed each night. Every now and then she will wake up-on the floor. Bless her heart...and I wouldn't say she really WAKES up, but she cries, I run in, reposition her, and she's perfect. I have blankets on the floor beside her so that if in deed she does make her way out of the bed, she has a soft place to land. I sort of expect her to wake up one morning and realize she slept the whole night on the floor. We'll see. It has probably only happened 4 times...and when I talk about it the next day she doesn't really seem to remember, so maybe it's all a sleep walking act. :) She stays in her bed and does not get out until I come and get her each morning and after nap time. A success for sure! So- #1 was marked off the list a few months ago.

And here we are in present day at task #2. Moving the girls into the same room...and I am happy to say we are 3 days into a FAIRLY successful journey!! I had no idea when the "right" moment would be to make the transition. Emily loves sleeping, loves her bed, and dives for it each nap and night time. The only time she has ever been in Caroline's old crib was when they would rough-house and wrestle sometimes. Well, something came across me Sunday evening and I felt like it was the "right time". So we talked it over with Caroline (who has known for a long time that this day was coming since we left her crib in her room), made the necessary adjustments- switched mattresses (so Em would have her own), transferred blankets, passys, and lovies, and moved sound machine/fan into Carolines room. Caroline has really started to drrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaawwwww out her night time routine- something that I realized we would have to nip in the bud when sleepyhead Emily moved in. Our plan was to put the girls down at the same time- 7:30 since CGH was used to an 8pm bedtime and EAH was begging for bed by 7. We met in the middle. So...here we went...and it went like this....

Day 1-COMPLETE CHAOS for about-30 minutes...which seemed like eternity. I went back and forth, back and forth between the 2...both screaming and crying- Caroline because her routine was totally thrown into a tail spin, Emily because she was in what she knew as a "play crib" and continually just ran in circles, pulled at the blinds/curtains, and SCREAMED bloody murder. So I went between the 2- calmed one, put one down, went to the other- which lead to the other getting upset again. NUTS. I left them alone a few times...and heard crazy screaming and crying from both, some in unison, some solo. Caroline called out to Emily, "Emily....be quiet!! Emmy! Emmy!" She didn't listen. After a few torturous minutes outside their door Brad and I just laughed...and like a good daddy, he headed out to his garden;) I on the other hand went back into the battlefield. I ran laps between the two one more time, threatened one with all I had in me, and prayed they would just relax!! I left the room one last time- and about 3 minutes later...SILENCE. My head was spinning...but they had given up! I was so nervous about the night ahead  (and ended up not sleeping well at all because I was 1/2 listening to the monitor all night)...what if one cried in the night? What if somehow they woke each other up? All sorts of fun ideas came to mind. I actually ran out of the house to Kroger after about 20 minutes of "silence". Brad reported that while I was gone Caroline called out several times for "Mama!!" and said "I'm awake!!" but little Em didn't make a peep thankfully. They slept through the night- no wake ups!! Sweet Emily roused around 6:20 the next morning...WAY to early for either. But, I tried to sneak in and snatch her out of the room without waking Caroline, but that failed. So both were up ready to go early.
Synopsis of day 1...success! Probably about a 70%score with the drama before bed and the early wake up.

Day 2- Emily took her morning nap alone in her new bed perfectly. Not a peep. Afternoon nap...another story. Both screamed for about 5 minutes,then Emily decided that she would act as if she was DYING and needed rescuing. I didn't know what to do...Caroline was exhausted, dying to sleep and Emily was screaming like a banshee. I finally went in, took Emily out of the room (which left CGH screaming) and thought about putting Emily back in her own crib...but they was reminded by my awesome husband that WE make the game plan, not them...they sleep when we want them to sleep...not when they feel like it...so I plopped Emily back in her new bed and after about 1 minute then they fell asleep and slept about 2 hours! Yahoo! Big success!! Bedtime- MUCH smoother transition into bed on OUR part (I got Caroline settled, story told, song sung, and snuggled up before Brad brought Em in to "drop her off" into bed. We both left quietly, and they went to bed...only a few murmurs from each- but no screams or tears. 80% score with the nap time drama. Caroline did wake up in the night, cried out for me, I came, comforted, and left. Emily stirred, but my serious prayers were answered as I begged God to let Emily fall back asleep. Oh to be God and hear a mother's prayers!! He was faithful though!! They slept the rest of the night- woke up at 7:15.

Day 3- IT WORKED!! While Caroline still woke Emily up, it was 7:15 and that was acceptable. Caroline always calls me when she wakes up "Mama! Mama!" Getting louder and louder until I arrive. This morning she added "Wake up Emily! Wake up Emily!" then when I still wasn't there..."Tessa! Tessa!" which must have been the magic word because that woke Emily up and by the time I got to Caroline, Emily was awake and ready to go. Nap time- perfect! Not a word from either, just shorter than normal since Em woke after only 1.5 hours. Bedtime- flawless!!! Laid them both down and had a peaceful exit. SUCCESS!!!


Mark #2 off the list!! My only issues really are them waking one another up...but I think that it will work itself out in time. Major stress being released now...glad its now at only 5 months pregnant rather than 8 months and completely and utterly DONE with everything. My girls are so precious and I am thrilled that they adjust fairly well and quickly to new routines in our house. They  are such blessings and I know that they will begin to bless each other as sisters.

 I have started making some "decor" plans/changes for what used to be Caroline's room to make it more of a shared room. I can work on that through the summer though. Emily's old nursery is starting to be pulled apart and reorganized for new baby girl. I ordered a new crib bumper for the bed and have some ideas in mind for her nursery decor. I will admit, major "nesting" has set in and I am in a cleaning, organizing, purging mode. Which means lots of messes as I try to clean up...does that even make sense?? These months, weeks, and days are flying by faster than I thought possible. Hold on to your seats Hobbletts...Baby girl #3 will make her debut before we know it!! We can't wait!!

Wondering what #3 is on my list??
Getting Caroline jump on the Potty train. Should be easy, right??