Transition

Our wild twin boys are soon-to-be-three. It's been quite the whirlwind of a ride, to say the very least. Having nearly 8 years between them and our last girly, every milestone they reach is as though it were the first time. And...since they are most assuredly the last of our babes, every milestone has been bittersweet as each has also been the last that we'll experience.
The newest stage has been the crib-to-bed transition. I vowed it would only occur when absolutely necessary. If I could keep them in their cribs until high school graduation, I was determined to do so. (Okay...so that's a slight exaggeration.) Well. Our boys one-by-one figured out that naps were kinda optional. Cody was the first to catch on to us. Once his brother fell asleep, he quickly grew bored and would beckon to come out. We got away with this for about a week until Chase caught on that Brother wasn't sleeping. Then all bets were off. So, we're down to every two or three days they'll have a nap. Which makes the days...interesting.
Time spent in their cribs was growing increasingly dangerous. Watching them through the baby monitor, they'd have me on edge, and running upstairs periodically to put a kabosh to whatever shenanigans they were scheming. They're especially fond on the crib-dangle-of-death. You know...where they hurl their torso over the crib rails and dangle their upper body over the abyss of unknown injury and uncertain consequences. With Chase's leg just healed, I decided that wasn't so much my favorite, and proclaimed that the day for toddler beds had arrived. Thirty-three months old...I figured it was a good run.
And so, yesterday, I grabbed my tools (yes...I have my very own set...) and got down to business. When the conversion was complete, the boys were utterly delighted. They giggled, squealed and rolled all over their new sleeping arrangements. I smiled and nodded. This might not go half as bad as I had dreaded. We made a grand deal about what big boys they were...and then bedtime came. Chase proudly hopped up in his bed all by himself and snuggled down in. Cody, upon entrance of the room, broke into tears and pleaded for bedtime not to come. Dang. Once I was able to get him voluntarily into bed, he grew to accept it was happening. I stayed with them a few minutes, and when they began singing their usual "Jingle Cats" song (I know...it's bizarre) to one another, I took my leave. Only to be beckoned back five minutes later. After another round of consoling, he decided he was too tired to fight sleep anymore...and drifted off. I was awoken only once in the night to comfort, but that's pretty much the norm for that little guy, anyhow. And when my eyes opened at 5:30 this morning, I laid very still and listened. I fully anticipated them to be up long before the rising sun, destroying what very little was left in their room. To my surprise, they slept as sound as could be until their normal wake-up-hour, 7:00. And, when they did, they called for me to come get them...from their beds. This just might work...

After mulling things over today, I scooted their beds tight up to each other so they could have one another's comfort. Which they absolutely loved.
But still, naps today were nonexistent. I fully anticipated that. They played and giggled. And talked. Cody professed his fear of monsters to Chase, and Chase replied, "They pwetend, Cowy." And then reached across the beds and planted a kiss atop his head. To which Cody responded, "I wuv you." (Talk about melting a Mama.) Then, as not to look too much in touch with their emotions, they broke out in a full-on slap-fight play and a wrestling match where it appeared as though Chase won. He pinned Cody flat to his bed...high-pitched giggles coming from both. But...they never once left their beds. Within moments, an overly-enthusiastic kicking contest turned awry as Chase began to cry and chant, "He kick me in the nose, Mama! He kick me in the nose!!" One hour into play, I decided that nap time was officially over. But it was most definitely entertaining. Perhaps tomorrow they'll be tired enough to actually sleep....
Bahahaha! Oh, who am I kidding?
I have a feeling naps will be few and far in between. But, we'll still let them think they're getting away with playtime during "nap" for as long as we can. They're smart little stinkers, though...

Snug as two bugs in a rug...