It never used to be this hard!

We have been visiting family this weekend, which we usually pack up and do every other month or so. And it has never been much of a difficult task... until this weekend. Jacob has always been fine sleeping in a room and bed that isn't his own. Gavin had too at first. I don't know what it was about Gavin spending the night in a different bed this time, but let's just say mommy and daddy haven't slept much... :)

Gavin has been falling asleep right away, he just gets up a few times each night and doesn't want to go back to sleep. At our house, he almost always sleeps through the night and if he does wake up, we would probably just let him cry himself to sleep. But you can't do that at someone else's house without waking everyone up. So I would try to rub his back, stroke his cheek, and play with his hair. It was seeming to work, until I quietly tiptoed away and he immediately jolted upright with his eyes wide open. After what seemed like forever, he would fall asleep... only to wake up shortly and start the pattern again. Last night, Gavin's crying woke Jacob up too. While Daddy calmed Gavin down, Jacob was in our room full of questions.

"Mommy is a one and a one eleven?"
"Is a one and two twelve?"
"Is Gavin still crying?"
"What tomorrow we do? Are we going to Tiny Tots?" (which means church for him)
"THE ITSY BITSY SPIDER WENT UP THE WATER SPOUT..."

It was here when Daddy had finally gotten Gavin to bed so we told him that everyone was going to sleep now. :)

Insomnia

I am one of those people who fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow. Sometimes even before that. As much as I try to stay up and watch a movie with Adam in our family fun room, I usually ending up falling asleep in his lap. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule... the night before the first day of school, the night before an evaluation, and when I'm super uncomfortably pregnant. Other than that, I am usually exhausted and asleep in seconds.

Jacob, however, is a completely different story. Some days he'll fall asleep not long after we tuck him in. Other days, it's hours (really not kidding, hours) before he falls asleep. We were really strict the first night he moved from his crib to a toddler bed so he doesn't ever get out of bed... he just lays there forever. I hear him softly singing to himself, having a conversation with himself, or sometimes nothing at all. I'll walk up there totally expecting him to be asleep and he's just laying there wide awake. I feel terrible and always go up to check on him, but I don't know how to help. He's not really taking naps anymore, so I know that's not a factor. Adam is a crazy night owl and can easily stay up all night if he wants too. So he just thinks Jacob is night owl too. Before Jacob goes to sleep, he always tells him, "Jakey, remember how to go to sleep? You have to close your eyes and wait." Unfortunately, that advice hasn't produced any sleeping miracles yet. :)

Here's an example of our talks when he up at night.

Jacob - Hi mommy! Did you just take a shower?
Me - I tell him yes and lay down to cuddle with him.
Jacob - Did you get the sweaty off? (Daddy told him that's why he takes showers :)
Me - I just laugh.
Jacob - Mommy, will you sing a song with me?

We sing Jesus Loves Me and Jesus Loves the Little Children together. (Speaking of this song... I asked him the other day if Jesus loves him and he said, "No mommy, he just loves the little children.")

Me - OK Jakey, go to sleep for mommy...
Jacob - No, I just want mommy to cuddle with me.
Me - Mommy has to go to bed now too. I love you.
Jacob - I love choo too.