Growing Up.....No. 1

August was a BIG month for Isaac......we started off the month with a "BINKY PARTY". It is alittle embarrassing to admit that we had to resort to bribery to get rid of the binkies; but at least we FINALLY did it.

We talked to him about if for a week or so before the party. Isaac LOVES the garbage truck so we told him we were having a Binky Party where he would throw his binkies in the garbage truck and then he would get a present! But, then the binkies would be ALL GONE; NO MORE Binkies. So, we talked it up and he was ready for a present. We went to the store and he picked out what he wanted....then I got it for him later and wrapped it up.

Dad and Isaac the night before the binky party!!
Isaac waiting outside with mom for the "garbee" truck to throw away his binkies.

VIDEO OF THE ACTUAL THROWING AWAY:
The "garbee" truck was later than usual that morning (of course) and Dad needed to get to work....so we resorted to the garbage can. He didn't seem to mind because I had the presents wrapped and in the family room that morning and he REALLY was dying to open them.

Opening those presents...........
And yes the irony of the whole story........what did he pick out at the store as his present???
This "garbee" truck!! What can I say....he is fascinated with the garbage truck right now!!
And now the results of the Binky Party.............Mom had to resort back to reading the sleep book.
We knew the first week or so would be rough; but figured it would pass soon enough. Besides there had been a few nights or naps when the binkies couldn't be found and he went to sleep without them. And in fact, after a couple of days he quit asking for the binkies and when he would ask...we would go over that he threw them in the garbage, got a present and Isaac would then say "and binkies ALL GONE."

However, it turns out our great little sleeper.....might have just been laying in his bed sucking on those BELOVED binkies and NOT actually sleeping. Like early in the morning when he first woke up (for maybe even over an hour) or at naptime for awhile before he eventually fell asleep. He ultimately was sleeping....but probably not as much as we thought and probably because he ONLY got the binkies for naps or night he was content to just suck on them and lay in his bed.

So after the first week....all kinds of "new" sleep problems were occurring. Getting out of BED alot.....one morning he was up wandering the house at 5:30am (which woke up Drew...so we all got to get up at 5:30am that day)! Getting out of bed at naps! Lots of crying and whining at bedtime and naptime, etc. Most of you know the story.

So, I decided to give Dr. Weissbluth's suggestion a try (under sleep problems for toddlers).....Sleep Rules. Seemed "ify" especially with Isaac's comprehension level but seemed like a better first alternative then locking him in his room (more so because I was worried he would just trash his room and I didn't want to have to pick it up everyday). So, we made the poster with Isaac's help (as suggested); we decorated it all up with stickers. Put on calendars and told him he got a star sticker and a treat at bedtime and naptime if he followed the rules. It is actually working really good at bedtime; he gets a sticker most mornings!! Naptime is a struggle....but only because of the whining he does in his room for a few minutes when I first leave him. He now knows ALL the rules and we go over them at night and at naps and he says them back to us (it is very cute). Hopefully, the rules start to sink in more and we will start getting TWO stars each day! (And an added bonus....I learned the power of stickers with kiddos...they love them)!
And finally, Isaac started pre-school again on Monday (the 25th). Here he is ready to go......
He goes M-Th from 9:00 to 11:30am. Dad drops him off on his way to work and I pick him up. He can actually ride the bus....but MOM isn't ready for that, yet. We started a new school and teacher closer to home; but it is going really well. A little crying (by him) on the first day and then none today when Jared dropped him off. It wasn't as sad to see him go this time since we did 6 weeks in the spring before school got out. We are excited to see his progress and what strides he'll make in the program!! WHAT A BIG BOY!