Stubborn: Part II

Do you remember this post?

Well, despite her unwillingness to admit she was tired, she still stayed in her bed and went to sleep.
Carissa has always been good about that... Nap time, bed time... If I laid her down and tucked her in with her blanket, she was good. Sometimes her and Lexi would chat for a minute or longer, but eventually they would fall asleep. She would even grab my hand and walk with me upstairs, crawl in bed, get tucked in and go to sleep for a nap. It was gold!

Then we went on vacation.

The final week did something to her. Instead of being able to lay her down for naps, we had to hold her and let her fall asleep before she was laid down due to her unfamiliarity with Ed's family's home. And lack of places to lay her down at. And other things being scheduled during nap time. And then combined with staying up a little later those nights... she usually crashed in the ride back to my parents' house.

I don't know why, but since then, she has decided that she no longer can sleep without Mom or Dad beside her. Good thing she is still little and sleeps on a twin bed, since our routine as of late either consists of me rocking in the glider by her, with her sitting up every minute to check that I'm still there...OR... laying in bed with her until she is out COLD. I tried sneaking away before her eyes were completely closed...and she follows me right out the door. Even if she's dead tired. She will lay down halfway down the hall, but stay in her bed? Nope!

Nap time is not any better. I've resorted to turning off the majority of the lights and either reading til she crashes on my lap, turning on a quiet video til she crashes on the couch, or yesterday...soooo tired, but I had to drive her to one side of the base and back home (a grand total of 5 minutes, in which she fell asleep before we made it half way). But try to lay her down... nope! Won't have it!

In fact, here is some photos of the ways she would rather sleep than in her bed:

After 3 attempts to put her to bed, she crawled up on the computer chair and this is how I found her a minute later.

We were talking on the webcam to Gma and Gpa...and look over... out!

Took a walk home from gymnastics, I was beat and so I put on Meet the Robinsons while I rested...woke up to this :-)

This is today. Had some primary music playing, she came and laid by me on the couch while I was finishing a headband for her. I figured she'd fall asleep pretty fast. I got up to use the hot glue and SHE FOLLOWED ME...then laid on the floor... Just like that. Out Cold!

I'm telling myself that this is just a phase. And if you are wondering why I don't just leave her in her room to cry herself to sleep... that has never EVER worked for my girls. In fact, it usually makes it worse, (especially since being put in their rooms with the door shut is what happens when they are in BIG trouble and Mommy needs her space to cool off). Lexi actually got nosebleeds when I attempted it a few times. So hopefully this phase ends soon. Until then... I'll just do whatever I can :-)