Here comes the sun

After a few weeks of winter storms which kept us cooped up inside, we are all enjoying the wonderful sunny "spring" weather.

Jack is sleeping and eating better these days. Our big new development is that he is putting himself to sleep for his nap and bedtime. Many moons ago he was pretty easy going at nap and bedtime -- we could put him down in his crib awake and he would go to sleep. But when he started teething we couldn't get him to sleep without holding him. This was one of the reasons we put him in a bed at a relatively early age -- he was so big that it was agony hoisting him over the crib rail while he was asleep. In the past few months we've snuggled with him in his bed until he fell asleep, then crept out of the room. Now we cuddle and read and sometimes sing songs (when Jack lets us!). We tuck him in with tigger, pooh, and rabbit (not the Disney animals, just 3 stuffed animals that vaguely resemble the Winne the Pooh characters). Then we leave and listen to the baby monitor. Sometimes he plays with his friends a bit, talks and sings quietly, other days he falls straight asleep. So far he has stayed in bed except for yesterday's nap, when he got up, opened his door (!), and came running out asking to sit on the potty. We did that, then I got back into bed with him and snuggled him until he fell asleep (I think I stayed with him mostly because I was in shock that he had opened the door, and wanted to sit on the potty).

We are thrilled with the improvements in his sleep habits. We never wanted to do cry-it-out or have bedtime become a battleground with screaming and crying and tantrums. Jack actually says he likes taking naps, and bedtime is currently pretty mellow, with some protests, but nothing we can't work through.

Our next challenge: potty training. Jack and I went to the store this morning and bought some underpants (his request). Stay tuned (if you have any advice please post it here!).