Friday, August 13, 2010

Toddler Bed Mischief

A couple of weeks ago, Clara figured out how to climb out of her crib.  We are not sure how she did it or how she managed to not get hurt.  We heard a thump, then Clara was babbling at the gate at the top of the stairs - no screaming or crying, just like nothing had happened.  To avoid any repeat adventures and potential injuries, I converted the crib to a toddler bed the next day.

While Clara will go down for naps with little protest at daycare, she has apparently decided that naps at home are no longer acceptable since she can get out of bed at will.  After reading some books followed by some rocking we put her in the toddler bed and sit with her for a few minutes to help her get settled.  She will stay in bed if someone stays upstairs, but if she sees us going down stairs she is out of bed immediately.  We have tried to give her some time to settle down and get back into bed; however, she has decided that throwing her books down the stairs is a great way to get attention.  Her book throwing routine is deliberate and thought out.  She'll walk to her room to get a book off the shelf, carry the book to the gate, shove the book through the rails of the gate, and repeat.  If  book throwing fails to get us back upstairs, she proceeds to empty the contents of her dresser drawers.

Oh the joys of the terrible twos.