Let's Be Roomies

We have this brilliant plan for the boys to share a bedroom, and for Travis' room to be a playroom. It's taken several weeks to get to this point and is almost there. Nicholas' new bed arrived yesterday. The furniture was rearranged and new sheets picked out (Nicholas - Batman, Travis - cowboys). The boys scoped out their new beds. All seemed grand. Travis has an earlier bed time so the selected routine for Night One of Roommate-dom was to keep bed times the same. I tried to get Travis settled into a new bed in a new room - probably a total shock when you're less than 2 yo.

• We sat in the rocking chair with just the nightlight on and looked at a book.
• Put him in the bed and he crawled right out.
• It took three tries of laying him down and rubbing his back for him to be relaxed and stay there.
• I said "night, night" and left the room. I went to the playroom to fold laundry so I could hear him. He got up and went to the door to jiggle the handle and let out a few "mommy" cries. And then went back to his bed. I checked back 20 minutes later and sure enough he was sleeping with his head on the pillow like a big boy.
• Another 20 minutes later it was time for Nicholas to go to bed. We read a story in the play room and then tried to sneak into the bedroom. He kept giggling with his hand over his mouth.
• Travis woke up and cried. I picked him up and told him it was time for night-night. They got hugs and kisses and I left the room. It all sounded good for a while.
• "Mommy, mommy". Nicholas had to go potty which of course woke up Travis, who had fallen back asleep.
• Did the hugs, kisses, night-night deal again. This time it was quiet for a lot longer. We heard a couple of bumps and decided it was the cats.
• "Mommy, mommy". I go investigate. Nicholas woke up to find Travis getting in his bed. I put Travis back in his own bed. Everyone seemed fine.
• Again with the "mommy, mommy". This time Travis had pulled the cubbies out of the shelf and had them in his bed. (Nothing is in the cubbies but they are still interesting) Put them away and told the boys to go to sleep.
• Without much surprise, "mommy, mommy" again. Travis had pulled the cubbies into his bed again. Nicholas said, "he's been doing this all night!"
  

We waved the white flag. By this time it was after 10 pm and both of them were not going back to sleep easily. Travis went to his crib in the playroom. He's been sleeping peacefully ever since. And Nicholas slept in his new bed and still got up at his regular 6:30 am.
We're going to keep trying. Eventually this will work out. It has to.