Escape Artist

This past Friday, I was putting the kids down for an afternoon nap and Isaac decided he didn't want to take an afternoon nap (my current battle) so he started crying when I left the room. I checked on Keira and she had already fallen asleep through the drama so I went to our room to get some work done on the computer. Isaac was still fussing off and on but I wasn't worried about him. Then I heard the volume of the cry get louder because his bedroom door had opened. Walking to that side of the house I was ready to grill Keira about going into his room (something she likes to do to "check on him" but all it does is make him made because he is still stuck in his crib crying) but when I turned the corner at the hallway, I saw Isaac out of his bed, in the hall about to open Keira's door. I wish someone (besides Isaac) could have seen the look on my face. I couldn't believe it! At no point did his cry change like he hurt himself so I'm sure just like his sister he skillfully landed on two feet.

I hoped it was going to be a one time thing, but no! He did it again on Saturday for his nap but this time I was in Keira's room and heard him make a "crash landing". He wasn't hurt, just on his butt and probably startled. I decided I couldn't risk him hurting himself so I did what my friend Amy said worked for her son. I turned the crib around and put the front side (the shorter side) up against the wall and even took the bumper out in case that was giving him "lift". I rocked him, put him back in bed (using a step stool since I couldn't get him to the mattress without dropping him otherwise) and left the room. He got out again this time without drama and opened the door and headed back out into the hallway. When I walked out to get him and asked him to come to his room, he just shook his head "no" at me.

Now Bryan and I are trying to decide what to do with him. We don't want him getting hurt so we either have to buy a crib tent to "cage" him in so he can't get out or change his crib to a toddler bed, which frankly I am NOT ready for. We switched Keira a few weeks after her 2nd Birthday and it was hell trying to get her to stay in bed and take a nap and she was by the side of my bed several times a night. He is not even 18 months (and has great comprehension but not the best follow through) and I think the freedom of a "big boy" bed will be too much for him. Who knows where he will end up...in Keira's room, climbing on her bed and slapping her in the head (like he did the other morning to wake her up) or in the refrigerator trying to get out whatever he can carry or God forbid splashing around in the toilet.

The other fabulous part of all this is he has started waking up in the middle of the night since this first happened and I can't let him cry it out like I would have because he'll just climb out of his crib, so...I end up on lying on his floor trying to get him to go back to sleep and when he does and I leave, he usually wakes up crying a little while later probably because I'm not on the floor.

Needless to say our little guy is a little too smart for his own good. I'll keep you posted on what we decide. If you have any ideas, feel free to leave a comment.