toddler bed struggle

i've ranted alot about this the past few days on facebook, so most of you prob already know whats been going on. but just in case you dont...

the fist night with the toddler bed i went in to check on caitlin around 2am. i found her curled up in a ball on the floor. so at some point she must have fallen out. we had placed her bean bag up against the bed opening to cushon any type of fall. well, i decided to just put some blankets on the ground and let her spend the rest of the night there.

the next day i could tell she didnt sleep very well. cranky and grouchy and oh so very tired. come nap time i could tell she really wanted to go to sleep so i placed her in her bed. no way was she gonna go..she screamed and fussed up a storm. so i rocked her in the chair and once she was almost alseep i tried placing her in her bed. nope. not gonna happen. so then i sat with her on my bed and she fell asleep there. after about 10 minutes i decided to try her bed one more time. no way. so i tried a different tactic: i moved her bed to a different spot in the room. we put on fun music in her room and danced around. she sat in her bed and we threw animals back and forth at eachother having a fun fun time. i wanted to make the room a positive experience after her earlier tries. then i decided to go do some errands and get out of the house. she was good for that. and then on the way home she feel asleep in the car.

so once i got home i gently placed her again in her bed. and you know what? she stayed! amazing! about 2.5 hrs later she came out into the living room where i was. i was so proud of my little girl!

and then last night when it came time for bed i placed her in it and we read a book. i put on her lullabye music and left the room. she cried a minute or so then settled down. around 2:30 this morning i heard her get up. so i went to check on her and after changing her diaper i placed her back in the bed. she got up again. i put her back. and again. and again. after 4 tries of which she cried like i was the meanest mom in the world she settled down and went to sleep where she stayed the rest of the night without falling out.

and just now, for naptime today, i only had to put her back in the bed twice before she stayed. so all in all i think she is getting the hang of it. i long for the day when i can say "time for bed caitlin" and she will willingly go and go to sleep. i can dream, can't i? ... :)