Sneak

J is in a big girl bed and can open doors. We solved this bedtime problem with a switched doorknob and just locked her in. Potty training has thrown a wrench into this because we have had several accidents on the carpet right inside her door when the door has been unlocked. She just thinks it is locked if she can't open it on the first try.

So we've been trying the super nanny thing and what my favorite sleep book recommends, returning her to bed without eye contact or attention. 1 billion times each night.

My stubborn child didn't exact follow there 5 night time table, but it is improving.

The hardest part is not laughing. She has adopted this idea that if she can't see us, we can't see her so she comes out looking like this.

The part that really kills us is how she runs into things because she can't see. Husband even caught a video of it.

I was in the adjacent room keeping watch when I caught her just outside the door. In her panic she dropped her beloved white blankey. She looked at me. She looked at blankey. She mentally calculated the amount of time it would take me to reach her and  the amount of time it would take to retrieve blankey from two feet away. All of this done in a heartbeat, she decided to leave her love behind and bolt as fast as she could. Again, I tried so hard not to laugh.

She doesn't quite think through her action plan, runs more on instinct. This means she keeps running while her pregnant momma tries to keep up. Eventually she runs out of path to run on and ends at the pantry. 

Silly girl, she will have to learn like generations before her, there is no escaping your mother.

Of course, it does mean we have to shove the door open against the surprising strength of a stubborn two year old. It has me regretting the orientation of the door, especially since she can lever her self against the food storage while laying down. She also manages to squish blankey underneath the jam to make the process even more difficult. That's when I have Husband take over.

This all happened about two weeks ago. After so many days of fighting, we decided the lock was just plain easier and we'd try again some other time. (p.s. we were careful not to give her attention or make it into a game for her. I snapped these pictures very subtly, and only once. I even avoided eye contact most times, which she responded to with trying to force my face towards her with her little hands as I carried her back. Lots of fun. Yet this week we have had some sort of developmental milestone. 

She has learned how to negotiate.

Well, how to accept a bribe.

I mean, she understands the benefits of the positive reinforcement of consequences.

I say something like, "If you don't cry when I drop you off at the gym, we might be able to have a popsicle when we get home." And then she doesn't cry. It's amazing. Of course immediately after picking her up she asks for her popsicle. A purple one specifically. And it's not just food. She was freaking out after leaving her friend's house and I said if she didn't cry, maybe we could have Penny come over the next morning (this was dangerous as the excursion was already planned) and boom, the crying stopped. 

Then last night, we had her ready for bed and I told her I would leave the door open a bit if she stayed in her room, but if she came out that we'd lock her in.

I'm pretty sure it was a fluke, but Friends! It worked!

The future is bright.

Until baby brother comes, then I'm pretty sure all hell will break loose. Until then, it's bright folks, very bright.