bedtime resistance

For some unknown reason this past week, Jonah has begun waging an all out battle at bedtime. Joel thinks he might be getting his last 2 molars in, but whatever it is, he's raising quite a bit of hell when it comes to staying in bed. Joel, who is normally very patient, has been getting more and more frustrated - especially after putting him back into bed for the 15th time and listening to all his screaming and arguments. Here are some of Jonah's best objections:

"But, I don't want to be in my big boy bed forever!"

"I need to be wrapped up like a baby."
He didn't.

"I really don't want to go sleepy night night in my big boy bed. I'm serious!"

"But, I don't like that choice!"
When told he could choose which of his 2 beds to sleep in.

"I'm going to tell on you!"

"Stop pushing me! You're always pushing me and pushing me!"
When Joel put him in his bed.

"But milk's not yucky! Milk is yummy!"
When told he couldn't have yet another cup of milk.
" How about some apple juice then?" (Joel said no.) "But it's really yummy!"

"But I want to sleep on the ground right there!"

"But I don't want my jammies on!"

Last night we put him back in bed about 20 times, each time with screams of "But I don't want to sleep in my big boy bed! I want to sleep with Mommy!" echoing down the hall. At one point we heard him throwing all his stuffed animals into the hall - "I don't want Boopers! Boopers doesn't help me sleep!" - followed by a chair. He then crept into the hall and almost fell asleep on the floor. Around 10:30 we finally thought he was asleep so I went to check on him. He had climbed into Annie's bed to sleep with her. He then wandered into our bed sometime in the middle of the night, when we were too tired to put up a fight.

Joel's getting creative tonight and giving him the choice between sleeping in his bed or in his play tent on the floor. We'll see. The kid is very determined and a master at arguing his point.