Rough, Rough Night

It's nights like last night that make me really, really wish I had some help. Beans was a monster all day because he doesn't feel well. That took up most of my day. I really needed a quiet evening to prepare us all for this week but then all hell broke loose. Little Man could not/would not go to sleep.

First he snuck toys off the shelves and into his bed. I went and retrieved those and he threw a fit. Oh well, it's bedtime. Stay in bed! I went back to the living room, totally exhausted. I must have dosed off sitting up on the couch as the next thing I know I hear a loud thump. I go running into the kids' room. Little Man has taken numerous things off the shelves and dumped Legos all over the bedroom floor. I put him back in bed and tell him next time I come in the computer is going to Toy Time Out the next day.

He seems to settle so I head back to the living room. We went round and round for two hours of him trying to play or draw and me taking things away and sending him back to bed. Then I decide to remove him from the distraction of his toys and make him a nice bed out in the hall. He lays down, I check him a few times and he's out. I head to bed, just about get to sleep when I see shadows moving around. Yup, it's Little Man at it again. By this time it's 1:15 am. I am not pleasant at 1:15 am. I drag him in with me, figuring that at least if he won't sleep he'll be laying down and maybe I can catch some sleep but wake up if he tries to get up.

Umm...yeah. I wouldn't recommend this method either. I fell asleep around 1:30, he crept out of bed and I hear another noise. Now it's about 1:45. I'm even less pleasant at 1:45 than 1:15. In those short 15 minutes he pulled out the electrical tape, climbed up on a chair and there were spiderwebs of tape across the living room and his bedroom. He had also turned off Beans' feeding pump, disconnected him and tried to get him up.

I was over the top. I ripped down the tape, disconnected the computer (which is now in Toy Time Out for 2 days) and put him back in bed. I grabbed a chair and sat in his doorway until I was sure he was actually asleep. Now it's almost 2:30. The house, spotless when I originally put the kids to bed, is now trashed and Little Man will be cleaning it all tonight. I think I will have to sit in his doorway every night to make sure he goes to sleep.

I haven't yet figured out how I'll keep him safe when he wakes in the night yet. I considered putting a baby gate in his doorway but I think he'll just knock it down. At least he's afraid of the dark so he won't go outside at night. That still leaves everyone and everything in the house vulnerable to his wild ideas though. :( Did I mention I really, really wish I had some help?