We might have a breakthrough!

Don't want to jinx it...but I think we may have solved our months-long bedtime battle with Mav...

This will be the 4th day in a row that Mav has been sound asleep by 9:30pm, without all the drama!!



New Cars jammies!
What a cheesy smile :)

So, what has been the secret?  Well.  No nap.
I don't even know if its good to cut out the nap with a 2 year old...but it seems to be the golden ticket for us.  Hey, every kid is different...right?  He is getting his 10 hours per day, just all at once.  And this all goes without saying that this might not even work next week, ha!

Before, Mav's naptime was pretty inconsistent.  Sometimes it was 2-4p, sometimes it was 3-5p.  Heck, sometimes it was 1-3p, or even 3-6p.  (I'm not even kidding when I say that on the days when he slept until 6, I would swing him around to get him to wake up...and it barely worked, ha!)  Whenever he naps, he would only sleep 7-8 hours at night...plus getting him to go to bed (and stay) was a complete nightmare.

And add on the molar teething...yikes!
(side note--Mav is like the worst teeth grinder in his sleep.  We can hear it over the monitor, and it makes my stomach churn.  I have no idea how he still has teeth left, ha!  The doctor said he should grow out of it, and it's most likely due to teething pain...and there is nothing we can do, aside from a personalized mouthguard...which is only needed if there is actual tooth damage)

He acts so goofy for the flash on my camera!

The first couple of days with no nap, he was a mini terrorist by 7:30p.  We're talking: pulling clothes off hangers in his closet, throwing blocks, stripping down naked and running circles, tugging at curtains, and unwinding a full toilet paper roll into the potty.  (the last one was SO much fun to clean)

If it wasn't so awful in the moment, it would be hilarious.  And really, it was pretty hilarious.  Straight out of a scene from Kindergarten Cop or something, ha!

But today, he has been in a great mood all day...even close to bedtime!  Tonight he was all smiles as I was tucking him in.  Now all I have to do is tuck him in, rub his back for a couple minutes and he is out like a light.  And he stays in bed, asleep, until about 7:30-8am.  Hallelujah!

Of course, we'll see how long this lasts.  Probably have to figure out a new strategy next week. 
As I've found out...that's how parenting goes. :)