TONIGHT'S BEDTIME AND OTHER NOTES

One of the other 'growing up' changes has been moving the baby gates. Firstly the baby gate in the hall has moved - it was enroute from the playroom and the downstairs loo, now it's in the dining room doorway so I can leave my craft things out without small people and dogs interfering! Upstairs the baby gate on my little bit of landing has moved into Alice's bedroom doorway - in case it's needed for night-time walkings now that she's in the BGB, so far she hasn't got out of bed. With the movement of the downstairs gate I'm now more reliant on the gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. I'm especially careful about shutting the upstairs gate now that Alice could ramble (I leave her gate open as it's there as a last resort!) After her bedtime tonight I heard footsteps on the stairs - I went out to find Pud peering through the banisters at me, tailing wagging - it was quite an achievement for Pud as she's only done the stairs once before and she was a mobile accident looking for a place to happen (ie HUGE hazard!) Pud was very pleased with herself, she slid most of the way down the stairs and then I shut the bottom gate as well - it's not been necessary before as the dogs couldn't get to the bottom of the stairs because of the other gate!

Alice has slept every night, for over a week, in her BGB. I think one of the major incentives is that I lie down with her for 15-20 minutes at bedtime before leaving her to go to sleep. During this time I talk to her about what we've done that day and occasionally what we're doing tomorrow. Eventually I ask if she's ready for me to go, mostly I have to ask 2 or 3 times before she says, 'Yes!' then I put Elmer on the CD player and leave. She's coping with the bed really well, but there have been more tears and return trips upstairs through the evening than when she was in her cot. I think that she's now made the night-time transition - she doesn't look to the cot at bedtime and expects me to lie down for a cuddle with her, something that can only happen if she's in the bed! But tonight, after a little chat, she gave me a kiss and told me that it was time I went to feed the dogs!!