"You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction."

Almost 4 years of co-sleeping and this week Opeie has finally asked to sleep in the 'big boy bed'. For Christmas the only thing Seth had asked for from Santa was a bunk bed. So when they woke up on Christmas morning to find a huge thing wrapped up in their room, Seth had visions of Opeie joining him straight away.  I think Seth was a little jealous that we all slept in the same bed, like he was missing out on something and this was his chance to claim back some fun boy time with his little brother. 

Sadly despite having something new to throw a sheet over and make a base with, Opeie showed absolutely no interest in wanting to spend the night there, poor Seth. On Sunday night though he surprised us all by very politely requesting the bottom bunk for his evening of slumber. We were all very shocked.

We expected the novelty to wear off after five minutes, followed by 'can I sleep in your bed?' But he got all cosy, asked for a cuddle and dropped off with no effort from me. It was a dream come true. He woke up a couple of times for a drink and i had to get in with him around 3am (which I've done every night so far). But he's now on night six and going strong. We've told him if he makes it through the week he can have a Paddington bear for being good (I was inspired by a story Auntie Lottie told me about her sky dancer back when we were little).

Mrs M isn't liking the change of him not being in bed but it will do him good now to feel a little more independent. Clearly he was ready for the transition as the change was on his terms not ours. Its great to see him making big decisions for himself and i couldn't be more proud of the way he is developing.

"Childhood is the sleep of reason."

Opeie's new favourite role playing activity in the house is making a bed for his toys and making sure they are comfy and tucked up. It seems that any time of the day is appropriate and once they've got their heads down they are expected to stay there for quite sometime. I can't help but think 'why has he not taken a leaf out of his play routine and opted to sleep through the night?' Spider-Man doesn't seem to have a choice.

Opeie has never slept through the night and many nights end up being a constant battle......... For Mrs M haha. I'd love to help but my lack of the mammary gland and the fact that a brass band could walk through our room and I wouldn't wake up makes it virtually impossible. With enough kicking though I have been known to open a window, plug the fan in and get Opeie medicine when he's ill so I'm not all bad and i do get up in the mornings early so Mrs M can have a catch up.

Hopefully Opeie will start sleeping properly soon but the fact that he is such a boobie monster is the main problem (wonder where he gets that from?). Maybe if Opeie keeps making beds around the house for his toys eventually he will realise the importance of sleep. He even puts toys to bed when were out and about last week at the toy museum he took the cushion off a sofa in the dolls house and tucked the postman in.

Mrs M had an old new born crib that we had been using as a magazine rack since we moved in so we emptied it, made a mattress and looked for suitable bedding for Opeie's favourite super hero. I found a little patterned pillow from Ikea for him and put it in and Opeie looked at me with a really disappointed face then removed said cushion. I couldn't work out why he seemed so annoyed until he came bopping across the room clutching his spider-man head cushion (silly daddy). I'm really loving how he knows what he wants and is quite independent.

I thought his little bed was complete but Opeie had obviously gone in to dad mode and knew what was best for his new little boy. Turns out that Spider-man doesn't get a decent nights sleep unless he's wearing a pair of safety goggles, I'll have to let Mrs M in on that little tip.