Sleeping woes

Sorry for a week of no posts. Austin and Bennett both have had colds. Austin is better but still coughing a little, Bennett is still rather miserable. Neither has been sleeping very well. Bennett did better last night, but woke up around 5:30 and didn't go back to sleep for awhile. He is now taking a good morning nap, but will not sleep much at all in the afternoons. Then he is very cranky by 6:00, when we usually eat dinner.

Austin's sleeping problems are of a different nature...more of a two-year-old, tantrum nature. While he has not consistently been sleeping during his afternoon nap for a few months, he was at least content to talk and play in bed if he didn't go to sleep. Not anymore. This week he has started screaming/crying first at nap time and now at bedtime too. He starts saying he doesn't want to go to bed, he wants to play with toys, he needs another song, another hug, something to eat etc. Then he started just screaming and crying. At first I went in to see what was wrong (once he actually didn't have his precious blue puppy so we had to find him). But the minute I walk in he stops crying. So yesterday I told him I would not come back in if he fussed. I guess he wanted to see if I meant it because he cried non-stop (literally) for 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES. This happened to be while we had guests over, of course. I didn't know he had it in him to be that stubborn, but he did. Tonight he cried for about 30 minutes after we put him to bed. And woke up early this morning too. SO...this is yet a new phase and challenge to my mothering skills. Hopefully soon I can actually have an afternoon where both of my children nap ( at all would be nice, at the same time would be amazing).

Well, I think after this I will go to bed.