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It is embarrassing to admit this to the world, but I can't wait to come out... well, now that the problem is rectified...  You see, up until Saturday night we were co-sleepers. With both kids. I know what you're thinking, and frankly, I agree.  We are nuts.  I dedicate this blog to the Hebranks whose generous donation propelled us from co-sleepers to sleepers.

You see, co-sleeping is a misnomer, or at least it was in our house, because there isn't any sleeping that happens when you co-sleep.  Ashton will be two on the 13th of this month and I don't think he has ever slept through the night. When I see it written out, it seems ridiculous that it took us two years to get our kids out of our bed, but up until now it always seemed easier to keep them with us than endure the screaming and crying of their transition to independent sleeping.

This makes me feel like a horrible parent, but it started out innocently and became our crutch.  Before Ashton was born, we swore that he would never spend a moment in our bed.  When he was born having him in the room was easier than walking the dreaded 10 feet to his room.  In typical Chelsea fashion, I was too cheap to buy a bassinet because I knew it would be short-lived, so I let him sleep with us for the first couple of weeks.  Then, I put my foot down and told Jimmy that he was being evicted.  I would get him to sleep, put him in his crib, he would cry, and Jimmy would pick him up and put him in our bed.  See, it wasn't my fault!  Jimmy claimed that he was worried about SIDS and naively thought having him closer would somehow help, but I think he just liked snuggling with the little guy.  As time passed Ashton's newborn-like sleeping patterns continued.  Ashton isn't a bad kid, but we didn't know how to get him to sleep any other way, so we created our very own monster. 

Anyway, all of this changed this weekend when we were given this super cool "race car bed," as Ashton calls it, from Phil and Charlotte Hebrank.  We were able to use Ashton's natural, testosterone-driven love of anything with a motor to con him into sleeping in his own room.  Plus, my parents, I mean, Santa, gave Ashton glow in the dark stars, which we put right above his super cool bed to make his room even cooler.   Transitioning Reagan to her crib didn't require as much creativity, but did take a strong backbone and a lot of learning because our experience level is about the same as a women who delivered yesterday.

I won't continue on any further, but in summary, the kids are in their beds as I type!  Here are a few pictures of the kids at nap time today:

Reagan sleeping soundly

Ashton zooming off to dream land.