Winning...

   This is the stage that I would like to call "Winning!" This morning I walked in to get AE up after been outside letting chickens out and feeding our dog and new barn cat. I hadn't heard her crying just talking a bit, maybe some singing and this is what I found...

... I caught her just in time to see her try to escape for the 1st time (at least that I'm aware of). Really, I'm surprised its taken her this long to try, but the girl does like her sleep and usually reaches for her crib when its time. She's beginning to be a bit defiant lately and testing us out. I've probably let things slip by without much thought about discipline so now I got to get my game face back on and get her back in line.
   I put her down for nap time and before I got out of the room I turned around and said "night, night" and she was swinging her leg up on the rail. I didn't realize she was tall enough, but she made it look so easy. It worried me some. I don't want her falling and getting hurt, but I'm not ready for the toddler bed struggle either. I bought a rail and turned her crib into a toddler bed to try it out. She loved the fact that she could crawl in and out. FAIL. We by-passed nap and she was a beast this afternoon and getting her to go down for bed wasn't easy. I started early, and ended up putting her crib back together. I caught her climbing out 2 more times, maybe 3. She cried every time she got to the top so I went in there and played tough love on her bottom so she knew I meant business. Its been a few minutes, but I'm pretty sure she's asleep now and hopefully she'll stay asleep or at least won't try to climb out anymore. I did put some cushions on the floor just in case she made it out. So far, she's gotten to the top and I think has been too afraid or not known what to do next to get all of the way down.
  She listens really well to me most of the time, but lack of sleep makes her really defiant. Even when I put her back in the crib, I could say "sit down, please" and she actually would every time.