Beware the Sleepwalker!

So I have fallen a little behind in my blogging. What can I say, Life Happens!

To bring you up to date, some of you may already know we got rid of Emily's crib. She started trying to climb out of it at night when she would wake up and throw tantrums. You have to love a two year old. Anyway, I was afraid of her falling out so we decided to get rid of it. Kate had well outgrown the toddler bed she was still sleeping in. Because of a lack of space in their room we decided to skip the toddler bed with Emily and get bunk beds for the younger girls. Another factor in this decision was that one way or the other, we would have to put bunk beds in their bedroom. If I gave the bunks to the older girls, Shannon would most likely want the top bunk. Even though she is the oldest of the girls, I was not at all comfortable with that idea. You see, Shannon is the occasional sleepwalker. Since she was a toddler she would get up during the night dazed and confused. She doesn't seem to know where she is, and usually mumbles nonsense. We quickly learned that the urge to use the toilet seemed to be what would "wake" her. If we sent her back to bed, she would wake up wet in the morning. If we guided her to the toilet, she would go to the bathroom and back to sleep. In the morning she would be dry. Now when she gets up at night, we gently guide her to the bathroom and then send her back to bed.

So now that Emily has a big bed, she likes me to lay with her at bedtime before she goes to sleep. I worked Monday night and did not sleep all day Tuesday because the kids were off school. By Tuesday night, I was beyond exhausted. I laid down with Emily around 9:00pm and fell asleep with her. I woke up at about 1:00 when Shannon got out of bed and was walking towards the bunk bed. I thought she was coming to tell me something. She continued to walk past me and then proceeded to climb the ladder to the top bunk. I leaned over and asked her "Shannon! What are you doing??" To which she responded. " I have to go to the bathroom." I laughed and told her she is going the wrong way, she needs to get down and go the other way to the bathroom.

I have to wonder what would have happened if I was not there in Emily's bed. Would Shannon have laid down and gone to sleep with Kate? Or would she have gone to the bathroom in Kate's bed?!! I guess we'll never know. And I guess putting Kate and Emily in the bunk bed did not take care of my worries with Shannon's sleepwalking.

If you are wondering, I asked Shannon the next day and no she does not remember any of this happening.