New Sleep Stuff

We have yet another bedtime routine with Lucas. The bath, playing in room, and storytime is still the same. What's changed is the last step. Lately when I rock Lucas or lay him in his bed he fidgets and tosses very restlessly. I'm trying to put him to sleep, but he isn't completely ready. I know that he can go to sleep in our bed on his own (sometimes I turn my back while he tosses to get comfortable), so I figured I'd try that approach in his room. Each night we make a little pallet on the floor. I lay my head on the pillow, hum Rocking Horse, Rocking Horse and close my eyes. Lucas will plop down beside me and close his eyes for a few seconds, then push up and walk around, then plop down again, nurse, tickle my face, stare at me to see if I'm really asleep, bite my nose, etc....but finally he lies down and goes to sleep. Every time he falls asleep perpendicular to me, with his head against my belly. Once he goes to sleep he transfers easily to his crib.

All this happens around 8pm. He then wakes up around midnight to nurse and again at 4am. I go to his room the first time and Jeff brings him to our bed the second time. This sounds like a lot of work, but we enjoy having him next to us and having him wake up next to us with a big grin on his little face. He usually sleeps later than we do. I heard him rustling around yesterday and when I went into our room he was standing beside the bed - I guess he can climb off of it now (it's low to the ground).

Here is the little guy after falling asleep last night...