13 Months

This is the schedule I followed with my now 2 year old and he is still an excellent sleeper!

Times can be changed, but what I think is important is that bedtime is no more than 4 hours after wake up time from second nap. I also like to make sure he eats something high in fat before bedtime or at dinner so I know he will stay full all night long.

Also, 2 naps are important. If he takes 1, he gets too overtired and doesn’t sleep as well or behave as well during awake times. If he is refusing/resisting naps, I let him try to fall asleep for 30 minutes to an hour. If he is not crying, I just leave him. If he starts to cry, I let him fuss 5 to 10 minutes and then go in and offer water and rock / bounce him to sleep. I would offer milk but he sometimes spits it out which would make such a mess.

I sometimes have to limit the first nap to an hour if he starts refusing or resisting the afternoon one too much. If he takes the afternoon one too late, it will mess up bedtime. I try to make sure he is up from AM nap at 11 am, and up from PM nap no later than 4:30 pm, but 4 pm is more ideal.

**If he wakes up before 7 am, I try to leave him in the crib as close to 7 am as possible. Usually he wakes up between 6:30 and 7 and plays in his crib until I come to get him. There are times he is crying, though, so in extreme circumstances I do go in before 7 am.

7 am Wake Up/Play, Offer smoothie. He enjoys sitting in his high chair watching it be made.

8 am Breakfast – Oatmeal, fresh or frozen fruit, Sometimes also a second breakfast of freezer waffles
Recipe for oatmeal: ¼ cup oats with ½ cup milk and a little maple syrup

9 am Nap
Sometime around 9, change his diaper and put him in his sleep sack. Turn on the sound machine and dim the lights in his room. Read a few books, sing him a song and rock him for a minute or so, turn on the music box, and lay him in the crib for his nap. I try to make sure he is in the crib by 9:30 am.

11 am Activity Time, he may want a snack during this time or something to drink.
Usually in the morning activity time we do the library or museum.

1 pm Lunch
If we are going to be out, I pack him a lunch in his monkey backpack. He will usually eat a yogurt, a fruit/veggie pouch or a banana or other fruit, some crackers or pita bread, and anything else that is around.
Other ideas are peanut butter and banana or grilled cheese.

2 pm Nap
Sometime around 2, change his diaper and put him in his sleep sack. Turn on the sound machine and dim the lights in his room. Read a few books, sing him a song and rock him for a minute or so, turn on the music box, and lay him in the crib for his nap.

4 pm Activity Time, he may want a snack during this time or something to drink.
Usually for the afternoon activity time we do the park.

6 pm Dinner/Bath
He usually eats a cheese stick for an appetizer
Then whatever I can come up with for dinner – guacamole, avocado, some fruits, whatever else we are having, and more yogurt if he wants it or if he didn’t have it at lunch.

7 pm Bed, optional snack/smoothie before bed if needed
He gets a clean diaper after bath and wears his sleep sack. We turn on the sound machine and dim the lights in his room. We read a few books, sing him a song and rock him for a minute or so, turn on the music box, and lay him in the crib for the night.