It's me again. Sophiesma - sorry, I just haven't started thinking of my baby as a toddler yet! LOL
Florencia - I have to admit, I only tried the earlier to bed a couple of times. Instead of the usual, put him to bed at 7:15 and he is asleep at 7:30, I put him to bed at 7:00 and he was asleep by 7:15. I think he was still up at 5:15 or 5:30, I can't quite remember, it was a couple of weeks ago that I tried it. For one thing, putting him to bed earlier is tough because of schedules. I pick him up from day care at 5:00, we go home and he gets dinner at 5:45. Dad gets home at 6:30 and gives him a bath. He is in his jammies and getting a bottle around 7:00 and is usually in his crib at 7:15. He is usually asleep at 7:30. On rare occasions we are running a little later and he doesn't get to bed until 7:30 or 7:45, but that is rare. Dad would be so upset if he didn't get to see him at night, if only for a few minutes. Bath time is their time. But I know how important sleep is, so if I thought this would really help, I would do it. He is definitely really tired and ready for bed, even during his dinner at 5:45 he is rubbing his eyes.
I'm not positive if he is "programmed" for only 10 hours at night, it just seems that that is what he gets regardless of times. A couple of months ago, he was sleeping more like 10.5 to 11 hours regularly, from 7:30 PM to 6:00 or 6:30 AM. Then he suddenly started the early wakings and has only been getting 10 hours.
He might be teething, but it is hard to tell. He has his two bottom front teeth (none on the sides that I can see coming in), his two top front teeth and one on the side. The other side one may be coming but I don't see anything. I have given motrin or tylenol a few times when I thought he was uncomfortable (showing crankiness) but it didn't seem to change his sleep in any way.
Lately, perhaps along with the walking, he seems to be clingy with me in a way he hasn't been before and having a little separation anxiety, that he also hasn't had before.
Tess - I shouldn't just go and put him in bed at 6:30 one night suddenly right, I should slowly move his bedtime back by 15 minute increments. So maybe 7:00 for a couple of days, 6:45 for a couple of days, then 6:30 for a couple of days? I am petrified that he will be up at 4:30 AM! How do I determine what his "hours" are, if he is an early waker by nature and when the best bedtime is?
imsmum - I thought that having 1 nap 5 days a week and 2 naps 2 days a week would be confusing too, but several people have said that is what their kids do in transitions and to just keep offering the 2 naps as long as he will take them. At home on the weekend, he is so tired and ready to nap by 9:00 AM that I just can't force him to stay up. If he naps then (usually for 1 to 1.5 hours) then I put him down for another nap at 1:30 or 2:00 and he sleeps another hour. A couple of times he has resisted the morning nap, so I just skipped it and switched to the day care schedule of napping at 11:30. But while at school he would sleep for 2 hours, at home he just slept for 1 hour, then he was really tired for the rest of the day.
Last night, he was very tired and we put him in bed at 7:10. He was asleep in 10 minutes. I heard him stir at 5:00 am but he fell back asleep and woke up at 6:00 AM. There just seems to be little rhyme or reason for all this!
Thanks for all your suggestions ladies - keep them coming!