Long time, no type

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind of work craziness, spring cleaning, planting, parties (we have entered party season, after all!), dear friends, sweet family, and personal introspection. CRA.zy. The blog definitely took a neccessary backseat for awhile there. But I'm coming up for air! I hope to get back on a regular schedule, but the month of June may be a little light as I wrap up at school and get my kiddos situated for the end of the year. And then...hello, sweet summer! My favorite time of year. Sunshine and long lazy days, cicadas singing and fireflies glowing, BBQs and swimming pools and afternoon naps. Two glorious months of time with my little man!

Speaking of the little man, we are having some sleep woes that I can't explain. If you can, please chime in! For the last year or so, he's been fantastic at putting himself to sleep at night. We read stories, sing a song, have some snuggles in the rocking chair, then he goes in his crib, and up until now, he would turn on his crib soother, curl up and go to sleep. The last week or so, bedtime has been kind of a disaster. He wants "more snuggles, more, snuggles, MORE SNUGGLES!" and the minute you try and leave his room, he falls apart. We do rub his back in his crib briefly to help him settle in for the night, but the second we stop, his head pops up and he demands more, at which point we say love you, night night, and leave. I hope I don't sound cold, but I really, really do not want to create a bad habit here. If we were to stay in there rubbing his back until he's sound asleep every night, that screams "bad sleep habit" to me. After we leave the room, he cries for anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes before falling asleep. Is this just something he has to work through? A passing phase? I'm thinking of going back to our sleep training method of "checking in" at set intervals just to reassure him that we're there without touching or picking him up. What would you/have you done?