Got us a big-girl bed, but is my toddler a "big girl"?

The short answer is "yes". We waited, and I'm glad we did. She is as ready as she was going to be for a big bed.

We ended up having someone come to take the old double bed out and deliver the new bed, and that same night we dismantled the crib. So the entire coming and going happened in one day.


As expected, Carolina was very excited about the bed and her new sheets (pink!) and blanket (extra soft organic!) and also VERY apprehensive.

The first night I had to stay in the room with her for about 30 minutes until she calmed down enough, and stopped crying long enough, to relax and start to want to go to sleep. She cried out at about midnight and her papa went in there to rub her back for a bit. She woke up, very anxious, at 6.30 and wanted to basically jump off the bed to be with me when I walked in.

She was clearly tired, and ready for a nap at about 11.30am that morning. HOWEVER, she was still a little nervous about sleeping in the big bed by herself. So I stayed for about 10 minutes and then left to take my nap in my bedroom.

She woke up after only about an hour and 20 minutes. She was yawning about 30 minutes after she got up and was READY for sleep later that night.

All this short sleeping caught up with her as last night, we read 3 or 4 books (usually we read 2) and I stayed with her for about 10 minutes as she had a momentary panic just as I turned off the light and she realized it really was time for bed. I held her for a bit until she stopped crying, then hummed to her for about 10 minutes and she was out like a light.

She didn't wake up until a quarter to 7 this morning, and went down for her nap without problems.

I expect she will get a bit nervous just at lights-out moment again tonight but I think the worst is over.

Just like traveling, Carolina needs about 3 days to adjust and then she's good to go.

Honestly, this is a lot faster than I expected. I was going to give her a week of anxiety, but it seems that as long as we reinforce that her bed is comfortable and nice and her babies in there with her, AND remind her that she is still in her own room, she seems to be okay with it.

I had thought we'd need to start playing dolls in her room every day to get her accustomed to being in there but since it's still her room, I guess we didn't need to. And, I thought she'd mind the bed rail but she seems to actually like that it's there.

Also, I told her that the Warning information in English, French and Spanish (on the inside part of the bedrail mesh) is actually a letter to her saying that her bed is nice and the mesh is there to keep her safe. She then asked if the monsters could get in (this is a new thing). I explained like I always do, "No, we keep the front door locked so they can't get in." She then asked if I'd lock her door, and I told her, "I'll keep it closed like always and the front door locked. So they can't get in AT ALL." She seemed to like the "at all" part and always seems to believe me that if we lock the door, they can't get in.

I have no idea where the monsters coming in came from, but it seems that if I am factual about it and don't bring it up, she isn't too worried. Maybe that can change later.


All we need now is a new step stool so she can get into the bed herself. I got a shorter box spring than normal but it's still a bit high and the metal frame is too pointy to use as a step. I even tried it and it hurt my food. We're using a full diaper box now, and another mom in the neighborhood said I could have hers if I pick it up tomorrow, which I will.

Hooray!

PS And you know the head banging on the mattress or moaning hasn't happened since we switched to the bed. I had hoped this might happen as she did a LOT less of it when we changed her crib padding in August. She might be too nervous to bother but I'm very (fingers tightly crossed) hopeful this might be the end of it.

Getting out of the crib herself continues

This morning I was greeted by the sound of "Mamaaaah! Mamaaaah!" from behind a closed door. It was 6.30am and not so early I couldn't deal with it but a little too early for Sunday morning when another 1/2 hour would have been perfect.

So I make my way over to her door, open it slowly (having learned my lesson from yesterday) and she pulls the door toward her and patters out to the dark living room. Just standing there looking a little sad, I bend down and ask her what's the matter, and also explain everyone is sleeping. Everyone at this point being just papa.

She tells me she wants to lay down in my bed. So off we go. She puts her head down on my pillow and closes her eyes. She's like that for about 10 minutes, then starts to get a little fidgety and I open my eyes and find myself looking directly into her open eyes with about 2" between us.

I close my eyes quickly in hopes she might do the same. I then peek one eye open and she's there still staring at me. Quickly close mine again. Wait a minute or so, peek one eye open and she's closed hers again. Phew. I then feel a little finger very, very gently touch my nose. Ah, well, sleep time is over. I see if ignoring her will get her to close her eyes again, knowing full well that it won't. Nope.

She then tells me that it's time for lunch (which is what all meals are currently called), and we go to the potty before getting some cereal.

I try to fight it so as not to wake up Ismael but start dry heaving pretty strongly while in the bathroom, which is adjacent to our bedroom. (At 15 weeks I'd thought we were pretty much passed this but not always.) With Carolina looking on a little worried, and now standing directly next to me at the sink, it finally passes. We go on to the kitchen, followed very sleepily (modorro!) by papa.

I was going to wait until she's closer to 3 to get her a bed, but it might be time after we get back from Mexico to not only get her a bed but also a digital clock so I can teach her that until the number all the way on the left says "7" she has to stay in her room. She's still too short to open her door on her own, but I'm sure that soon enough that'll change, too.

I know my husband will be pleased as he's wanted to get her a bed of her own for many months now. I still think she's not QUITE ready but we're very nearly there. I'll start shopping.