Parker's been sleeping in his crib until this week. When he was exactly 18 months he climbed out, so Kyle took out the wire frame and set the mattress directly on the floor. It worked great--he hasn't been able to climb out since. But he's two and a half now and we thought it was time he learns to sleep in a regular bed--a "big boy" bed!
We asked several of our friends who had transitioned their toddlers how it went and they all had positive experiences. But their kids weren't Parker. How would a two year old little boy who can barely sit still and who never wants to go to sleep ever stay in his bed voluntarily? Gotta say, I was a little skeptical. Couldn't we just keep him in the crib for maybe...oh, I don't know...a few more years??
**Sigh**
Kyle took the front panel off the crib on Monday. Parker, of course, was ecstatic! He was running around, jumping and playing on his new 'big boy' bed all evening and we have never seen him so excited to lie down!
After he was put in bed that night we sat in the living room watching tv and we waited. For what exactly, I'm not sure....for the sound of his little footsteps running around, the clicking sound of him playing with his color-changing nightlight, the crashing sound as he pulled a bin of toys off his shelf, or maybe for him to poke his little head around the corner and tell us he needed more water. The possibilities were endless.
But what did we hear? Silence. For a while.
And then little footsteps.
And then the clicking of the nightlight. :) Kyle went in and put him back in bed and explained once again the rules about the new bed. That now that he was a big boy, he had to obey and stay in his bed when it was time to sleep. Then Kyle walked into the next room for something and once again heard the little footsteps. So back in he went! Thankfully, after going in twice, Parker decided to stay in bed and he finally fell asleep. Although when I got him up in the morning, there were two small wooden blocks that weren't there when we tucked him in the night before...
Tuesday afternoon came around and I was dreading nap time. Sure, he went to sleep last night because it was dark in the room and he was probably getting tired after all that running around. But what about his afternoon nap when the room is still light and toys are in plain view? Thinking this could go very badly, I put him in bed as usual and walked out. I answered my phone and after a short conversation I went to check on him and he was still in bed, fast asleep! Yay!!
SO thankful this has been an easy transition! We've been talking about doing it for months and we always came back to "No, he's not ready yet. He would never stay in bed." But I'm happy we decided to try it. I guess once again we underestimated the little guy and what he was capable of.
And Elise? Well, she's just doing all the cute things babies do. She smiles and talks a lot. She rolls over and can pick up and hold her own toys. And she's on a regular nap schedule now--at the same time as her brother--which makes this Mommy very happy!
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