Thursday, September 23, 2010

Another day, another change...

So, despite the fact that Adam will be turning 2 1/2 in October...he has still been in a crib all this time.  For two reasons:
#1 - He doesn't climb out....I've applied the "georgia" theory to this one.  See, Georgia could easily jump the white picket fence keeping her in the yard - but she doesn't KNOW that she could, so she doesn't.   Adam could probably have climbed out of his crib long ago...but didn't KNOW that he could...so he didn't.  Yay.

#2 - I believe in total containment.  I think I did a post once about playpens and the whole controversy there...well, I think small areas where the kid is safe and contained - are totally awesome.  I can leave him in there during naptime despite him running around in circles, and screaming "MOMMA!" at the top of his lungs 4927 times in a row.  But he's contained, so his ability to get into trouble or get hurt, is minimal.  Yay.

Hubs has been wanting to transition him to a toddler bed like a "Big Boy" for a while now - but knowing that naps are probably hopeless once that happens, and see the above two reasons, I've been putting him off.  We agreed to visit the discussion again once he hit 2 1/2...
Until yesterday.

Yesterday, he was doing his normal laps in the crib and screaming and generally trying to NOT sleep as per usual..when I heard some grunting and commotion and decided to glance into the video monitor to see what he was up to.  Aaaaand, discovered he was in the process of climbing out.  Dammit.
So I ran in there and actually caught him just as he was going over.  I put him back in and he proceeded to sling one leg over and do it again.  I hung my head and had to admit defeat.  There would be no nap, and there would be a crib turned into a toddler bed that evening.  SIGH


It was kind of a sad thing actually.  My baby will never again sleep in a crib.  This growing up thing is so bittersweet.  I'm so excited to see the little man he's becoming (he now says "no thank you" - how crazy is THAT??) and yet, I'm kinda bummed at the babyness going away.
Adam was SOOOO excited that he could climb in and out of his bed - he ran around like a mad man while we were putting the little rails up.

Anyhow...I had myself prepared for an awful night of transition.   We did our normal routine, story...song...kisses, etc - and then we both started to walk out of the room and he hopped right out of that bed and tried to follow us out of the room.   I decided to stay in there and try and calm him and keep him in bed, hoping he would go to sleep.  So back to bed he went, and I sat and sang some songs and he flipped and flopped and tossed and turned and eventually I had to pee, so I got up and walked out of the room and closed the door behind me.  A quick peek in the monitor told me that he was still in bed, and shortly after that - fast asleep.  WHEW - that way too easy.   We kept checking and he was still in his bed...and then right before we went to bed ourselves, I checked again and found him like this:

(we didn't turn on the light, but that flash made it look like we did!)
Hilarious - we laughed and chuckled and carefully put him back in his bed, where he slept ALL NIGHT LONG.  Never got up - never fell out of bed - totally amazing.  In the morning, I got up before him and I was making coffee at just after 8am when I noticed he was awake.  He lolled around in bed for a while and then sat up and said "Momma?"  hahahaha.  I went in there and hugged and kissed him and thanked him for sleeping through the night so well in his Big Boy bed.  He just beamed and kissed me back....so proud. 

Tonight, we did the same routine - story, song, night-night kisses....and we both left the room and closed the door.  He stayed in bed and 10 minutes later is FAST ASLEEP.  
Sometimes I think the things I worry about the most are the things I shouldn't be worried about.  HA.  Although I haven't attempted a nap yet.  Hmmmmm

6 comments:

Joanna said...

You must read my old post from January of 08' and look at your comment :)
http://poot-n-toots.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/01/pinked-slipped.html#comments

We moved Ally to the big-bed (crib wiht the front taken off) when she was 18 months and then when she turned 2 we took out the crib altogehter and she moved into the queen bed with Paige. I will say though that we did put those spinner lock type things on the door so she couldn't wander out (especially since we have stairs). I'm with you containment is *SAFE* and that's what is most important :)

k said...

Oh my lands--that FACE! So cute!

This is encouraging to me as E is still in his crib and I am bound to leave him in there as long as humanly possible. But! When we do transition, I will remember your smooth sailing...

Kelly said...

I'm dying to hear how nap time went! That is our toughest time with the big girl bed. She doesn't want to nap so she up out of bed faster than you can leave the room. I agree, it was so much easier when she would just stay in there because she had to.

So long baby, hello little man! (Who, btw, is adorable! Look at that ham!)

2boymommy said...

You are so smart to have waited! If I could do it over I totally would have. We had to move josh out of his crib before he was 2 because I was having baby #2. And Jason was also under 2 because he was a climber. Now we battle Jason getting out of bed every night. I should have done that big 'ol bet that goes over the brib for Jason so he wouldn't climb.... do they make those for toddler beds??... ha ha

2boymommy said...

I meant NET thing that goes over the CRIB.... can't spell... maybe because I should be sleeping at 11:45pm and not blogging!

N.D. said...

wow that sounds like an easy transition! What a cutie - I love the picture of him sleeping on the floor. I would be sad too about moving him over and will probably wait until he jumps out (or attempts to) also! I was thinking sometimes I wouldn't even be able to see what he was doing since he might be out of the bed playing in his room. It will be interesting.