Transitioning to a Big Kid Bed!



first night in the new bed! reading with Daddy!



As you may now, we have a new addition to our family on the way. So to start making preparations we decided to start testing out the 'big kid bed' concept with our 2-yr-old.

After nap time this past Saturday, we took M into the guest room and asked if he would like to move that big bed into his room to sleep on. He excitedly said yes and climbed up on it and pretended to start sleeping.



Moving the rocking chair into the
guest room to make space.
M carried out another chair, too, to help.



We told him that he would need special big boy sheets for it, and that we could go shopping to pick some out. He agreed, but we had to do some reminding that he couldn't sleep in it as it was, so could he please get up and head downstairs so we could buy sheets. He got distracted by the bin of baby toys I have already squirreled away in that room, and had to stop and say hello to some old favorites (empty water bottle with wine corks was instantly re-appreciated. This was an idea we borrowed from our childcare center! something like this, but without all the stickers - just a simple empty, label-less water bottle bottles with any filling from beans, to beads, to shells, to colored water - whatever you can think of. We have several different ones. Just make sure the lid is on tight or glued shut.). He even found a bunny lovie/blanket that one of my colleagues had knit for him and told me very seriously that it was his (as in, I will NOT be sharing this one) and took it into his room. Even though he hadn't see it in months.



help moving the bed in - high five!



We headed to the little boy bedding aisle of Target and pulled out every option of full-sized sheet sets they had and placed them side by side. We asked which he liked best. Mys husband was pulling for the sports-themed, I was hoping for the rocket ships. But M chose bulldozers/dump trucks. We even got the little matching decorative pillow (a dump truck) and he hugged it while we did the rest if our shopping.



When we got home, he excitedly helped me put the new sheets in the wash. And then helped Daddy move the rocking chair out and the new bed in. Right now, we don't have a bed rail (it and a mattress protector are on their way from Amazon), so the box springs are just on the floor until then. The crib is still in the room, too, for backup.



When the sheets were dry, M helped me put them on and move his stuffed animals over from the crib.



washing the new sheets!



He was giddy pretending to sleep on the bed, and we had to quash the instinct to make repeated running leaps onto it. The bed is for sleeping. Eventually we decided that we needed a break from the bed excitement altogether, because he was thinking it was a little too fun (throwing his stuffed animals, etc.) he cried when we went downstairs to eat dinner ("I want to keep sleeping!").

After dinner we did the normal routine of teeth, shower, and read him his books (Elmo Big Enough for a Bed, included) on his new bed instead of the chair.

After, he laid down on his tummy as usual, but head towards the foot of the bed. We covered him as usual with his blankie, and he didn't move or make a peep. All night long! Success!!



pretending to sleep



Night two he did fall out of the bed (still no rail) but I just picked him up and put him back, and he didn't even notice. Night three he had a random middle of the night cry, but settled down, and somehow ended up with his head at the head of the bed (opposite the way he'd started) by morning. So far so good (fingers crossed). We haven't had any playing or coming out of his room (yet). We did finally break out our baby gate (we hadn't used it since our move!) for the top of the stairs just in case, though. 



He is still very excited about his bed. I'll post back in a couple of weeks and let you know if the going is still good!!!

Eventually we will have to move the changing table out, too and replace it with a real dresser, but, one step at a time!