Lorelei's Big-Girl Bed
A big milestone was hit around here. Our fair Lorelei has graduated to a big-girl bed.
The first night was a tad tough. For starters, the child was NOT amused by watching Daddy dismantle her crib. She was mad. MAD. And stress-sucking three separate pacifiers (something we typically save only for bedtime.) I eventually removed her from the room, which was fine. The crib tear-down was breaking my heart as well. My baby. Sigh.
Chris made himself scarce for Lorelei's first night without the jail bars of a crib. (What? I'm not bitter.) Actually, it probably was better that way, because I had complete control over her transition.
And we all know how much I love control.
Charlotte's transition from crib to bed was the easiest in the history of toddlers. I knew Lorelei's would be trickier.
I was right.
We started by putting her crib mattress on the floor. After reading her books, I laid her down, gave her the requisite paci and seahorse, turned off the lights, and left. About 2 seconds later, Lorelei was off her bed, crying, and banging on the door.
Now, I've watched enough Super Nanny episodes to know that this was a battle I MUST win. I've heard of mothers having to put their wandering toddlers back onto beds more than a hundred times. I would win.
I. Would. Win.
Lorelei got creative, chasing me immediately out of the room before I had time to close the door, escaping to different parts of the room, and so on. All while crying.We have a video monitor, so I could see exactly what shenanigans she was trying. That was useful---no guesswork.
I picked her up and put her back down on her bed 24 times. My back hurt. My arms hurt. And I was hot. But finally? Victory. She stayed put on her bed.
The crying was another issue. I muted the baby monitor and watched it light up instead, indicating she was still screaming. This was Part 2 of the battle, which I hadn't anticipated being so brutal. It took a long, long, LONG time. But she eventually crapped out. On her bed.
At some point between crapping out and Chris and me going to bed, she ended up in the middle of the floor. We expected it.
The next night, I told Chris that all we were aiming for was IMPROVEMENT over the previous night. "Anything less than 24 returns to bed is a win," I declared, sort of know-it-all-y.
Again, I read her books, I put her to bed. This time? The child stayed put. She cried for about a minute and then . . . silence. And sleep.
I will admit it: I was the most smug mother on the block. My efforts the night before had totally paid off. "Aren't you IMPRESSED?!" I asked Chris, totally fishing for a "oh my goodness, dear wife, you are the most competent mother EVER" compliment.
"Sure," Chris said. So, that was that.
But whatever. Victory was mine.
That night, Lorelei wriggled off her mattress a bit, but she was getting the hang of sleeping sans crib bars and bumpers. By night 3, she could stay on the bed.
In the meantime, we ordered Lorelei a big-girl bed. We bought her a good-quality, full-sized/double bed. We did the same for Charlotte a few years ago, and it was a great decision for us. I looooove Charlotte having a good, double bed. First, I didn't want to buy something crappy or too small and have to replace it. I wanted to get it right the first time. Second, I love her having a full-sized bed, because there's plenty of room for the whole dang family to gather together for story time. Third, when Charlotte gets sick (which hasn't been for a long time--woohoo!), she gets extreme, scary-high fevers. When that happens, I sleep next to her so I can easily monitor her through the night. Try doing THAT in a twin bed. Finally, when we have guests beyond what the guest bedroom can hold, two people can comfortably sleep in her room.
So, getting a full-sized was a no brainer for us. Eventually, the bed arrived. We stored the box spring and put just the top mattress on the floor. I slid the crib mattress next to the big bed, so Lorelei would have just a small dip if she wriggled off. Since getting the big bed, she has only come off it once. So, I removed the crib mattress and am storing it (and the crib) for a friend who will have a baby this summer.
Kind of late in the game, it occurred to me: I didn't have bedding for Lorelei! True, I could use a white duvet that I had used pre-Lorelei, when her room was an additional guest bedroom, but . . . I wanted something new. After all, I had never bought her little-girl bedding. I had used Charlotte's ladybug crib bedding for Lorelei as a baby. Even in Charlotte's room, my mom made the quilt on her bed (which is fabulous and great, and I loved picking out the fabrics and all). But I hadn't gotten to SHOP for a little girl's room since I was pregnant with Charlotte.
'Twas time.
When I found the bedding for Lorelei, I just knew it was perfect for her. Lorelei's room is sky blue with a hint of aqua, which is sort of a relief for the eyes when coming from Charlotte's EVERYTHING-IS-PINK room. I think it works really well in her room--it's girly, a tad whimsical, airy, and plays off the blue really nicely. Oh! And there's not a frickin' princess anywhere on it.
Overall, I'm pleased as punch with how Lorelei's transition went. As with Charlotte, I think it helps that she naps at school on a cot. So, sleep without a crib is not totally new to her. Also, the parenting books say we're transitioning her too young. And this is how I know that parenting books are full of crap---only you know your kiddo's temperament and family's circumstances. Charlotte's move was frighteningly smooth, and Lorelei's has been extremely successful. Was it a transition? Yes. Did Lorelei deal with it within a single drama-filled night? Yes. Done.
I've also found other benefits that I hadn't expected. The nighttime routine got weirdly more streamlined. The girls (well, Charlotte) want to wear matching PJs, so Charlotte picks out her own jammies as well as her sister's (even though they might not have identical Ariel PJs--Lorelei's, after all, are hand-me-downs from her sister--they both wear Little Mermaid, or TinkerBell, or whatever). Before, Lorelei and Charlotte had their books read and teeth brushed separately, but now it's all together. Then we pile up in one of the girls' beds and, in a heap of girliness, read books together. If we're in Lorelei's bed, Charlotte hugs and kisses her sister tonight, turns off her lights, turns on her ladybug night light, and exits. If we're in Charlotte's bed, there's the sisterly hug and kiss, and I take Lorelei back to her room. It's awesome.
The first night was a tad tough. For starters, the child was NOT amused by watching Daddy dismantle her crib. She was mad. MAD. And stress-sucking three separate pacifiers (something we typically save only for bedtime.) I eventually removed her from the room, which was fine. The crib tear-down was breaking my heart as well. My baby. Sigh.
Chris made himself scarce for Lorelei's first night without the jail bars of a crib. (What? I'm not bitter.) Actually, it probably was better that way, because I had complete control over her transition.
And we all know how much I love control.
Charlotte's transition from crib to bed was the easiest in the history of toddlers. I knew Lorelei's would be trickier.
I was right.
We started by putting her crib mattress on the floor. After reading her books, I laid her down, gave her the requisite paci and seahorse, turned off the lights, and left. About 2 seconds later, Lorelei was off her bed, crying, and banging on the door.
Now, I've watched enough Super Nanny episodes to know that this was a battle I MUST win. I've heard of mothers having to put their wandering toddlers back onto beds more than a hundred times. I would win.
I. Would. Win.
Lorelei got creative, chasing me immediately out of the room before I had time to close the door, escaping to different parts of the room, and so on. All while crying.We have a video monitor, so I could see exactly what shenanigans she was trying. That was useful---no guesswork.
I picked her up and put her back down on her bed 24 times. My back hurt. My arms hurt. And I was hot. But finally? Victory. She stayed put on her bed.
The crying was another issue. I muted the baby monitor and watched it light up instead, indicating she was still screaming. This was Part 2 of the battle, which I hadn't anticipated being so brutal. It took a long, long, LONG time. But she eventually crapped out. On her bed.
At some point between crapping out and Chris and me going to bed, she ended up in the middle of the floor. We expected it.
The next night, I told Chris that all we were aiming for was IMPROVEMENT over the previous night. "Anything less than 24 returns to bed is a win," I declared, sort of know-it-all-y.
Again, I read her books, I put her to bed. This time? The child stayed put. She cried for about a minute and then . . . silence. And sleep.
I will admit it: I was the most smug mother on the block. My efforts the night before had totally paid off. "Aren't you IMPRESSED?!" I asked Chris, totally fishing for a "oh my goodness, dear wife, you are the most competent mother EVER" compliment.
"Sure," Chris said. So, that was that.
But whatever. Victory was mine.
That night, Lorelei wriggled off her mattress a bit, but she was getting the hang of sleeping sans crib bars and bumpers. By night 3, she could stay on the bed.
In the meantime, we ordered Lorelei a big-girl bed. We bought her a good-quality, full-sized/double bed. We did the same for Charlotte a few years ago, and it was a great decision for us. I looooove Charlotte having a good, double bed. First, I didn't want to buy something crappy or too small and have to replace it. I wanted to get it right the first time. Second, I love her having a full-sized bed, because there's plenty of room for the whole dang family to gather together for story time. Third, when Charlotte gets sick (which hasn't been for a long time--woohoo!), she gets extreme, scary-high fevers. When that happens, I sleep next to her so I can easily monitor her through the night. Try doing THAT in a twin bed. Finally, when we have guests beyond what the guest bedroom can hold, two people can comfortably sleep in her room.
So, getting a full-sized was a no brainer for us. Eventually, the bed arrived. We stored the box spring and put just the top mattress on the floor. I slid the crib mattress next to the big bed, so Lorelei would have just a small dip if she wriggled off. Since getting the big bed, she has only come off it once. So, I removed the crib mattress and am storing it (and the crib) for a friend who will have a baby this summer.
Kind of late in the game, it occurred to me: I didn't have bedding for Lorelei! True, I could use a white duvet that I had used pre-Lorelei, when her room was an additional guest bedroom, but . . . I wanted something new. After all, I had never bought her little-girl bedding. I had used Charlotte's ladybug crib bedding for Lorelei as a baby. Even in Charlotte's room, my mom made the quilt on her bed (which is fabulous and great, and I loved picking out the fabrics and all). But I hadn't gotten to SHOP for a little girl's room since I was pregnant with Charlotte.
'Twas time.
When I found the bedding for Lorelei, I just knew it was perfect for her. Lorelei's room is sky blue with a hint of aqua, which is sort of a relief for the eyes when coming from Charlotte's EVERYTHING-IS-PINK room. I think it works really well in her room--it's girly, a tad whimsical, airy, and plays off the blue really nicely. Oh! And there's not a frickin' princess anywhere on it.
 | |
| Isn't it cute?! It will look better when the bed is higher (with the box spring and frame). In the meantime, I'm on a quest to find the perfect RED dust ruffle, which I think will be freaking adorable. And oh so Lorelei. |
Overall, I'm pleased as punch with how Lorelei's transition went. As with Charlotte, I think it helps that she naps at school on a cot. So, sleep without a crib is not totally new to her. Also, the parenting books say we're transitioning her too young. And this is how I know that parenting books are full of crap---only you know your kiddo's temperament and family's circumstances. Charlotte's move was frighteningly smooth, and Lorelei's has been extremely successful. Was it a transition? Yes. Did Lorelei deal with it within a single drama-filled night? Yes. Done.
I've also found other benefits that I hadn't expected. The nighttime routine got weirdly more streamlined. The girls (well, Charlotte) want to wear matching PJs, so Charlotte picks out her own jammies as well as her sister's (even though they might not have identical Ariel PJs--Lorelei's, after all, are hand-me-downs from her sister--they both wear Little Mermaid, or TinkerBell, or whatever). Before, Lorelei and Charlotte had their books read and teeth brushed separately, but now it's all together. Then we pile up in one of the girls' beds and, in a heap of girliness, read books together. If we're in Lorelei's bed, Charlotte hugs and kisses her sister tonight, turns off her lights, turns on her ladybug night light, and exits. If we're in Charlotte's bed, there's the sisterly hug and kiss, and I take Lorelei back to her room. It's awesome.
 |
| New nighttime routine. |
Comments
Post a Comment