It was two years ago at about this time that we brought Monkey home from the hospital. I remember sitting in the back hovering over him in his car seat, all of my muscles tensed and ready for action should we get in an accident in the two miles it would take to get to the house.
After we’d pulled (slowly, so slowly) into the driveway, my husband carried the “baby bucket” into the house and set it on the floor. We perched on the couch and stared at our kid.
“What now?” we wondered.
(Not a camera phone photo. I know, cheating. But 2/3 of the photos here are from my iPhone, so it counts, right?)
Those first few days at home we all slept downstairs – me on the couch, healing from my c-section, hubs in the recliner and baby Monkey in the Pack N Play bassinet. I don’t remember much from that time, only that I would wake up, startled, and nudge my husband asking, “Where’s the baby? Is the baby breathing?”
Yeah, I was kind of a mess.
At the end of the week, my husband convinced me it was time to put the baby in the crib and get ourselves back into our bed. With the help of an Angel Care Monitor we were able to do just that, and we’ve slept well ever since.
So you can imagine how reluctant I was to transition the toddler Monkey to his big boy bed – what if he resisted and we stopped sleeping again? It had been a blissful couple of years, and even though we knew we were in for no sleep come March and the new addition, we didn’t want to practice sleeplessness just yet.
Sunday we finally made the leap of faith. Monkey was getting too tall for his crib. He could lean over and practically flip out of it. Also, the more pregnant I got, the less I knew I’d want or be able to reach over into the crib to fish out the mattress to change the sheet.
We debated the purchase of a cute little toddler bed, but our son had almost always slept in this one. It’s a very nice convertible crib, meant to follow him all the way to move-out day. And it felt kind of wrong to not give the new baby its own crib one day.
So hubs broke out the Allen wrenches and the toddler guard rail that we’d stowed downstairs and we very quickly transformed the bed from baby cage to big boy bed.
We made lots of ooooohs and ahhhhs over it during the process, trying to get Monkey excited about his “new” bed.
When we were done, he jumped right in it. I lined up as many stuffed animals as I could safely fit along with a pillow and his favorite gocky.
That night, we rocked him to sleep before putting him down, just in case. He slept like a rock and awoke at 7:30 the next morning, pulled everything off the bed and held some sort of toy class with his stuffed pals until we heard him and opened the gate to let him out of his room.
I was nervous about naptime, knowing that he wouldn’t rock to sleep if it was light outside. Normally I’d just put him in his crib, tell him goodnight and close the door. But if I closed the door, I couldn’t spy on him to make sure he stayed in bed.
When he began to yawn that afternoon, I walked him upstairs and told him to get in bed. He laid down obediently and I covered him up.
“Night night,” I whispered, patting his head, shutting the gate and turning on the attic fan.
He was out within five minutes. Never got out of that bed. I danced silently in the hallway, full of glee and gratitude at my good fortune. In the one night and two naps since, he’s repeated his brilliant performance, much to our relief.
Don’t think I don’t know how lucky I am. Don’t think for a second I take it for granted or think it has anything to do with my stellar parenting skills.
Nope, I know.
I also know lightning doesn’t strike twice, so I’m probably in for it with this next one.
But that’s a story for another time.
What fun did you capture with your camera phone this week? Link up and share!
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Yay Monkey!! That is one impressive looking bed.
I wanted to find something classic that would last a very long time. And of course he started chewing on the top rails as soon as he could reach them! Good thing they aren’t needed when it changes to a full sized bed.
Awesome bed, I would sleep in that. That also has nothing to do with your parenting skills, lol
I drove my husband insane as well, making him get up in the middle of the night to check if the kids are still breathing…
I’m excited for when it becomes a full sized bed, cause I’m totally napping in it too.
It’s actually nicer than our bed. 
I cried when I transitioned mine to a toddler bed. Big, ugly tears. I’m a baby.
I thought I would cry too but it was too exciting!
It’s still a little strange to read “the more pregnant I get”. Is it still strange to say?
Ho boy, you’ve been lucky. I don’t think any of my kids have slept that well. What a big boy, he is getting to be.
Yeah, cause mostly I don’t feel pregnant at all. So weird.
I thought I’d cry when Gia moved to a toddler bed and was so afraid it was the beginning of no sleep but no tears on either end and she was doing great up until this week and I don’t think it has anything to do with the bed. Love that bed. It looks nicer than mine. I’m going to search my phone and try and link up.
There are so many things about parenting that are easier than I expected. There, I said it. Of course, there are things that are harder! But yay for cooperative kiddos! I do hope you link up.
They get so big, so fast….and yes, I realize that makes me a walking cliche! I waited as long as possible to move from crib to a twin bed for fear of getting up all hours of the night again. Thankfully, it went smoothly with both of mine when they were li’l. Kudos & congrats that your Monkey is rockin’ it! :>
We have really good kids!
That bed looks so amazing. My oldest was horrible when she made the transition – but it was at 18 months when she started climbing out of her crib and generally spending half her night awake doing terrible things. The second was easy – but she climbed out of her crib and into her sister’s bed and never looked back. We’ll see how the third goes when it’s time!
I’m so impressed Monkey did so well. Maybe you’ve just done an awesome job and the same will be true of the second
It’s a pretty great bed. I was so picky when we were shopping for it. My biggest fear was that he would climb out of the crib and let himself outside somehow. I mean, probably not possible, but I was proactive in preventing it!
(And yeah, I totally expect the second one to give me hell. Especially if it’s a girl.)
I want a bed like that! he’s so cute!
With all the stuffed animals? Hahah!
Yay!! We moved our son out of his crib a few months ago and it’s been great! He has always stayed in bed whether it’s nap time or bedtime so maybe Monkey will be doing the exact same thing.
Well gosh, I didn’t realize it was gonna be this easy or I’d have done it a long time ago.
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I’m so impressed with how he’s doing. We are struggling- big time. I remember we went through the same thing with Brody though, so we shall survive. Can’t believe how big they get so fast! Nice job mama!
Yay! for a great nap. You guys will be just fine. Oh – best part of the post? – your tag. I love your heart and your sense of humor. Amazing as always.
Woot, woot! Can I get a bed like that? I’d love a night of sleeping like a rock!
I’ll bet if you had gotten Monkey a new bed, he would not have slept as good as did in the converted old bed. Good decision Mom and Dad. Thanks for sharing a bit more of your family life.
Keep writing…
Yay for you is right. I wanted to keep our third in the crib too — or rather keep him from getting out in the middle of the night. He started climbing out early on. So we got a netting tent to put over the crib. We’d zip him in at night. Crazy but I was desperate. Hope your good fortune holds.
My girls both had convertible cribs too and we never had a transition when switching them. Maybe lightning will strike twice for you too. It certainly seems like you know what you are doing…gocky and all.
I took the sides down on my little one’s crib (not that she ever slept in the crib) and guess who jumps up on the mattress. Nope, not the kid. The freaking dog.
You’ve given me hope for when it comes time to move my “baby”, who will be 2 in September, to a big bed. I know I did it with my daughter with minimal problems, but I’ve forgotten how I did it!
We just started enforcing the toddler bed with my daughter. She’s been a co sleeper for two years but if we’re going to have another baby after the wedding then she needs to sleep in her own bed and sooth herself. She’s doing ok so far.
My 3-yr-old has almost the same bed! You know – I had the same worry that because #1 was easy #2 would be hard. So far – and possibly because I knew mostly what to expect and wasn’t so scared it has been easier not harder. The boy thing is a little confusing but overall just a little less stress! You’ll be great!
With all the physical and developmental changes he’s going through from day to day, it can be enough of a problem to cope with your little boy’s constant activity, let alone track his constantly shifting preferences. If you think that you can transform your baby son’s nursery into a big boy’s bedroom without spending a reasonable amount of money, it is going to be extremely difficult. The secret to making this a success is to get your son a bedding collection of the most refined quality, and choosing a theme that will accompany him right through his growing years…
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