Transitioning From A Crib To A Toddler Bed. ...First Time Mom and Dad Style...

Picture it: Beautiful unseasonably cool Tuesday morning in July.  The birds are chirping.  Ollie was up at 5:44am ready to rock. FTD slept in until 7:30. Typical morning in our house.  The only plans were FTD going to work, and Ollie and I going to the Zoo.  Life was good...

Fast forward to later that day-- 5:30pm...

FTD comes in the door and lays a toddler bed at my feet. Concerned for his safety and future living arrangements, I politely stepped over the monstrosity he drug into my home, and went about my business. After all, WE had discussed the toddler bed milestone. WE agreed I...er... Ollie, was not ready for such a step. Plus, WE agreed once Ollie was ready, we would skip the toddler bed and go right to a Twin bed to save the money of buying two beds. There was NO! reason for this thing to be in my home.

FTD explained a coworker no longer had use for it, so he took it (for free) to see if Ollie would like it. I explained, FIRST, that the coworker should never be named, so they would not have to die, and SECOND, that I...er... Ollie was NOT ready for this!

Or was he?

The next thing I know, FTD is putting it together. HE IS PUTTING IT TOGETHER!!!

The toddler bed.

He is putting the f*ucking thing together.

On a Tuesday night.

In my house.

Together.

He is putting it.

I immediately covered Ollie's eyes so he wouldn't have to witness the horror going on in the living room, and went online to see about changing FTD's address to a cardboard box in the back yard. Most likely, the one the monstrosity came in.

WHO brings a toddler bed home on a Tuesday and puts it together, thinking his son is not only going to love it, but happily sleep in it as well?

My Husband. That's who.

I mean... Why would we talk about it? Why would we wait until the weekend when sleep could be lost? Why would we talk about it with Ollie first?

FYI: In case you weren't picking up on it... my personal thoughts on that are...


Then, much to my continued HORROR, Ollie breaks free from me once the bed is put together, and climbs all over it... BEAMING!

WHAT?

What is this kid doing? He is just shy of two-and-a-half. Surely, he doesn't understand what's going on. I tried to explain that it was a new big boy bed, and that meant no more crib...

Like a mighty slap to the face, he said, "YAY!!!" 

Yay?

Yay.

He's totally into it?

What?

TRAITOR!

In an effort to call Ollie's bluff, I eagerly followed him, FTD and the Toddler bed up to his room. I wanted to be ready and waiting with open arms when Ollie came running when FTD moved his mattress and bedding into the monstrosity.

He immediately climbed in and inspected the new bed.



OHMIGOD! Ollie was ALL ABOUT IT!  He was super STOKED about his, "Big Boy Bed."


WHOA!
 Is he thanking God for this bed?
What's happening????


Shit.

Was I the only one with the problem? Was I the one who needed to grow up?

No.

Nope.

Not Me...

Shit. It is me. Ollie was super stoked, he is a big boy, I guess it makes sense that he should have a big boy bed...

But. But. He is my baby?  He needs to feel safe and secure when he goes to sleep. We are in a new house. He needs to know his surroundings when he wakes up.  Right?

Ugh. Maybe I am just being too overprotective. Maybe he needs this milestone more than I think.  Maybe this will be a game changer for him. Maybe it is NOWHERE near as big of a deal as I am making it... FTD surely doesn't think so.

Bottom Line: Tonight is the first night. He took some time to fall asleep, what with being so STOKED and all, but he did go to sleep, and as of writing this, he has stayed asleep in the bed for three hours now... My plan if he wakes up ALL night and comes into my room like I expect, is to bring him back to his new bed as many times as I can stand, but if it gets too crazy, I will let him sleep with FTD and I. Then in the morning, I will make FTD and the toddler bed sorry.

Watch, Ollie will sleep until 8am to really drive home the point that this milestone is happening whether I like it or not, and that it may even be WAY past due...

UPDATE!!!

It's now morning...

Ollie slept in his bed until 3:30am. I took hime back to his bed, and to my delight, he stayed there... until 5:45am... this time, I let him get in bed with us, afraid that if I took him back he might not go back to sleep.  We all slept until 7am. I'm actually feeling pretty good about the toddler bed now.  Hopefully nap time goes well too... because we all know, that is the make-or-break to my...er... Ollie's day...


It's now Afternoon...

He is napping in it as I type!!!

Looks like it's one point toddler bed. Zero mommy.

April is an award-winning writer and blogger. Her work has been published in over ten countries and four languages. From books to newspapers, to print/online magazines and everything in between, you can find her work. For more on April, Visit AprilMcCormick.com