Big Girl Bed

Well, we finally did it - we made the switch to the big girl bed!!

After much deliberating on what to do with beds, we decided to switch her crib/convertible bed to the baby's room and order her a new toddler bed.  She was SO very excited to get a big girl bed and we made the mistake of telling her we were going to get it before we actually got it.  We went shopping for it on the 15th but ended up ordering it on A.mazon so it didn't come until Tuesday, June 18th.  In the mean time she KEPT asking where her big girl bed was.  When it came, she was so excited we decided to put it together that night after work so she could sleep in it right away....

Here she is helping daddy put it together.  I am always amazed at Daddy's patience with her when she "helps" out with things like this.  He just loves having her help and even if she is getting into everything and making it take twice as long, he is so sweet and patient with her.  I think the kisses she keeps giving him throughout the project help:)

By 8:45 we were ready to go and she was SO excited!

 

We figured it might be a struggle to get her to stay in there so we went through the big girl bed rules first:

1.  Stay in bed and don't get up!

2.  Keep quiet

3.  Close your eyes

4.  Go to sleep

 

She is always sure to add at the end -- and when you wake up you get to pick a treasure!!

 

The first few nights were quite a struggle to keep her in there - the second night she was standing in our doorway every 2 hours... but after really being consistent in putting her back in everytime she got up and resorting to putting her back into the crib when she just wouldn't stay in her bed, she did finally catch on!

Here she is after a ROUGH nap - she kept getting up and finally I took her mattress and put it back in her crib so she couldnt' get out.  She SCREAMED at the top of her lungs for 1/2 hour straight.  Broke this poor mama's heart but she did finally fall asleep and by the next night she knew if she got up she'd end up back in her crib.

 

The first few nights the stall tactics were in full force - one more drink of water, one more song, we fogot to pray, I have to go potty, you name it.  It finally ended with "I'm scared!" and she really wouldn't stop crying.  So, now one of us lays in her grey chair every night until she falls asleep and then sneaks out of the room once she is sleeping.  It isn't ideal, BUT once she is asleep we all get a full night's sleep and she doesn't come out of her bed at all.  At some point we'll have to get her used to falling asleep without us in her room, but for now we really just needed to get her better rested and we can deal with that battle later:)  Ha!