Big Girl Bed

For the past several months PJ has assured me that Avery is ready to move from her crib to a "big girl bed." I have been reluctant to make the move because it means she can get out or play with the drawers and such in her room, and I have to start the "go back to bed" routine at naptime and bedtime. So I determined to wait until she could climb out or otherwise endanger herself before succombing.

Well, PJ's wish was granted yesterday at naptime. Avy's crib is positioned about 6 inches from her dresser, in hopes that she wouldn't be able to reach and open the drawers from within bed. About an hour into her nap I heard her saying, "Can I get some help? Can somebody help Avery?" I went in the room and found that she had climbed up on the dresser, and was STRADDLING the void between the crib and dresser, with one foot on each. "I can't get down," she told me. I freaked out a bit, but remained calm until I could get her safely back in bed.

That did it. Last night at bedtime we took her crib mattress and put it on the floor. I have yet to get a toddler bed....we'll see about that later. We set up a couple of rules, like once she's down for a nap or nighttime, she can play in her bed all she wants, but can't get out. The clock needs to say 7 before getting out of bed in the morning, etc. I was really worried about how last night would go, but it was AWESOME. I listened at the door and heard her talking to her bear about the rules, and just having a great time in her "new" bed. She never once got out. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon and I'll encounter that battle, but for now it's great.

We took some photos of her during her first night in the bed. PJ is really adorable and sentimental about it---he reminds me of this commercial I saw years ago where a mom and dad are standing in the doorway of their daughter's room, watching her sleep. The dad says, "Look at her in her big girl bed! Soon she'll be all grown up." and the daughter says, "Dad, I'm only three!" I keep quoting that to him.