Big Bed

We knew that we would need to get a “big bed” for Ethan at some point after Sienna was born, so when a family here sent an e-mail out that they were selling one, we jumped at the chance.  It is a single bed that actually starts off short but extends into a longer bed.  We have talked to Ethan about it for some time and decided to go ahead and put it together and in his room, so he can get used to it being there before moving into it. And he would start sleeping in it a good amount of time before we move Sienna out of the pack ‘n play into the crib.

Ethan was eager to help Gary put the bed together.  He would ask Gary to lift him up so he could get to the tool box to get a tool, or he would tell Gary what tool he wanted.  He specifically asked for a wrench and later the pliers.  I have a feeling that he is going to be handy when he gets older.  He’s almost more handy than his parents now, so he will have to learn from his grandparents when we visit.  Kent and Mom, you can probably start teaching him this fall when we visit. :-) Gary and Ethan had to take a break for dinner.  During dinner Gary asked Ethan if he wanted to sleep in the big bed, and of course, Ethan said yes.  We had planned to let him see it in his room and get used to it some before making the change and probably even begin using it at nap time.  I can’t say that I’ve been looking forward to him moving into a big bed.  Many parents make the change when their toddler is climbing out of the crib.  Well, Ethan has never climbed out of the crib, or even tried as far as we know.  However, he does try to climb INTO his crib every night.  Go figure!

At this stage, he really likes the number two so he wants to have two blankets on him at night.  He wants to sleep on one of those animal things that velcros together and is also a pillow that my aunt and uncle sent him.  When we go in to get him in the mornings, he is usually sitting in the crib reading a book.  And, even then, he wants to stay in the crib and read to us or for us to read to him while he sits there.  Gary and I really like how things are with him in the mornings, so we’re not sure how changing to a big bed will affect that and know it will take some work on our parts to train him to stay in his room when he wakes in the morning, etc.  Plus, Ethan knows that he can only have his pacifiers (“boppy” as he says) when he is in his crib, so we have planned for them to stay with the crib when he moves to a big bed.

After dinner they finished putting the bed together and we put sheets on it that my cousin, Nikki, gave us.  We explained to him how when he moves into the big bed that he will need to leave his pacies in the crib.  We talked about the things that he could have in the big bed, so afterward, he said, “sheet in big bed, pillow in big bed, blankets in big bed; no boppies.” 

He was very excited and after having his diaper changed told Gary that he didn’t even want to read a book.  He wanted to sleep in the big bed.  So, Gary and I were surprised and not planning to start tonight, but thought if he wants to sleep in the big bed knowing that he can’t have his pacies then we should try it. He’s not used a top sheet before, and we put that on his big bed, so he just wanted to use that and not the blankets.

We weren’t sure how this would work especially since he sucks his paci and holds the other two to go to sleep.  So, needless to say, after lying in bed for almost 30  minutes he started crying (he normally goes right to sleep without any problems).  After a little bit Gary went in to check on him and sure enough, he couldn’t go to sleep.  So, Gary moved him back into his crib.  So, we’ll try again hopefully when we are all ready for the change (I know I certainly was not ready for it to happen tonight).