Toddler Beds…

It seems just like yesterday I was on bedrest at home, laying there watching a bunch of men fill my spare bedrooms with cribs. This past week we said goodbye to those cribs and hello to toddler beds. Bittersweet, yes, but the easiest transition for me (emotionally speaking) so far. I had planned on keeping them in their cribs until they were 5 years old. Ok not really, but as long as I possibly could. Had you told me a month ago we would be in toddler beds by Christmas, I would have thought you were crazy. After more and more escapes by Baxlyn, even with a crib tent, we knew it was time. Rather than just switching her to a big girl bed alone, we went ahead and transitioned all of them.

Like many parents now days, we bought the cribs that converted to toddler beds that convert to a full sized bed as well. Below you see they all gathered as Daddy opened their new railings!

With four “helping” toddlers at our feet it took a good 25 minutes to assemble the new pieces to each crib. They each held tightly to the screws and tools Bret was using and offered a helping hand every chance they got.

The boys hard at work!

Baxlyn’s bed was the first one done and they all had to try it out! You can see Brody still hard at work making sure each screw is in tight!

A shot of the boys room and their new big boy beds!

Once the cribs were assembled we were ready for our first test…dun dun dun, Nap time. I took everything out of their rooms with the exception of their dressers (which the knobs are off of, btw, so they are not able to open them) and a few small lovies. Realistically I knew nap one would hardly be a nap at all with their new found freedom. The first thing they ALL did? Switch beds. That, by far, has been the coolest part for them about the whole transition…getting to sleep in the other’s beds.

After putting them down… I guess now I should say “in” for a nap, I listened to them laugh and have an absolute BALL for hours. Their doors were shut and I checked on them frequently just to make sure they weren’t ripping down the walls or hanging from the ceiling fans. I actually took a video camera in with me each time I checked on them and got some hilarious footage I hope to share sooner than later! My biggest fear of the entire toddler bed transition was that they would try to come out of their rooms. I pictured babies laying on the floor, fingers reaching under the crack of the door and them crying and begging to come out. Boy was I wrong (man those words have been used on this blog a lot lately). They don’t argue a bit to go to bed/nap now and enjoy playing in their rooms together!

It’s been a week and a half now and the “newness” of their new beds is wearing off, which it good. The first week they all stayed up for hours (literally) after being put to bed. With the exception of Poop Fest 2011 and occasional ruckus with the boys,  it’s usually them just talking, bed hopping, and playing until they fall asleep.  The last three nights the boys have actually gone straight to bed, with maybe 5 minutes of play. I’m confident as time goes on, they’ll all settle down even faster.

Here’s the four of them in their Little Sleeper Keepers just before bedtime. Baxlyn, Korbin, Kylee & Brody

  

While the girls sit with each other in one bed doing some sisterly bonding and read a book the boys are in the next room doing everything but that. They’re bonding alright, but in a completely different way. They prefer to jump, laugh really loud, take their sheets off the bed, lick each other and throw their lovies on the floor. Here they are wearing their capes…

 

The first of the three nights they went right to bed, I love this. Brody wasn’t feeling well and asked to go to bed, I sent Korbin in behind him and 5 minutes later found them together. Gotta love how they’re snuggled in with their Dudu and Fido!

Thought this was a cute one. Baxlyn snuggled up on the floor next to Kylee’s bed…

         

Looking back I think, once again, I was worried for nothing when it came to another transition. Sleeping through the night, check! No more bottles, check! Potty Training, check! Now Toddler Beds, check!  That’s the last big thing until Kindergarten right?! For now I’ll choose to not fight the battle of “making them lay still and go to sleep right away”. It’s working for us and it’s not too stressful! I’ll update you in a month or so. Hopefully I’m able to report they go to sleep within a few minutes of being put down, we’ll see!

Stay tuned to hear all about their FIRST SLEEPOVER!!!!!