[SchmennaLeigh]

AH!

Nick is now, officially, starting his first night in his toddler bed. We put it together today. Rearranged the room (so the crib is still in there so he can "choose" each sleep time). Let him enjoy the bed this evening. And then he chose the toddler bed.

So far, he's only got out once, knocked on the door and called for me. I lead him back to bed, put him back in, kissed him and said ni-night. He responded in kind. Now he's playing with his train and some books (as I can hear on the monitor).

I'm fully prepared for tomorrow's nap time to be a massacre or be totally skipped. I'm just hoping we get some sleep tonight! AHHH!

[bajj]

My youngest son played for the first 3 nights, but then he did fine after that. We didn't leave the crib up, but then, he had a race car bed and thought it was cool! (used - he was like the 5th kid to use it, but was still in great shape!)

[Emster]

wow, I can't believe he's big enough already for a big boy bed! I saw the flickr pics on your blog.

BTW every time I am on your hatfield blog, Reid sees Nick's pic and points and shouts, Reid, Reid, Reid!!! They do have some resemblances, but I am teaching him "Nick".

I don't ever post pics on my L2B blog, but if you want to see he's at Now 'Reid' This! The Adventures of Baby Roo.

Congrats on getting one (at least starting to...) out of the crib before the next one needs it!

[AwaitingBeloved]

This has been our concern, too.. plus, her room is upstairs and we're downstairs. We do have a gate at the top of the stairs, but it's scary thinking about her walking around up there. Very scary. We're soo not ready to have her out of her crib yet, but the topic has been discussed here. She's only 18 months so we have some time still, but I think she will absolutely play, and, likely fall asleep on the floor or wherever she decides to play.

How do kids figure it out? lol

[Lovebug]

We didn't use a toddler bed when we transitioned out of the crib...we went straight to a twin bed. I didn't want to then have to transition him from the toddler bed to a twin, kwim? Anyway, DS LOVED it and slept much better in his "big boy bed" than in his crib...which he hated. We also took the crib down to put in the new bed, though, just in case.

Hoping Nicholas sleeps for ya!!!!!!....says the Mom with an 8 mo old that STILL won't sleep through the night!

--Renee

[SchmennaLeigh]

Originally Posted by Emster

BTW every time I am on your blog, Reid sees Nick's pic and points and shouts, Reid, Reid, Reid!!! They do have some resemblances, but I am teaching him "Nick".

I don't ever post pics on my L2B blog, but if you want to see he's at Now 'Reid' This! The Adventures of Baby Roo.

AH! There are some similarities. Speaking of "Nick," if you ask Nick, "What's your name?" He usually says, "Name," first and then, if you repeat it, he'll finally say, "Nick." Sometimes he just randomly points to himself and says, "Nick." It's good stuff.

(That said: HE'S ASLEEP! Granted, his feet are on his pillow but... WhATEVER!)

[kelceesmom]

Congrats Jenna! That is a huge step. And one more towards their independence. Great, I think???

[Juliana13]

Originally Posted by AwaitingBeloved

This has been our concern, too.. plus, her room is upstairs and we're downstairs. We do have a gate at the top of the stairs, but it's scary thinking about her walking around up there. Very scary. We're soo not ready to have her out of her crib yet, but the topic has been discussed here. She's only 18 months so we have some time still, but I think she will absolutely play, and, likely fall asleep on the floor or wherever she decides to play.

How do kids figure it out? lol

We in no way trust our son to roam free in the night! LOL! A gate at the top of the stairs is not enough. There is too much else he can get into up there: bathroom, guest room closet, big sis's toys, etc. (We sleep upstairs, too, but my hubby snores, so I have to wear earplugs, so I won't hear ds unless he wants me to hear him!) We put a gate across his bedroom door. A child therapist friend once told me that gating them in their room is fine - even using double gates (one on top of the other) if they are climbers. But cautioned against locking them in with a closed door - emotionally traumatic. My son can open his door and call out - but not wander freely in the night. Another friend put bells on her child's door, so she'd hear when he came out. Whatever works, I guess!

[SchmennaLeigh]

Nick slept well last night. Two minor wake-ups. Mommy is tired because I was stressed about the transition.

That said: he went down for his nap with no problems. *GASP*

[loveajax]

Congrats, Jenna!!

DD HATES, HATES her crib but will sleep fine in either our bed or a bed (queen size) we have in a spare bedroom (even if we aren't in it).

I think I am going to take the plunge this weekend and buy her a bed for her room (hopefully, it's the crib she doesn't like -- not sleeping in her room!!!).

I'm glad he's adjusted so well so quickly! Mamas need their sleep (I have big purple bags under my eyes these days!).

[HBV]

Our plan was to convert the crib about now (it becomes a daybed) but with the possibility of #2 looming around Thanksgiving, I think we're going to leave it alone until we have to start rearranging rooms. Then we'll do a new bed for H, move him to a larger room with more play area (more room for toys) and put baby in the nursery. I am really worried about the stairs and the nighttime roaming idea though.

[Juliana13]

Originally Posted by HBV

Our plan was to convert the crib about now (it becomes a daybed) but with the possibility of #2 looming around Thanksgiving, I think we're going to leave it alone until we have to start rearranging rooms. Then we'll do a new bed for H, move him to a larger room with more play area (more room for toys) and put baby in the nursery. I am really worried about the stairs and the nighttime roaming idea though.

Have you thought about moving him to his new room BEFORE the new baby comes? Or having new baby sleep in a bassinet in your room at first while moving H to his new room? I have heard of older siblings dealing with feeling "replaced" or pushed out of their "baby" slot by the newcomer, and can feel jealous. I have heard it is good to move the older sibling into their new bed, because they are a "big boy" now, and then a few months later move the baby into the crib. "Since no one is using the crib anymore, it would be a good place to put the baby, don't you think, H?" Just a thought.

We didn't have a new baby coming (DARN IT!!) when we transitioned our youngest into a toddler bed. He took a few months to want to go. He would beg to stay in his crib, until finally he was able to move on. I think a new baby right then would have been hard for him, and we would have kept the baby in a basinnet or port-a-crib until ds was comfortable with moving. Anyway, you know your own child, adn how it would rok best. Just some unsolicited thoughts. Congrats on the coming possible addition! Fingers crossed here!

[StorkWatcher]

I always thought we'd be moving A out some time after a #2 babe was in our room in the bassinet. Looks like there won't be a #2 by the time he needs to get out of the crib, so I'm just watching for signs that he needs to be moved. Chances are, he'll be ready all too soon, and WAY before I am. He's not started climbing out yet. BUT - just yesterday evening, I was on the pho ne an dwe were in his room. He was climbing the outside! But just to put his feet on the bottom rung. It can't be long b efore he figures out how to monkey the rest of the way up the sides, or go from inside out. So I mentioned to my sis to get the loaner toddler bed ready for us. She said what my mom did with us and what she did first w/ her girls was to lower the side of the crib (would end up like a daybed - or maybe both sides) for a while so they could get out, but not fall. I might try that.

We have a gate at the top of the stairs, but I was also thinking of putting one/two at his door. Upstairs isn't childproofed really.

Sigh. I can't believe we're to this point already!

My Motessori-trained friend has the best idea - hers started out in a floor bed from the very beginning (mattress on floor, w /mirror next to bed). So they didn't have to worry at all about this! I had thought about just even putting the mattress on the floor in his room and skipping the toddler bed.

I mentioned to my sist

[HBV]

Originally Posted by Juliana13

Have you thought about moving him to his new room BEFORE the new baby comes? Or having new baby sleep in a bassinet in your room at first while moving H to his new room? I have heard of older siblings dealing with feeling "replaced" or pushed out of their "baby" slot by the newcomer, and can feel jealous. I have heard it is good to move the older sibling into their new bed, because they are a "big boy" now, and then a few months later move the baby into the crib. "Since no one is using the crib anymore, it would be a good place to put the baby, don't you think, H?" Just a thought.

We didn't have a new baby coming (DARN IT!!) when we transitioned our youngest into a toddler bed. He took a few months to want to go. He would beg to stay in his crib, until finally he was able to move on. I think a new baby right then would have been hard for him, and we would have kept the baby in a basinnet or port-a-crib until ds was comfortable with moving. Anyway, you know your own child, adn how it would rok best. Just some unsolicited thoughts. Congrats on the coming possible addition! Fingers crossed here!

Yes, you are absolutely right, and that's probably what we're going to do. We'll use the cradle in our room for the baby at first, just as we did w/ H. We just aren't going to know for sure about this second child for a little while, so I don't want to move H until we're a little further along.

Once we know a little more about the bdad's side of the family and what's going on there, we'll start the room transition. If it turns out we aren't going to take the placement, then I may leave H where he is, turn the crib into a daybed like I'd planned, and we'll have to rethink playspace. Or move.

[AwaitingBeloved]

Originally Posted by Juliana13

We in no way trust our son to roam free in the night! LOL! A gate at the top of the stairs is not enough. There is too much else he can get into up there: bathroom, guest room closet, big sis's toys, etc. (We sleep upstairs, too, but my hubby snores, so I have to wear earplugs, so I won't hear ds unless he wants me to hear him!) We put a gate across his bedroom door. A child therapist friend once told me that gating them in their room is fine - even using double gates (one on top of the other) if they are climbers. But cautioned against locking them in with a closed door - emotionally traumatic. My son can open his door and call out - but not wander freely in the night. Another friend put bells on her child's door, so she'd hear when he came out. Whatever works, I guess!

Agreed! We actually have (this is embarrassing b/c it's so ugly) a custom made screen door as well as the regular door, for her room. Why screen you ask?? Because the heat for the two bedrooms upstairs comes from the one register at the top of the stairs, and if we kept the door open, the cats would get in, which we don't want. Sooo.. this way, she gets her heat and gets to sleep without the cats.

Yeah, I'm not rushing into the bed transition. So far, she's shown no interest in climbing out. If she ever knew she could, she'd do it all.the.time. But luckily, she just hasn't done it yet or seen anyone else and hasn't figured out to stack up her toys.. yet.