Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Next Step: The Big Girl Bed

Last night was Hazel's first night in her big girl bed. Abiah was already in a big bed when he moved in with us so this is the first time that we are taking this step with one of our kids. I know most of you probably wonder why we still had our three year old in a crib. The answer?

Hazel was 15 months old when Amelia was born. A big girl bed was not an option. She has only attempted an escape from her crib once and she didn't like the result of falling on the floor so she has never attempted it again. It has just been easier to keep her in her crib then to go through the fight of keeping her in bed. There are lots of safety concerns I've had also. We are working through all of that, though.

Since we need her crib for Jackson soon I would rather start the fight now and gain some ground then start right after having a baby. So we took the plunge. She was so excited. She begged us all the first evening to be able to go to bed, even going so far as to claim to be tired. At 5 in the evening.

When we laid the girl's down at 7 we were prepared for a fight. Amelia was pretty upset that she couldn't sleep in the "Bugur bed, bugur bed!" and she cried about that for a few minutes but they both went to sleep with very little issue. I think Nathan only had to go back in their room once.

I tried not to get too cocky and I'm glad I had that foresight. Otherwise my pride would have taken a serious hit at 2:30 in the morning when Hazel first called for me. Here's a brief overview of the happenings in our house from 2:30am - 5:00am this morning:

2:30- Hazel calls for me and I wake from the most restful sleep I've had in a few weeks and go to check on her. I find her room semi-rearranged and her sitting angelically on her bed. She announces that she is ready. For what I'm not sure. I correct her and put her back to bed telling her it's the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.

2:35- Hazel calls that she needs to poo. I vacillate between the idea of the journey downstairs just for a false alarm and the thought of changing a poopy three year old. I decide to take the trip down stairs.

2:45- We head back upstairs after a false alarm is confirmed. I remind her that it is the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.

2:50- Hazel calls to me and I come just to find that she's ready. She still doesn't know what she's ready for though. This continues until about 3:30. That's when Amelia chimed in with, "Mik in der, Mom? Mine? Mik in der?" Which roughly translates to, "Is there milk in my cup and if there isn't would you please go down stairs and get me some?" I tell Amelia she has had plenty of milk and remind both girls that it is the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.

3:40- Amelia has decided to protest and begins rattling her cup against the bars of her crib "prison style." I'm sure I hear choruses of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" coming from her room.

3:45- I crawl back into bed from having just reminded the girls that it is STILL the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.

3:50- Jackson decides that one of my internal organs resembles a disco ball and starts dancing to a rhythm that only he can hear.

3:50-4:30- Was broken up between reminders to Hazel that it was still the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep!!!, a threat to return Hazel to the empty baby bed if sleep was not had soon, being woken from my attempts at sleep by a few more "prison like" protests from Amelia, and Jackson's dance party.

5:00- I was almost asleep and I heard a door close down stairs. I assume it is Abiah going to the bathroom but I can't rest until I know for sure that Hazel didn't sneak past my radar and get down the stairs by herself. I get up and check on her and she is sleeping in her bed. I do a little dance of victory and joy, but not too big so as not to wake my internal tiny dancer who has momentarily hung up his dancing shoes and is catching some z's of his own.

6:30- I am awakened by Amelia calling, "Hahzo, Hahzo!" (Hazel) and the conversation that followed.

6:35- Hazel turns the light on in their room and I beg Hot Hubby to take the girl's down stairs and to let me sleep until 8. PLEASE!PLEASE!PLEASE! He was a generous and wise husband and he did. I woke up around 8:45 a semi-rested but very thankful wife.

So we enter night two. Both girls went down without any corrections. They are sound asleep and will hopefully stay that way until a decent time in the morning. Once again I'm choosing to refrain from being cocky. It served me well last night. My pride appreciates it, I'm sure.

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