For a few months we have planned on moving John Thomas into a big boy bed. With Ruby coming soon, we decided that we would go ahead and try to move him and see how it worked out, knowing that if it didn't we wouldn't be using the crib for a few more months anyway. The crib is very special, because my dad made it and I couldn't think of getting a different one for her!
As we started the nursery, I went ahead and ordered his bed. We decided on a bunk bed, with a full bed on the bottom and a twin on the top so we would have extra beds as we have a full house when our family comes in and didn't want anyone to have to sleep on the sofa or an air mattress. We moved the queen bed from the guest room into John Thomas' room with his new bunk bed, so we didn't lose any bed space, but actually gained!
We set it up a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, but needed to get rails to make sure he didn't fall off the side. Those came in the week before Thanksgiving, so Monday night before, he spent his first night in his new bed! He had been playing on it and loved showing people, but we were not sure he knew he would actually be sleeping all night in there!
We all put him to bed and said his prayers and just like that he laid down and said, "Night, night Daddy, night, night Mama, love you."
I went back and got in our bed and watched the monitor forever, but he never made a peep and went to sleep. I admit, I cried a little, some sad tears because he is getting so big, but also proud ones because he is so independent and grown up.
Prayers with Daddy before the first night in his new bed!
My monitor view from our room. The second head to the right is Curious George, Aunt Dionne gave it to him for his new bed! He sleeps with him every night!
The next morning he woke up at normal time and started to get out of bed!
Daddy picked up donuts and we had a celebration breakfast for his first night!
The next weekend we started moving the crib out and queen bed into his room, and he and Koen read books on his bed while we moved things around.
Before we knew it, John Thomas had climbed up in his bed alone while we were still moving things in and out and had fallen asleep! He stayed this way the whole time, even through me vacuuming!
Since then, he has slept every night and every nap in his bed with no problems. In the mornings when he gets up, he climbs out of bed, opens his door, shuts it and waits at the gate for us to come get him. Never once has he gotten up during the night or cried when we put him down! I think he likes all the new space he gets!
John Thomas, you are such a big boy and we couldn't be more proud of you! Your strong will and independence are two traits, although challenging at times, are ones we wouldn't trade for anything! You are growing up too fast, little man!
