Last week, Mike caught Annie trying to climb out of her crib. She was straddling the railing, thinking about her next move. The next day, I caught her trying to escape. Throwing a leg over hadn’t worked for her the day before, so she’d decided to go head first. I found her with her stomach on top of the railing, head far over the side, with just the tips of her toes still on the mattress. Mike and I decided that day that it was time to make the transition into a big girl bed.
Annie is somewhat territorial, so I started prepping her right away. I told her that a big girl bed was coming, and that it was a super-awesome amazing thing. I told her that her older friends Reilly and Meghan have big girl beds. I reminded her that she’d just seen her cousin Michaela’s big girl bed. She was pumped. “Mama, my big girl bed is coming! I going to sleep in it, ’cause I’m a big girl!”
I personally have been dreading this transition for months. Annie likes her bedtime routine, but does not actually like going to sleep. I feared it would be impossible to keep her in her room, let alone her bed. But besides the escape attempts, it was time to make the switch: she’s getting too big to lift into the crib. the crib itself was getting snug, and I wanted her to be fully adjusted to a new bed before we started potty training.
Yesterday my parents brought over a full-sized bed that they were no longer using, which worked out perfectly because Annie’s crib converted into a full-sized headboard. While I sat on the floor taking apart the crib, I got a little nostalgic. I’d picked out the crib and matching furniture five years ago when I was pregnant with Maddie. It was before my water had broken and everything had gone to hell. It was a good crib that safely held both of my babies.
I couldn’t reminisce for long – my dad and I had to work fast to get the bed set up because Annie was anxious.
Rigby was anxious, too.
Annie was thrilled when she saw her new bed.
But then, even though she’d watched us take apart her crib and set up the majority of her new bed, it suddenly all hit her and she had a freak out.
I want my CRIIIIIIIB!
I started to panic, like, CRAP! SHE IS NEVER GOING TO SLEEP IN THIS BED WE ARE SCREWED! But she got over it pretty quick when she realized, and I quote, “My bed is so so comfy!”
I think her toys had something to do with that declaration, too.
She still wasn’t thrilled when it was time to turn off the lights, and it took Mike and me taking turns sitting in her room talking to her, but she finally fell asleep.
Sideways. Which must feel like such a luxury to her considering this is what she’s used to:
I’d say the first night was a moderate success but…ask me again in the morning.
Monika says:
So glad she likes her new bed And SO SHOCKED that she actually held through until now!! My son jumped out of his crib twice in one day when he was 14 months old. Fortunately nothing happened and I have no idea how he got out, but the second time he jumped out I immediately switched to a junior bed.
Brandy says:
So cute! I’m glad she got some sleep but I hope it continues. The sideways thing is adorable. I bet on some level that’s how she’s used to sleeping in relation to the headboard part so it’s natural to her. It will be interesting to see if it continues!
Sue says:
A sleeping beauty for sure!!!! One of my sons started climbing out of his crib at 15 months, but it was way too soon for a big boy bed, so we had to get really creative!!
AmandaPN says:
My son actually did go to a toddler bed at 15 months… he wasn’t climbing out, but he was screaming bloody murder whenever I walked him toward the crib. My parents had just left from a visit and my husband left for a training school, so that may have had something to do with it. Anyway, the only way he would sleep is by converting his crib to a toddler bed. It went well – he didn’t start getting out of bed and wreaking havok at bedtime until a year later as he got older.
Angela says:
I remember those days! We used a book called “A New Bed for Fred” to help with the transition when we did it with my son. It’s a funny book about how all of Fred’s relatives come over to help him with the transition, and they all end up falling asleep in his new bed.
Lisa says:
The profile snap shot of Mizz A (holding her princess doll), my goodness was like looking at YOU. Beautiful, and praying you get sleep. I have not moved Sailor yet(3) since she is still trapable and has not yet tried to excape. I know I should do it soon…
Jenn says:
Sleep? Underrated, right? The way that she’s so soundly out in that last photo…don’t you wish you could remember ever sleeping like that?
Kim Wencl says:
I always layed down with my girls –but … most of the time I fell asleep before they did!
Casey P says:
The new bed looks great! And somehow the transition is made easier by 589,632 toys. At least it was for my kiddo
Kelly says:
Mea prefers the sideways sleep as well.
Tara says:
Wow, cool bed Annie!! We put our little guy into a big boy bed a couple months ago too and I was totally surprised at how easy the transition was. I had been dreading it too.
Melissa says:
We transferred our 2 1/2 year old son to a big boy bed this weekend too! I have also been dreading it, but it went rather smoothly (other than him ripping his curtain and curtain rod off the wall during naptime yesterday, WTH?).
Annalisa says:
We already have a big bed ready for my munchkin. It’s the daybed that’s been in her room from day 1 (I wanted a surface I could sleep on rather than a rocking chair, and boy did I ever need one), and I suspect the transition is not going to be so bad, because she already lies on it sometimes, looking at books and hugging the grown-up pillows.
But she’s not going to be two until the end of the month, and not knowing when we’ll have a second one, I’m loathe to move her yet. I’m hanging on to every vestige of my baby girl staying a baby girl (at 31 inches and 31 lbs, she’s only a baby girl because mommy-in-denial says so :P). Thus far she hasn’t tried to escape the crib yet (but my husband says that it’s only a matter of time… he started climbing down when he was 2), but I know it’s coming because she’s becoming more and more resistant to naps, so she’ll eventually think to herself “If I climb down, then I don’t have to nap”.
She’ll probably go into her big girl bed after Christmas, with a bedrail for safety (girl rolls in her sleep like no one’s business).
Annalisa says:
That should have read 34 inches. She’s probably gonna be taller than her mom by 4th grade (by several inches, I bet). She probably could climb down easily right now. Sometimes I choose to believe that she doesn’t because she agrees with me that she has plenty of time left to be a big girl.
Chris says:
Our granddaughter went to a toddler bed at about the same age as Annie. She never tried to climb out of her crib, but she was getting too big for it. For about a month she didn’t realize she could get up out of her toddler bed and would yell for mommie to come get her. It was the funniest thing. Now she’s in a regular bed (she’s 5) and during the middle of the night crawls into bed with mommie. Darn it!!! Good thing though she goes right back to sleep. Can’t wait to hear how Annie did.
Paula says:
I dreaded the transition too, but my girl (same age as Annie) started climbing months ago. We got a junior bed, and put a child gate on her room. Shouldn’t have bothered – she will not get out of her bed until we tell her she can!
Annie will be fine – she may roll out a time or two! I’ve found Grace asleep on her rug
What a big girl she is. Good luck with the potty training, we are just easing into it.
Lisa says:
Oh my goodness, she looks so adorable sleeping in that big ol bed.
Lisa says:
My daughter was in her crib until 3 yrs old. It did not occur to her to try to climb out, which is amazing since she is such a climber now! I was terrified to let her have the freedom that comes with not having the “cage” of a crib. Most of my friends kids didn’t realize that they could just get out of the big kid beds and roam the house. They would stay in their new beds and yell for their parents. Well my little darling that never thought to climb outta the crib WAS smart enough to leave her room freely w/ her big girl bed. Iwas like NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! What have we done? Oh dear! But eventually they learn to stay in their rooms as long as you *never* give in to the “can I come in your bed, please????” No way. No how, does not happen in my house. Good luck, hopefully she will just sit in bed and yell for you rather than running around the house.
Theresa says:
I remember those days! How sweet. You will be so glad that you got photos of the big event!
Meg says:
Um, Annie’s bed is totally nicer and more spacious than my own — and not just because I’m a wee bit larger than her! (I mean, I’ve been dieting. It’s not a huge difference. Heh.)
Hope she continues to love her big girl bed — I remember that being traumatic as a kid! Though my mom couched the whole thing by reminding me I was getting her old “princess” bed, which had a canopy. And everyone knows canopies are freakin’ awesome.
statia says:
We had to bounce our son from his crib (which he was perfectly fine sleeping in and never attempted to climb out of) at two and a half, because his little sister needed it. He was the same way. Excited and then DISTRAUGHT over having this giant space to sleep in. He didn’t get out of his bed for at least a whole year until we came to get him. That was nice. My daughter on the other hand, I still can’t keep her in bed and she’s three.
Cinthia says:
So precious when they’re asleep!
Maddie
Kelly says:
I remember that we moved our youngest to the toddler bed before she was two. I thought for sure we were insane, that she would never sleep in the bed and would be in our room every 10 minutes. I was more than pleasantly surprised when she not only fell asleep in her bed, she stayed there all night. In the morning, I heard her calling, “I’m awake, I’m awaaaaake.” I went in and picked her up just like we did with the crib. This went on for over a year before I finally told her that it is ok for her to get out of the bed by herself and she didn’t have to call us every morning (especially on weekends when she was up at 6 and I wanted to sleep), she would then get up and play quietly in her room. I cannot believe how independent she is compared to the older two (who both slept in my bed until I was pregnant with the next child).
I’m glad that Annie seems content and hope it lasts!
Mommy says:
Wow, that bed is awesome!! My almost 4 year old FINALLY allowed us to switch his crib to a toddler bed a few months ago (and really it’s just his crib with the one side taken off). I cannot believe he is comfortable in that thing, but he loves it. He says he is a tiger and it’s his cage, so why mess with what works, I guess. I really want to get him a cool big bed like Annie’s, but he is just not having it. He does.not.like.change, so I seriously might have a 10 year old in a toddler bed. Oh well!
Enjoy your big girl bed, sleeping beauty Annie!!
Tamara says:
Just a thought but my kids freak out about sleeping in a dark room, even if there is a night light. DD#1 sleeps with a lamp on every night. And my son that’s that was born the day before Annie often sleeps with the light ON! I’m amazed that he will fall asleep with it on, but we’ve tried nightlights and he will pull them out and put them in a drawer and insist we turn the light on. Just an idea!
Auntie_M says:
That’s awesome!!! I’m awful, but I love the little breakdown in the middle! LOL
Your pictures of her range of emotions are wonderful! Congrats to Annie on your big girl bed!!!