Big Boy Bed

Remember back in August when I wrote this post? That was technically the beginning of our sleeping battle. Soon after the escape from the crib occurred Rick & I started talking about making the change for Connor to start sleeping in a big boy bed. After well over a month of interupted sleep, a nightly bedtime routine that no longer resembled the routine I had come to love & enjoy and just some plain old exhaustion we FINALLY made the switch!

Rick was on vacation the week of October 2nd & we decided that would be the best time to get things started. That way I'd have some support at home each night during the bedtime hours. October 4th was our official "First Night".

Mimi bought Connor a new pair of 'special big boy' PJs to help hype up the excitement of this new adventure!!
Rick & I bought him these "cool" new sheets to encourage that he stay in bed & be close to some of his current favorite things...big machines!!!

And my parents provided us with a twin bed! We set it up in his room, threw on the new sheets, busted out the new PJs & made a HUGE deal about this new Big Boy Bed for a while before bedtime that night.

Connor is showing Daddy his "special sheets."

He flopped & jumped around on the new bed for a while...just making sure he can make himself comfortable I guess?!

"Yeah, I think I can snuggle in here."

And he proved to us that he can EASILY crawl in & out of this bed...just like the crib...so no difference in where he sleeps. If he wants to escape he will ;)

The only thing non-typical about our first night was that Connor hadn't napped this day, so he was EXTRA tired. We went through our usual routine of reading books, saying prayers & then a short snuggle time in the rocking chair...he fell asleep in my arms...oops! That wasn't supposed to happen!!

Obviously we weren't going to wake him up & try to lay him down while still awake in his new bed...so I just put him down & stood there staring at my little baby boy, asleep in this giant big boy bed. Looks like we'd have to try it again the next day at nap time.

I just couldn't get over how CUTE he looked in his new bed!

We are now about to enter week 3 of this new sleeping arrangement & I'll just say that things are improving. From the first day we made the switch Connor began to sleep through the night again. For the month & a half prior he had been waking up at least once sometimes more each night & then would eventually end up in bed with me sometime after 3 AM. We've had a couple of nights where he has gotten up in the middle of the night, but I've gotten him back to sleep in his own bed (not always quickly...but he is no longer allowed to just crawl into bed with me!) The biggest change since making the switch is that he has been waking up for the day MUCH earlier than before. Let's just say I see the sun rise on a daily basis & Connor often comments to me that it is still "very dark outside" when we come down stairs. Yes, honey...Mommy knows it is dark....WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SLEEPING RIGHT NOW!!!! ;) He is generally up between 5:30 & 6:00 AM and I guess, like all things, I am chosing to believe this is a phase (please Lord...let it be a phase!!!) and that one day he'll sleep until a reasonable hour ie; 7:00 AM!?!?!!!?

Some nights he goes to bed perfectly & without a hitch, other nights I hear him flopping around for 15-20 minutes before he actually goes to sleep & still other nights he is crawling into his crib, flipping the lights on & off in his room and giggling at me when I tell him it is time to go to sleep. I still get my snuggle time each night & for now, as long as I can get at least 6 solid hours of sleep I don't feel physically exhausted! I'm thankful for this transition time BEFORE baby #2 arrives & I'll just be praying that by January we've got it all down. And if not...well, I suppose we'll do what any other parents do and we'll just figure things out! Funny how 'survival mode' can be adapted to so many of these parenting/transitional times in life

Hooray for Big Boy Beds & 'special sheets'...oh yeah...and a few candy corn treats never hurt anyone, right? Connor gets a little reward any time he goes to bed & STAYS there until morning (even if morning is 5:30 AM)!!