Saturday, February 23, 2008

The End of an Era

We moved Sawyer into his Race Car Bed when he was 19 months old. We made the change not because he crawled out of his crib (he still won't climb out after he's climbed in to visit Sage), but because we evicted him.

Sage was on the way. Our pediatrician advised us to move him a few months before her arrival, so he wouldn't feel like he was being replaced. Even though he was. Cribwise, that is.

We figured, since he was so young, the transition would be a bit easier if we put him into something he loved. So we found Race Car Bed, and it was indeed love at first sight for him. He got to SLEEP IN A RACE CAR!

We also loved it because for the first few months he was in it, he DIDN'T REALIZE HE COULD ACTUALLY GET OUT OF IT ON HIS OWN! He'd just call for us when he woke up, just like he did in his crib.

This is from his first day in it.



There were no nighttime wanderings to worry about. For awhile, anyway.

He even liked to entertain the ladies in there.



He did really well in it. But over the past six months, he started coming into our bed for a few hours in the middle of the night. We began thinking that maybe he was waking up because he wasn't comfortable.

A crib mattress isn't exactly big on support. So we started looking for furniture. Then life happened, and we stopped for awhile. We finally, finally decided it was time.

We went. We decided. We went back. We changed our minds.

But today, David and Sawyer drove away in the empty SUV and returned with a bed, dresser, night stand and under-bed drawers.

Meanwhile, I dismantled Race Car Bed. And like a moron, totally forgot to take one last picture of him in it. DOH!

Then Sawyer and I went to Target. We bought shark camflauge sheets. And a waterproof mattress pad.

Now he wants me to, like, actually paint the room. He's tired of that babyish animals mural. He's a big boy in a Big Boy Bed. He wants fighter jets (cue theme to Top Gun).

And right this moment, he is sleeping in his new bed. Right next to pillows that I piled up on one side so that he doesn't roll off and crack his head open on the dresser that's next to it.

Seems like so long ago when he spent his first night in Race Car Bed and I covered every inch of the floor with pillows - even though it was like two inches off the ground AND the edges of the bed were higher than the mattress.

I was teary then. My baby was no longer a baby. I'm teary now (nitrous, anyone?)

I figure I'm entitled. Every milestone should be celebrated with a sniffle or two.

3 comments:

Jen C said...

That IS indeed a milestone!! We've kept Jman in his crib longer than Ellie b/c well...we don't have another one on the way. Plus it's easier to "contain" him. I fear what he would do if he had free roam.

However, this morning his big sis taught him how to climb out of his crib. I'm rather surprised it's taken this long actually. But our day has come now. And now we have to buy him a BIG BOY BED . Sigh. They grow up so fast don't they?

Melissa said...

That really is a big milestone. And, I can totally relate to your sniffles/tears. We have just started shopping for Greg's big boy bed. Our plan is to give Ashley the toddler bed when we give him his twin. Just the thought of it choked me up. I can't imagine my house crib free. I remember setting up that crib for the first time and then I couldn't imagine the time when we wouldn't need it anymore.

You have to post some pics of his new bed when you get a chance! (BTW - LOVE the fighter jet idea!)

Cheryl said...

Sage somehow knew that a bed is for bouncing, so I shudder for when we get her her own bed. I'm going to have to read her "five little monkeys jumping on the bed" to her. On the way to the hospital. To fix whatever she broke from bouncing off the bed.

Mel - David said these words: "We're NEVER giving away the crib. We're keeping it FOREVER!" I know - can you believe it??

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