Big-boy bed! 12.20.08

After realizing he could probably sommersault out of his crib should he lean too far over the rail, we decided we'd better get Cade in a toddler bed. We spoke excitedly of this to him for weeks hoping to make the transition an easy one. Having only shortly overcome waking every evening screaming, we had reason for concern.

Enter toddler bed. I must say, it is adorable; a bed made just for a boy his size. We set it up, made a big deal about it, gave him a real pillow, a blanket, and then....installed the stair gate inside his room. T.J. & I went back and forth on this, and I lost. I totally understand the necessity, but it's a distasteful one. Night one went something like this:

Standard hemming & hawing about going to bed. Gently coerce the boy upstairs for brushing of teeth. Enter room. "I don't want to sleep in big-boy bed." "But honey, you are a big boy now. This is special! You have daddy's old pillow & pillow case, a blanket, and your own bed." He's not convinced. We proceed with prayers & kisses, and then we begin to leave the room. "No leave me! Stay here!" repeat...repeat... We exit nonetheless and the hysterics begin. Screaming, crying, gasping, more screaming. I revisit the room and try to calm him down. More screaming, crying, gasping. We wait longer this time - about 15 minutes. I visit again. Rinse & repeat. Finally...at long last...silence.

"God bless him. He finally got himself to sleep in his big-boy bed. I wanna peak in on him and witness this serene and blissful sleep in his new bed." Nope. He'd cried himself to sleep in his rocking chair! How pitiful!

Lest you be concerned, things have improved from this night. However, he still screams every evening for 10 or more minutes hoping we'll come back and snuggle with him or stay in the room. I'm trying to instill a concept of God being with him all the time even though he can't see him - just like when dad & mom are downstairs when he's in his bed. Don't know if it's 'getting through', but I know it will eventually!