Big Boy Bed

We have yet another milestone for Jackson today. Not only is he a big boy and going potty on the big boy potty, he got to sleep in a big boy bed tonight. The last few nights, Jackson has NOT wanted to sleep in his crib--he will wake up 3 or 4 times just whaling and when I would go to check on him, he would gather up all of his stuff (Leo, his blanket, and his pillow) and want to be carried into our room. It all started with that stupid ear infection--we let him sleep in our bed 2 nights in a row b/c he was in so much pain and would not rest soundly--it made me nervous. So, I think now he feels that his is allowed to sleep with us--NO, I don't think so.

At MOPS, some of the ladies suggested to put convert his bed and that might help him. They thought maybe he didn't want to be in a crib any more. (we have a grow-with-me crib that converts from the crib, to a toddler bed, to a day bed, and then a full size bed) My mom thought the same thing. "give it a try, it can't hurt"...so when Daddy got home from work, we made a HUGE production that Jackson was getting a "BIG BOY BED!!" Yeah!! You get to sleep in a big boy bed like all the older boys!!" Hurray!! "You are getting so big!! Wearing big boy pants and sleeping in a big boy bed! Oh WOW!!" You get the point...
Jackson helped Daddy with all the tools and sang the little song with us! He was psyched!!






Well, it worked! He went to bed like a champ! So excited! To be safe, I put the baby gate up in the hallway to block him from going into the living room or kitchen if he wakes up, and closed all the doors except for his and ours--the bathrooms, office, closets, etc are shut. He has nowhere to go but our room if he decides to wander! And after all that, I grabbed the camera to capture him sleeping sounds by the glow of the hall light and blue nightlight--love these shots!






And right now, I am sitting here a little sad--crying actually. You always want the best for your kids. You WANT them to become independent and learn to do things on their own--you want them to succeed at things. But right now, I am saddened by the fact that Jackson IS becoming so big so fast. It's a double edge sword--I want him to still be my little baby that I rock to sleep at night and nurse in the middle of the night (remember when I would just hold that precious TINY angel and cry?! I could stare at him all night!)

...but he's not anymore. He's a growing, learning, exploring, curious toddler. And before you know it, he'll be a curious, wide-eyed preschooler running off to his teacher and not even looking back...God, they get big fast.



THIS is why people have more kids!!


(and I'm sad because the highlight of my Friday was a guy not pissing his pants and a guy going to sleep ALONE in his own bed...oh, what my life has come to!....okay, it's great!!)