Over our Thanksgiving holiday, we decided it was the prime opportunity to have Jameson transition into his big boy bed and room!
We had the room nearly set up, after forcing Brian to stay up each night to paint the dresser knobs, clothes hooks, and nightstand. We hung the artwork line, and I ordered extra road for the decal to finish off the wall.
We decided that nap time wouldn’t be the optimal first new-bed-experience, so we introduced his new room after he got up from his nap on Friday. To prepare him, we read him the Elmo book Big Enough for a Bed a couple days beforehand each night (he loved it, and we are still reading it). When we went into mommy and daddy’s room, we reminded him that he’d be getting a new bed of his own soon too!
Friday after his nap, he wasn’t too enthusiastic. At first, he didn’t want to get on his bed. We attributed that to being a little groggy from nap time and confusion, so we started moving his stuff with him there so he could see. Little did he know, most of his belongings were already in the new room, except for a couple big things.
First all his books on the new, lower bookshelf; and then his whole dresser. Last, Brian put on the new knobs for his dresser, and Jameson was fascinated watching and wanting to help. After that, we took turns climbing into the bed with him and play at getting under covers. Jameson loved it! We spent about an hour in his room that afternoon before heading downstairs for the evening.
We were sure to say goodbye to his baby room, turn out the lights, and close that door for a few days (at least when Jameson was awake).
The real test was bedtime that night. Jameson was so excited, he didn’t want to read stories in the new bedroom chair, he just wanted to climb into bed! We did make it through story time and milk, and turned on his stars, just like usual. It took him about an hour and a half to fall asleep — but he never made a sound. He rolled around and tossed and turned, but stayed in bed until he finally fell asleep.
The next day, Saturday, was a little more rough. He told us he liked his bed when he got up and was cheerful, but had trouble napping there at first. He sat straight up, and I had to go in to yell at him because he was trying to eat the googly eyes off his shirt for a couple minutes.
I have yelled at him just a couple times before just to get him to nap, and he flattens himself out and pretty much doesn’t move until he falls asleep then, which is pretty funny. I’d feel bad, but I’ve done it before and since it works, I don’t stress about it. The trick is surprise and opening the door quickly. “What are you doing? It’s nap time!” and then I rub his back a little so he knows I still love him and cover him up.
Saturday night, he cried for us, and I went back upstairs after about 5-10 minutes to rub his back. That wasn’t really helping him fall asleep, but after he laid there for a bit I left and he cried for just a minute or two before falling asleep. Since then, every day has become easier.
Sunday, he napped in a crib at grandma’s house though so we haven’t experienced any more naps in the bed. At night though he is still very excited to climb into bed and stays there, falling asleep pretty quickly. Aunt Melissa even put him to bed on Tuesday.
A couple days ago, I opened up the door to his old room so it could get air flow and he walked in and said “Baby”. We haven’t talked about it being the baby’s room now more than once or twice, but I think he is associating the crib to babies now, thanks to the Big Enough for a Bed book.
The transition is about as easy as I could’ve hoped for, and I attribute it to the wonderful book, the fact that he is already familiar with sleeping on a cot at daycare, the excited build up to getting his very own bed, and having him see his stuff moved all out of the old room into the new. I’m really happy that he loves his room so much (and I do too!).
