Big Boy Bed

I have never left any of my kids in their crib as long as I have left Ethan in his. I think for sure by their second birthday they were in a toddler bed. Dylan was around 19 months, I think. But there hasn't been any real need to kick him out, and he has been so easy with his crib, that I haven't worried about it. I figure with another baby coming in about 6 months, now would be a good time to start the transition, so that by the time the baby is here, Ethan doesn't see the crib as his anymore. I set up the toddler bed a few days ago, not really thinking Ethan would sleep in it any time too soon, but I wanted to have it be something familiar when he was ready to try it. I was surprised when that night Ethan climbed right into his bed and he told Devon that he didn't want to rock in the rocking chair and he didn't want to sleep in his crib. We went to turn off the light and shut the door and he suddenly got the saddest look on his face. Then as the door closed he really let out a sad cry. So we went back in, and he was quite upset for a little while. Finally he let Devon rock him and put him in the crib. I'm not quite sure what he was thinking, but it was like he was all excited to sleep in the bed, and then as reality hit, he wasn't so sure he felt comfortable in a new bed.

The next day at nap time, again he climbs in bed, insists on not rocking or laying down in his crib. And then as I go to leave the room a sad look kind of crosses his face. Just then the doorbell rang, so I left the door open, told him to stay in bed, and went to get the door. I totally forgot about him, and about twenty minutes later went to check on him, and this was what I found. Notice the two blankets he insists on sleeping with (they are actually two of the same blanket - I have 3 of them because they are his special blankets- we would not survive without them) and the webkinz dog that he loves. He is so funny about it all. I don't even know how the two blanket thing started, but he insists on it now. I think for a few days there were two blankets in his crib just by chance and he decided he liked that. It kind of defeats my purpose of having multiples to make washing easier, but oh well. He didn't sleep as long as he normally does, and he woke up pretty upset, but its a start. Its always kind of sad to have my baby transition from the crib (even if he's not so much a baby anymore), because to me it is like the signal that my baby is now a toddler- he's no longer my sweet little baby. I have always been glad to have done it when pregnant, because I know that soon I'll have another little one in the crib. I don't know what I will do when it is my last.