Life is a Journey: Bye-Bye Crib!

Both my little guys, just three short months shy of their third birthdays (YIKES!!), are still in their cribs. I know...I know...it's past time to get them out. But, they are both quite content in those little cribs, so why rock the proverbial crib, right?!?!

I was walking a thin line though, knowing I wanted to proactively move them to toddler beds rather than having to reactively ditch the cribs because they were climbing out or somehow in harms way. Also, I wanted to move one little guy at a time...I'm not a glutton for punishment after all! So, I took a deep breath and proactively bit the bullet. I chose what I thought would be the perfect weekend to let Willow make the move to her toddler bed.

With the "Big Bye-Bye Crib" weekend set on our calendar, we had just three short days left of both little guys being in cribs. We were preparing to say goodbye to our night time and nap time routines for awhile (scary!) and be open and willing for the new routine that would blossom from our change from crib to toddler bed.

And then it happened.

That Hello Momma! moment where I'm reminded that I'm really not in charge as much as I like to think I am (darn it!!).

As I do every day before nap, I suggested, "Willow, let's go sit on the potty."

"OK!" she exclaimed, and off she went. Seriously?! Now mind you, I've been asking her (a.k.a pleading, begging, bribing) this same question for months now and I've NEVER heard this answer so nonchalantly before. So, after I picked my chin up from off the floor (!), I anxiously trotted behind her to the potty where she proceeded to do her business. Really?! I felt giddy!! An ecstatic little giggle escaped my lips as thoughts of no more diaper changes danced through my head. "I not funny, Mommy," Willow said, straight faced, like this was the most serious thing she had ever done in her short little lifetime. Oh, sorry! Excuse me my sweet, curly haired little girl while I do a little happy dance quietly in the corner of the bathroom!!

Soooooo, big girl undies are great news, however, the timing of this brilliant event kind of put a kink in my plans for the "Big Bye-Bye Crib" weekend that was just two days away. After all, I didn't want to overwhelm her with too much change at once, so I decided to post-pone the "Big Bye-Bye Crib" weekend and hang on to the crib for just a little longer.

In the meantime...across the hall....

T H U D!! Knock knock. Knock knock KNOCK!!

I slowly and cautiously opened the door to Noah's room where just minutes before he slept peacefully. "Hi Mommy!" I hear, from much lower than my eye level and definitely NOT from his crib. There he was, big, broad smile and curly hair bouncing as he jumped around me, hugging my legs. Hmph. So much for being proactive about this toddler bed thing. I switched gears, looking for the most optimistic reactive mode I could find. Noah was letting me know that I couldn't put it off any longer. Like it or not; ready or not; toddler bed here we come.

My initial thought was to wait until the weekend. A Friday night would be perfect! That way, if there wasn't much sleeping going on, at least I'd have my husband as a back-up. Then I remembered...there is no "perfect" time for change. If I waited, Noah could climb out again and maybe even get hurt. I mean, with a sweet little blue-eyed boy like mine (see exhibits A and B), we couldn't afford to risk it.