Saturday, February 29, 2020

mabel's big girl bed.

A week ago, Mabel got a "big girl" bed! First, the backstory:

T wanted to make the switch before Clarke was born to avoid buying a new crib, but I had heard from many people (sleep experts, other mamas) that basically, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Mabel still fit in her crib, she was sleeping through the night, we could afford to buy a new crib (this one from IKEA)... I didn't want to mess with it. So we didn't.

But as kids do, Mabel's getting bigger. And she was bumping up against the bars of her crib. But still, I hesitated. And then we went to T's parents for Chinese New Year. And she had a toddler bed there. We hyped it up to her, but I was sure she wouldn't sleep in it. I was wrong. She did sleep in it! All of her naps and all through the night every night that we were there. And then she started asking for a "big girl bed at me home."

I conceded to Tony. It was time to get a "big girl" bed.

Because of the coronavirus, IKEA was closed, but luckily, we could still place orders online. After lots of debate and measuring, we decided on the MINNEN.

After her first nap in her new bed!

We set it up a week ago and this is what I want to remember:

+ Mabel picked out the duvet cover by herself. She had a hard time choosing between "yellow" and "animals" but went with the latter.

+ She "helped" us put it together. She was (and still is) very proud of that and tells everyone, "Me and Mama and Baba built it!"

+ As we were putting it together, she said, "Thanks, Mama! Thanks, Baba!"

+ While we were deciding what length to set the bed at, we asked Mabel to lay on the floor with the bed frame around her. She looked at us like we were stupid and was obviously exasperated. She lay down but said, "This is not a bed; it's a floor!"

+ We put the bed together in the morning when Clarke was napping. When he woke up, Mabel was so excited to show him, "Look, Dìdì! Look at me big girl bed!"

+ When it was time to sleep in the bed, she asked for her crib back because, "I want to hold you hand." (We always laid on the floor beside her and held her hand as she fell asleep.) Now we sit in a chair beside her bed and hold her hand; she's happy with that.

+ She napped in it that afternoon, no problem.

+ Her first night in the bed, she kept waking up and crying. I finally gave up and brought her to sleep with me and Tony (her first time sleeping with us!).

+ Every night since that first one she has slept through the night (except one time when she woke up and I had to sit beside her for a half hour or so).

I thought I would feel more sad about the transition (I did get a little weepy), but I'm excited. My baby girl is growing up!

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