She's Free!!

After deliberating for a couple weeks Tyson and I decided it would be good to convert Jayde's crib to her toddler bed so she had the ability to get out. We didn't want too many changes before the baby came and were going to use the crib for Colton's room so we figured "Why not?" - luckily she can't open doors yet.

Jayde helped her Dada take her crib apart and install the new rail. It's so cute watching her 'help' fasten the screws in. When she saw that she could get in and out herself she was in awe and LOVED it! Stuffed animals were constantly being brought into her bed, and she played in it for most of the day.

That first night was pretty rough. We went through her normal bedtime routine, laid her down, and shut the door. At first we could hear her playing with her animals, then heard a little knock on the door. We waited a couple minutes and heard another knock so one of us would go in, walk her back to her bed and she would lay down. For the first couple nights this would go on about 4 times before she would go back to sleep. She would wimper here and there when she was knocking, but never cried and never got mad or scared.

The first few nights when she would wake up in the middle of the night we would hear knocking and a, "Mama, Mama!" so I would go in, she would grab my hand and walk with me back to her bed. After a couple days of this she now does wonderful and goes to sleep after playing with her animals for about 30 minutes.

Naps are another story. Before we converted her bed she would have a couple days here and there during the week where I would lay her down for her usual mid-day nap and she would talk to herself/play/sing for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours before I would take her out and we would go on with our day. Generally when this happens she does great during the rest of the day and starts getting a little cranky around 7:30pm. We make sure to lay her down for the night a little earlier since she had no nap.

I figured naps with an open bed would be a lot harder, but it's about the same. Most days she does nap after playing with her animals, reading, or talking to herself for about 30 min. The days when she never falls asleep I figure at least she's getting 1 1/2 - 2 hours of quiet time to herself before I let her out. She never knocks on the door wanting to leave her room... she just knows that it's quiet time and will read or put her animals to sleep. That way I am able to get things done around the house while she's resting in her room. We are so lucky to have such a great little girl and it's been an adventure trying to learn this whole parenting gig, but she just goes on right along with us!