Only because the shipping was free
Recently I have received many concerned emails from people who do not understand why Leta was, up until a week ago, still sleeping in a crib. I think I've covered this maybe once or sixty times, but I am very busy being lazy, and generally if you want to know why anything is the way it is, I'll get around to answering you once I have recovered from all this blinking I have to do.
I knew that transitioning Leta from a crib into a regular bed was going to be intense, and I have put it off because she didn't seem to care that she was still sleeping behind bars. Not once has she ever tried to climb out of the crib, and yes, I am fully aware of how lucky we are because of that. My sister's twin boys started climbing out of their cribs when they were 10 months old, would walk into the kitchen in the middle of the night and throw skillets down the stairs to the basement. Because they liked the way it sounded. To survive life she had to chain them to a radiator at night. And whip them with long slabs of raw beef.
Leta just hasn't ever been physical that way, hasn't ever understood the need to go exploring like that when all she has to do is repeat a few annoying sounds for several minutes to summon her personal chauffeur. She isn't a kid who climbs dressers or scales kitchen counters or jumps from the top of the piano. And so there really wasn't any danger in leaving her in a crib for as long as we did. In fact, I think she would have very much liked to live inside of it if we would occasionally stop by and refill her sippy cup.
I was also loath to buy any of the toddler beds that I have seen in stores around here, beds with large butterfly-shaped headboards or frames stenciled with flying unicorns. There is a dearth of stores that sell both good-looking and affordable furniture in Salt Lake, and it wasn't until I was browsing a few of my favorite interior design websites a few weeks ago that a brick fell out of the sky and knocked me awake. I realized I could find what I want online and have it shipped to my house. Also? Did you know? You can buy a loaf of bread THAT IS ALREADY SLICED?
So I ordered this toddler bed online (free shipping!) and within seven days someone had dropped it off on our porch:
We didn't hear the delivery guy knock, and as we were walking out of the house to run a few errands we noticed a large box leaning up against the side of the house. Jon turned to Leta and asked in a hyper, animated voice if she had any! idea! (!!) what this was because Plan A was to convince her that the toddler bed was none other than Jesus Christ. She acted completely uninterested, and as she rolled her eyes into the back of her head she answered, "Um, Dad? It looks like a box." Like, whatever. And then she got in the car and drove off to college and now she doesn't call me anymore.
Plan B: Start drinking at noon.
The following morning we took down the crib, and Jon assembled the new bed. I thought I was going to have more emotion around this milestone, but it just didn't happen. I don't miss Baby Leta, although I do have many great memories of her, that little screaming frog who screamed a lot every day with the screaming. I'm just really in love with Toddler Leta, and maybe I'm too enthusiastic about what's happening right now to be sad about the fact that so much has already passed. Maybe it's because Plan A finally worked, and she got so excited about the new bed -- the BIG! NEW! BED! LOOK AT THAT BIG NEW BED! -- I was really happy to see the crib go.
When I got her ready for her nap that afternoon, I talked to her about what was happening, that she was going to sleep in this new bed, that it was pretty much just like her other one, except it was a little bit closer to the floor. Her eyes got really big and she said, "THIS IS GOING TO BE SO FUN!" Oh, Leta, I know. Wait until I introduce you to tequila.
And then, the struggle I expected never happened. There has been no crying or getting out of the bed in the middle of the night. None of it. Occasionally she will wake up and not know where she is, and her response to this is to scream out, "WIPE MY NOSE!" Which means, please come show your face, woman. It's not exactly an I love you, you are my everything, I recognize all that you have sacrificed to give me this life, but it's close enough.
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FM Living
Cecily said:
Wow, that's very cool! Isn't it awesome when a transition is smooth like that?
02.08.07 - 10:31 AM / 1HDC said:
Well damn. For once you and Jon got to a baby milestone that didn't involve a trip to the doctor's for an enema or an increase in medications. About time I say. You all were far, far overdue. And that's a cute bed to boot and with room at the foot for all those Dora books. Good find.
02.08.07 - 10:31 AM / 2iamchanelle said:
congrats on the transition from crib to bed - what a big girl! (both of you...)
that has got to be one of the coolest beds. ever.
02.08.07 - 10:32 AM / 3Jack's Raging Mommy said:
You are indeed lucky. There's nothing that'll scare the bejesus out of you like waking in the middle of the night to see a small face staring intently at you.
I think Jack is plotting...
02.08.07 - 10:33 AM / 4Claire said:
And just where did you get this rockin' toddler bed, replete with its own tidy little bench? The world needs to know.
02.08.07 - 10:33 AM / 5joe said:
bitchen bed
Typo -> I’m too enthusiastic about what’s happening right now to be sad about the fact that so MUSH has already passed.
Or maybe not. Maybe a lot of mush has also been passed.
02.08.07 - 10:34 AM / 6dooce said:
You can find the bed at several different websites, and the prices range from about $150 to $400. I found it here:
http://tinyurl.com/25rjh2
for $199, but the shipping. It is free.
02.08.07 - 10:38 AM / 7Billygean.co.uk said:
Lovely!
Congratulations.
Don't worry, I insisted on going around in my pram til I was about four. Can you say dysfunctional? I haven't read the Iliad tho (was supposed to... Something to do with bloody Pope parodying it but rearranging my documents was much more important)...
Billygean
02.08.07 - 10:38 AM / 8bethgo said:
Seriously, where did you get that bed? It's very cool. No wonder Leta was excited. I would be too in a bed that spiffy.
My oldest was the same way with staying in his own bed. Not a single problem ever.
I have a feeling my little one is going to give me a hard time though considering the fact that he doesn't want to be in his crib ever.
Oh well, I'll cross that bridge eventually.
Happy big girl bed Leta.
02.08.07 - 10:43 AM / 9kaitkait said:
I wish I had a bed like that! Do they make them in adult sizes? I especially like the bookshelf at the bottom... or maybe it's a bench... I prefer to think of it as a bookshelf. Either way, what a great first bed.
02.08.07 - 10:44 AM / 10Ingrid said:
You should post pictures of Leta's room with her awesome new bed in it!
02.08.07 - 10:45 AM / 11Leane4 said:
My son was also three and in a crib for the same reason! He just never tried to leave the crib. He loved it and then we brought in a big boy bed and he was fine in that too. I'm not sure why people are concerned about Leta in the crib at age 3!! As if that were going to wreck her whole life or they pictured her still in it when she turned 14?? Thankfully most of your readers trust you as a parent, far more than that :)
02.08.07 - 10:45 AM / 12M to the D O Double G said:
cute bed. thanks for not choosing this one:
http://tinyurl.com/2ny2pj
02.08.07 - 10:46 AM / 13eatbitter said:
Thanks for sharing this bed story just as I was thinking it was time to start looking around for my son.
02.08.07 - 10:59 AM / 14Groovymarlin said:
Awesome bed. Congratulations on passing another milestone. I often wonder at what point my little froggy will need a real bed, but right now I'm more clueless about when she needs to really start drinking from a sippy cup, and when should I start making her wear shoes.
02.08.07 - 10:47 AM / 15Mindola said:
Clearly another example of how well Heather knows her little girl and knew what would be best for Leta and when it would be best for Leta.
Take that Mean-Know-It-All-Accusatory-Mothers!
(Way to sleep in the big girl bed Leta !)
02.08.07 - 10:48 AM / 16Amy said:
"Wait until I introduce you to tequila." This made me laugh out loud. My 5 year old received her toddler bed only because we gave her crib to a friend. She'd likely still be in it.
02.08.07 - 10:49 AM / 17GEORGE! said:
That bedspread pattern? Pretty sure I have that one too, but it's on my boxers.
02.08.07 - 10:49 AM / 18ColleenS said:
Congratulations! What an accomplishment, for both of you. When she sets it up with all her Dora books, please post a picture.
02.08.07 - 10:49 AM / 19t*love said:
Congratulations! I'm so glad to hear the transition has gone well for you. Hooray for good kids!
02.08.07 - 10:51 AM / 20Territorial said:
With my daughter, we took a simple approach and just put the box spring and mattress right on the floor. Apparenlty, we were evil according out our mother's. Son,when he was ready, got an actual twin bed. They both adjusted well to it. Congrats on the easy transition!
02.08.07 - 10:54 AM / 21Erika Haub said:
I was amazed at what a non-event this was for our daughter too. However, we now have to unscrew the lightbulb in her room because she will crawl to the foot of her bed where the light switch is in excellent reach (her bed is pretty high off the gorund) and she will flip on the light and start singing her baby brother's name (who sleeps in a crib about a foot away) until he wakes up. No manner of discipline could penetrate her delight in doing this each night--thus the unscrewed lighbulb.
02.08.07 - 10:54 AM / 22rivetergirl said:
Great toddler bed!
I don't see what the rush is to move kids out of the crib. My daughter was just like Leta. She never tried any x-treme climbing maneuvers to scale the walls of her crib. I don't think that it ever dawned on her that she could try to climb out. Instead she would call out, "Mommy, Daddy, I awake," in her little sing-songy voice. We converted her crib to a toddler bed well past her 3rd birthday.
Just recently we moved her from the nursery room, which is attached to our room, to her very, own, big-girl room. She's 6-1/2.
We never pushed her into any of these changes, instead we waited until we were ALL ready. It was great.
And the best part is that it saves your back from having to haul her over the crib rail!.
Congrats on the smooth transition.
02.08.07 - 11:00 AM / 23smoness said:
Couldn't she just wipe her nose with the new bedding? Much more efficient, and I'm pretty sure no one would notice with the lime green in the color scheme and all.
02.08.07 - 11:01 AM / 24cakebaker said:
funny, isn't it? i expected it to be a huge deal for our daughter too, but she hopped right in. and we went from crib to twin bed at age 2 1/2. although, if i'd seen a bed as cool as that one, she'd be taking it with her to college.
02.08.07 - 11:03 AM / 25Birdy said:
I LOVE that bed. I want one for myself...the bench is just want I always wanted, but have no room for.
My little one, Lorelei, was in a toddler bed by 18 months because by 12 months she could climb out of the crib. BUT she rolled around her crib so much while she slept I was wary about taking off the bars. When we finally got her big girl bed: she still rolled all over, but not as much...so we put pillows on the floor to cushion the inevitable fall. Past month or so she now comes to our bed every night: screaming until she is cuddled up next to me and it's as if the screeches didn't jolt me awake. Thankfully she doesn't roll as much any more and I'm not constantly hit with flailing baby arms. And she is super cuddly.
02.08.07 - 11:03 AM / 26JennJenn said:
That's a great bed and all and I'm super-duper-pooper happy for you both that she is loving her new bed..but...HOLY CRAP I SO cannot get over the Hunter Gatherer post. That is SUCH a typical man thing to say and I am STILL laughing about it.
Could I USE anymore BOLD typing in this ENTRY??
02.08.07 - 11:03 AM / 27Kmom said:
Congratulations on a smooth transition into a very cool bed! I am always more apprehensive about changes like that with my daughter than she ever seems to be. But then she'll scream about something that's not big deal to make up for it many times over. Anyway . . . we just moved our daughter from the toddler bed into a big double bed. That transition made me teary-eyed, where, like you, the change from crib to toddler bed didn't really effect me. I really love my toddler, the baby times weren't that super! Now she's almost 3 and taking away that little bed was hard to do! (We need the mattress from it for the crib - new baby on the way).
02.08.07 - 11:06 AM / 28Kate said:
Oh! But what about your adorable Shabby Chic bins that hold Elmos and Doras?? What are they going to do without a crib to live under?? (????)
I am shallow. I realize.
Yay for the easy transition for Leta. And that is one rockin' bed. I really like it.
02.08.07 - 11:07 AM / 29MrsTito said:
Congrats! We finally moved our muffin to a big girl bed a month ago, and were (and still are) pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. Now, I'm just hoping that one day she'll tell me she's ready for the potty and it'll be over that easy. I can dream right?
02.08.07 - 11:08 AM / 30