Big girl beds

We are growing up too fast.  At the age of 32 months and 2 days, we said good bye to our cribs and graduated to big girl beds.  It was a bittersweet occasion.  I remember how those TINY little 5 pound babies looked the first few times we put them in their cribs compared to how our big girls looked all sprawled out from end to end of their cribs.  It was something I had been debating (and delaying) for a while, but it was time.  After climbing out of her crib a few times almost a year ago and then not doing it again for 11 months, Annabel had begun crawling out of her crib constantly, which was not really a problem except that she could not get back in.  And we needed to make that big transition well before baby brother gets here.

So, we rounded up some mattresses, found some super cute bedding at TJMaxx (my favorite store), ordered some crib rails, and gathered up a couple of volunteers to help me make the big switch one day while they were at school.  April 5th to be exact.

I had been talking up their big girl beds for a few weeks, but the night before, I explained that was their last time to go night night in their baby beds, so we had to say good bye to our cribs.

Waving good bye!

Madeline had to hug her baby bed.

Annabel just wanted to smile..

These pictures will make me laugh one day looking back at the chaos of their room ... animals piled on the baby doll bunk bed and in their cribs, Annabel missing her name canvas because she kept pulling it down, no bumper pads in the front of their cribs because Annabel kept using hers as a step stool and Madeline threw up on hers, the exersaucer in the floor so I could contain James while I got them dressed, etc.  Organization and tidiness do NOT happen with these three around.

And then after a hard few hours of moving out the old and in the new and doing some rearranging, here are the big girl beds!

We decided to give Annabel another chance with the name painting, but we did remove the metal rods that they originally hung on to prevent any injuries.

I was so excited to see their reaction.  And the smiles on their faces when they came in from daycare and saw their new room and climbed in their big girl beds for the first time were priceless ...

Madeline thinks her bed is so cool, but little brother wasn't quite sure about the safety rail.

And Annabel was so proud of her bed and was all grins from ear to ear.

 
The transition has been as good as could be expected when you get to have a bunking party/play time with your sister and your new freedom every night.  That first hour or so at bedtime was a challenge for a few nights (still is), but after they fall asleep, they stay in their beds ALL night.  Annabel always wakes up first, but instead of her yelling for us and us running to grab her so she did not wake her sister (who needs her sleep), now she climbs out, tip toes to our room and appears by my bed with "Rosy" and blanket in hand wanting to climb in with me.  Or sometimes she just goes straight to the playroom and starts playing or coloring, and I wake up to the sound of whatever she is doing.  Miss Independent wakes up ready to go!  Madeline keeps snoozing or stays in bed cuddling with her animals until she is good and ready to get up, and then she appears by my bed always wanting some more snuggle time.

I love those sweet morning moments.  And even though it is hard to believe how fast they are growing up, I love my big girls and watching them with every new big girl experience.