Yes, we kept Madison is a crib until she was three and we are proud of that fact! I know many people want that "big bed" transition earlier, and really, Madison could have done it and been just fine, but it wasn't necessary. She was 2 1/2 when Samuel was born and we knew we couldn't have her roaming the house with the new baby, so we decided to leave her in a little longer and she loved it. So fast forward 7 months, to a very tall (99%) toddler in this baby crib, who doesn't want to give up her bed and parents that don't really want to make her, but we know we have to...
We did the whole "Whoo- hoo! you're three! Lets get your big girl bed" celebration and she actually cried real tears saying, "I don't want a new bed. I LOVE my bed!" This is so true. How do you think she made it to three? I mean she LOVES her bed~ She plays with all her dolls in it, she reads her books in it, she holds on tight and jumps really high in it, I mean she loves it! It's just her safe little happy place. We'll go up to get her out of it after she wakes up and we just sit and talk to her until she decides she wants to get out. She's never in any hurry.
So we stepped back, decided to take it a bit slower and went to a count down...
When the big day came yesterday to take the crib front off and just put the bar up, she said, "No, maybe we can just do it tomorrow." We didn't even take time to respond and Jason went for it with the drill. Madison sat on my lap, holding her dolls watching intensely and asking "what" and "why" all along the way. Jason finished and we asked if she wanted to try it all by herself. She did and excitingly took off and hopped right in.
She loved it more than she thought she would and we were relieved more than we thought we'd be. However, as the excitement filled her face, we realized that this was a huge milestone for us as parents, and we both sat a little sad and teary eyed as we watched this fun loving, beautiful, three year old big girl, jumping in and out of her big bed. The baby was gone. The toddler had morphed and we were watching this little girl, who seemed so big and grown up all of a sudden, no longer need us to help her go "night-night." Then I cried. As she naps right now and I type this - I find myself all choked up again. Parenting is full of these moments, I suppose. I just don't want them all to come so fast!
Well - here she is. Full dress up, boots and all, in her bed reading her books that she picked out... all by herself and then took them to her bed... all by herself and then laid down to read them... all by herself. I let her and then said, "Scoot over. Let me watch you!" :-)
Here's to being Three ! :-0
