First step towards a Big Boy Bed

We installed a crib rail last night onto Andrei's bed. The ordeal of buying the darn thing is a story in itself, but I'll let Stef tell that one as a follow up. We have been thinking about the move from a crib almost as soon as we had brought Andrei home (remember we're big on planning).

The debate for us was centered around the three options we determined we had:

1. A crib rail using his crib



2. A new toddler bed (using his existing crib mattress)



3. A full fledged Big Boy Bed (aka a regular twin or full size bed)

Like most toddlers Andrei is a creature of habit. And changes to his routine or norms are not always welcomed. So all of these options concerned us to some extent.

I should veer off and say that most of what you read about the move from a crib usually mentions that if your child tries to climb out of their crib they are probably ready for a toddler bed. However, in our case this was (and probably never would have been) an issue. Andrei likes his crib and is perfectly content waiting for us to come in after naps or in the morning and take him out. I think we've mentioned he has way too many stuffed animals in his bed and enjoys playing with them before he falls asleep and after he wakes up.

Having said that, our choice of moving out of the crib setup was more to continue to provide him with independence and self responsibility (that's the principled answer) and to help eliminate the need for one of us to go in and get him out of the crib at 6:50 in the morning, every morning, weekday or weekend (that's real alternate answer).

So we needed to determine which of the 3 options we wanted to try. We felt the third option (a twin or full size bed), although the least expensive (we have a full size bed we could use), was the most dramatic and might cause Andrei quite a bit of stress. The second option would require a new toddler bed frame but would use his existing crib mattress. But this too would be an altogether different bed and Andrei might reject it (and then we're stuck with a toddler bed frame).

But the first option seemed to most fluid way to progress out of the crib. We had to buy a crib rail for the bargain Pali crib we bought off Craigslist (we got it for $100). And so we went with this option and installed it last night. To say that Andrei was excited about it was an understatement. We recently added a pillow to his crib and he thought that was cool (I'm guessing in his mind his bed is beginning to look like Mommy and Daddy's bed). But the new crib rail which provides the opening to get in and out of the crib by himself was a huge hit.

Now for the nightly report.

We weren't overly concerned about him trying to get out of the crib, more just curious if he would. Which he didn't. In fact just before he fell asleep he dropped Elmo out of the crib (an all too often occurrence) and instead of climbing out to get it himself, he called for us to get it for him! So much for the worries about him climbing out and trying to get him to stay in the crib and sleep.

In the morning we were hopeful he'd recognize the fact that he could escape on his own and just come into our room. But alas, here to he waiting for us to come in and get him. Although Stef did show him that he could get out himself and made him climb out instead of picking him up.

During nap time later he did go into the crib by himself (helped by one of his step-stools). And as you can see, he sort of has the hang of this whole new "big boy bed" thing. Well at least he's using the pillow even though he obviously moved it from the position I put it in when the nap started. After the nap he climbed out himself so I have high hopes for tomorrow morning.