Sleeping in the Big Girl Bed

This is the new bedding Sydney and I picked out at IKEA today. Truth be told, I did that thing that grown ups do to small children where I had already picked it out and went to IKEA with the express purpose of helping Sydney to realize how much she would like this set. But really, I'm trying to keep her old "Alphabet Soup" set in the room and needed something that would co-ordinate. And I knew that this may be my last chance to decorate this room without her vetoing me.


The coverlet and polka-dot pillow are new, the two little pillows are part of the old set. See how well they match?


A close up of the top of the coverlet. I do not know why this resonates so very much with me, but I knew from the moment I saw it that I needed it. If anyone can name the picture book that this is tugging at a memory of, let me know.

And now, home decor aside, the story of Sydney and her first night in the big girl bed.

7:30 A nice warm bubble bath, like always

7:45 Into jammies, bedtime rountines observed, like always

8:00 Bedtime, like always, only this time, in the new bed

Sydney initially does not believe us that she will be sleeping in her extra bed. Even as we are saying "good night" and putting on her music, you can tell that she thinks this is a game. It's only when the door is shut that she cries.

8:01 We go back in, try explaining the whole "you get to sleep in the big girl bed" idea again, and give her some of her books to read.

8:02 Sydney cries again. We go back in, put her in bed and tell her to lay down.

8:03 We can hear Sydney talking and singing, but she sounds like she always does at bedtime. So far, so good.

8:15 I check on Sydney. She has fifteen new books on the bed and is happily reading.

8:45 Everything is quiet. I go in to see my sleeping beauty...


And find a well powdered baby. Sydney's daddy and I have a half whispered, half telepathic discussion about how to respond:

Jeremy: I believe this is a spanking offense!

Me: But it's so cute!

Jeremy: Do you know how hard powder is to clean up? And she so knew better!

Me: But she has all of this new freedom and responsibility being unrestrained without grown ups in the room. This was too much temptation.

Jeremy: You sound like you knew this would happen.

Me: Ummmm. Sigh. I guess a time out would at least get her out of the way while we clean up.

Jeremy: I'll go get the vacuum cleaner.

9:00 Sydney is still talking and making noise. On the one hand, she still isn't crying, but on the other hand, she isn't really showing any signs of sleeping any time soon either.

9:15 Jeremy starts to question the wisdom of all of this nonsense.

9:16 I start surfing the internet for suggestions to make the transition any smoother (while secretly convinced that Sydney is being a real trooper).

9:20 One website recommends those rails that you can get to help kids not roll out of bed, not just for the not rolling but because it makes the twin bed more secure-feeling, like a crib. I remember that we have one... somewhere.

9:30 Found the bed rail. Start assembly.

9:45 Bed rail installed. Jeremy and I go in, clean off the twenty or so books on Sydney's bed, tell her firmly to stay in bed, hand her three books and her special stuffed animals and leave the room.

10:00 No sound from Sydney's room. I go check on her and see a beautiful sleeping baby.

10:01 I get my camera.

10:02 Jeremy threatens numerous consequences if I wake our daughter after all of this.

10:03 Sydney is still asleep and here's the picture:


10:50 I finish the blog post and Jeremy admits that it all went really well. And that the picture is super cute!