The Big Girl Bed

It seems like I've had a lot of 'Wow-look-at-how-amazing-Ella-is-doing' posts lately. The excitement of being able to dress her different kinds of shoes, wear hats, laugh and giggle and play with her in the tub (well.. until it's time to wash her hair at least) watch her walk outside by herself, and see her amazing personality emerge and blossom is so overwhelming. I hope with all my heart that I never make anyone feel bad whose child might not be doing any particular one of these things. It's absolutely true that our kids each develop along their own set of rules, in their own time, and surprise us at every turn. I share Ella's triumphs to offer hope to others who might need it at that time. However.. in an effort to even things out a little I'm now going to share about Ella and her bed. 

Scenario: Ella still sleeps in her crib. 

Problem: Not so little brother Hudson needs the crib. 

Solution: Move Ella to a big girl bed. 

Easy, right? Well, we thought so. We got out the toddler bed and at first Ella seemed to LOVE it. 

There was lots of giggling,

and clapping,

and happy faces. 

Until it was time to actually go to sleep on the bed.

Then there was lots of tears,

and flailing,

and hysterical crying for an hour.

(No I don't have pictures of that. Geez, I'm not a monster, people..)

Needless to say we haven't even tried it again. An hour battle at naptime (or *gasp* bedtime for that matter) is not something I have time or energy to endure every day right now.

However, the toddler bed remains in her room. One could argue that I'm just being lazy and not willing to put forth the hard work necessary to guide Ella with this transition. Or one could more efficiently argue that I am testing the very important scientific theory of selective exposure and therefore slowly over time training Ella's mind to adapt her attitude to accept the favorable evidence while ignoring the unfavorable and helping her overcome the predetermined prejudice she seems to have against the toddler bed.

I'll let you decide.

For now, the bed serves as a cozy tablet-playing nook

just right for watching baby faces.

It is also a perfect step stool for turning the lights off.

And on. And off. And on.

After discovering her in her crib one day when no one had put her there, we even realized the toddler bed is a great ladder for getting into the crib!

Now that Ella knows how to climb in to her bed, it raises the concern of when she will try to climb out of her bed.

Good thing she's far too cautious for that.

Or not..