For months, my wife and I had discussed getting Babito a twin bed. The crib seemed to be getting smaller and smaller. Luckily for us, we had time since Babito had never once tried to climb out of his crib (which is amazing considering he climbs up everything else!).
Finally, we found a nice twin bed with both drawers and a trundle bed. It looks like the one below, just without the garish solar system bedspread. Babito has a garish Thomas the Train bedspread.
While we waited for the bed to be delivered, we began talking up the “big boy bed.” We had Babito to the point of utter excitement about it, although you could tell he was slightly nervous. I’d be putting him in his crib at night, telling him that soon he would be sleeping in a big boy bed. He would always ask me, “Will you pick me up and get me out of it?” I tried to explain to him that he would be able to get in and out of the bed all by himself. I didn’t think he really grasped the concept.
Finally, last Sunday, his bed was delivered. He was excited to see his bed with the cool Thomas the Train sheets, blankets, pillow cases, and bedspread.
That night, after our many bedtime rituals, he climbed up on his bed and I joined him for some book reading. When I finished the two books we had selected he asked me to read them again, so I did. After the second reading he asked me to read them yet again. Normally, when he pulls this kind of stunt, I put my foot down and tell him no, but since it was going to be his first night in his new bed I indulged him.
After the third readings, I told him good night, kissed him, blessed him, told him I loved him, and said “See ya later, Alligator.” He said “After while, Crocodile.” (This is all another part of the bedtime ritual that must be strictly followed, or else.) As I walked out of the room he said “Daddy, I like my new bed. It’s nice.”
I looked back and my little boy, who looked so big in his little crib, looked so tiny in his new big boy bed. I could tell he was a little nervous, but he didn’t say anything else. He was going to be a brave little boy, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.
The next morning, after I had left for work, my wife went in to check on him. He was lying in bed. He was already awake. She said “Want me to get you out of bed?” Babito said, “No, this is a big boy bed, Mommy. I can get out ALL by MYSELF!” And he did. And he is. Way too fast.
