Big Girl Bed

Sunday night (23 May 2010) was the first night that Tay slept in her own bed for the whole night.  It was actually the first night that I actually installed the bed rail, and she watched me while I was putting it together and kept asking me what I was making.  I told her I was making her big girl bed safe so she could sleep in it without falling out.  She was very excited to lie in her bed once the bed rail was attached.  I put new-to-her sheets (flower print) on it as well and stacked some of her night time reading books on the little shelf attached to her headboard.  That was around midday, so it wasn't nearly time to go to sleep yet, but I did ask if she wanted to take a nap in her big girl bed and she said "yes" and snuggled up on her pillow.  She didn't fall asleep then, but she was also not remotely tired either, so we just went about our day. 

That night, we got ready for bed, and I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her bed or in Umma and Appa's bed.  She said, "My big girl bed!" so we got her dressed in her pajamas and she lay down on her pillow.  I asked her if I could lie down next to her to read to her, but she said, "No, Umma.  My bed.  You go lay your bed."  When I asked her how I was going to read to her from my bed, she thought a moment and said, "You sit, Umma.  Sit sit."  So I went and retrieved a small stool so I could sit next to her bed to read to her.  I usually end up reading to her for about 15-30 minutes every night, depending on what book(s) she chooses, and sometimes she drifts off to sleep before I'm done reading and other times, we turn off the light together, say our prayers, say good night, kisses and then she rolls over to sleep.  Of course, it's never always that easy, but I do have a few nights a week of peaceful and easy bedtimes.  :)  Anyhow, that night, she ended up drifting off to sleep when I got a few pages into "One Fish, Two Fish" by Dr. Seuss.  It was only around 8:30, so I was surprised, but happy that she didn't have any anxiety about sleeping on her own in her own bed.  She woke up briefly around 10pm looking for us, but when I walked back into the room and told her I was there, she lay back down and fell right asleep.  Throughout the night, I kept waking up to check on her, but she was sound asleep until around 6:45 the next morning!  I guess I'm having more anxiety about her not being in the bed with me than she is!  Ugh...

When she awoke the next morning (Monday), she called to me since I was in the kitchen.  I found her still lying down tucked next to the bed rail, and since I was already dressed for work, the first thing she asked me was, "Where you going?"  I smiled and told her I had to go to work today and that she was going to Tita's.  She told me, "I go work Tita's."  Of course.  :)

Last night (Monday night) took a little longer for her to fall asleep, but she still chose to sleep in her big girl bed over sleeping in bed with us.  No problem.  I suspected I'd sleep better tonight than the first night.  She did end up falling asleep (after many many delays) in her own bed, so I was hopeful that we had made a successful transition into the big girl bed.  She still didn't want me to lie down in her bed with her to read, so I stayed on my little stool. 

A little after 3am, I woke up to her wimpering and she cried out for me, so I went to her bed, and she was sitting up and wanted me to hold her because she was "scared."  I assume she had a nightmare.  I held her for a little bit, and she relaxed and seemingly fell back asleep on my shoulder, so I laid her down in her bed.  She held onto my arm and said, "Umma, don't go."  So, I sat down on my little stool next to her bed and let her just hug my arm for a while.  When she seemed to drift off again, I started to get up to go lie down myself, and she awoke again and asked me not go to.  I told her I'd stay with her a little longer, and she rolled over to go back to sleep.  After a few minutes of just lying still, she rolled back over and sat up.  She said, "Mama, water please?"  I guess she couldn't fall back asleep, so she thought maybe a drink of water would help.  I had already pre-positioned a glass of water for her, so I got her the cup and after she took a big drink, she lay back down and closed her eyes...another attempt to go to sleep.  I rubbed her back for a little bit, and when I stopped, she lay still for a few more minutes, and finally she rolled over and said, "Mommy, you lay?"  I wasn't sure if she wanted me to go lie down or if she wanted me to lie with her, so I asked her if she wanted me to lie with her, and she said, "Yes.  You lay lay with me my bed?"  I told her, "Sure" and climbed in beside her and she tucked her cuddly little face right on my cheek and wrapped one of her arms around my neck and breathed what sounded like a sigh of relief.  Luckily, she fell fast asleep (I think I did for a bit, too), but when I finally got up out of her bed to go back to my bed, I checked the time and it was already 5am.  Aiya...oh well.  I went back to sleep in my bed for about another hour and half when Jeff woke up me up to tell me it was already 6:30.  Yay...

I let Tay sleep in until she woke up on her own around 7:20.  She didn't seem to remember the night time event, so that was good, and she was in a good mood when she woke up in her own bed this morning, so all is well with the big girl bed.  We'll see how bedtime goes tonight...:)

All in all, I think the transition is going well, and Jeff and I are still not adverse to co-sleeping with her when she needs to, so we'll just take it slowly.  Another step toward growing up...::sigh::