New Room

We have been wanting to move Ella into a regular twin bed and into the guest room for a while now as she is too big for the crib now---we (well, I) can hear her in the night banging into the crib railings as she rolls around in her sleep. We decided to skip the toddler bed and move righ to a twin bed since she needs the space.

The reason we hadn't moved her sooner is because she had very strong feelings against moving into "a big girl room." Any time we brought up the idea or talked about getting her a new bed, she would scream and tell us she didn't want to have a new bed, that she wasn't a big girl, and that she wanted to stay in her little crib. (She likes routine a lot....don't know where she gets that from??) Taking the advice of some of my other mom-friends, I started to slowly make over her new room and move things slowly into that room so she could start seeing it as hers.

We left the walls lavender and moved in: an adorable pink reading chair from Pappy and Baba, her fish tank with Bruno, bookshelf, and a new set of bin organizers. Granddad and Nana offered to purchase Ella's bed, which we have ordered. On Monday night, we bought her mattress and boxspring from Sam's and brought it home. Luckily, as we've transformed her room, she has become more excited and agreeable about the idea. She even wanted to put her sheets on the mattress right away that evening.

Yesterday she told me she wanted to take her nap in her new bed...and who am I to stop the momentum? So, we did our regular routine of two stories, prayers, and hugs/kisses, and I told her she had to stay in her bed with no fussies until I came up to get her. I was expecting crying and calling, but heard nothing...not even after an hour! I was wondering if she had climbed out of the window and escaped, but then I heard her singing, Twinkle, Twinkle. After two hours, I went up and she was sitting on the floor surrounded by books from her bookshelf just reading! She looked guilty since I found her out of her bed, but I tried to still praise her for not getting out of her room and staying in there quietly without crying. We talked about how she can read, but she has to stay in her bed--we moved a basket of books next to her bed that she can reach now.

Overall, I was very pleased with our first nap experience in the new bed since I heard from my friends that naptime seemed to be the hardest transition for their kids. I decided we better keep up with the consistency, so we figured we'd try bedtime in the bed, too.

After Stroller Time (Ella fell asleep in the stroller since she hadn't really napped), we went to the playground. Unfortunately, she got two skinned hands from a fall and bathtime was not as pleasant as usual, so I was concerned that she would resist her bed. Luckily, she calmed down as we read stories and only said she wanted to sleep in her "baby crib" once. She wanted Rob to keep the light on, so we told her we would if she stayed in her bed. We closed the door at 9:00 last night and she didn't make a peep until 7:15 this morning! Whew! I turned her light off around 9:30 and she looked so cozy and comfortable in her bed. Rob and I checked on her when he left for work this morning and she was upside down with her feet on the pillow and head against the mesh safety railing.

So, today we're off to the toy store to let Ella pick out a reward (a bribe, no....an incentive, yes! haha) Hopefully, naptime will go well today. I am sure we were very lucky with last night's bedtime going so smoothly and that some nights will be more challenging than others, but we're off to a good start.

reading in her new chair


liked the crossed legs


in the process of cleaning out the closet and spare bed drawers


one side of Ella's new closet


"Show us how excited you are about your new room!"


silly face...showing those little chiclet teeth!


running and enjoying all of the new space
(her baby room was so small)


a blessing above her bed and window


checking out the view from atop the new mattress


after we put the sheets and comforter on....
she wanted to pretend to sleep


bed with the safety railing
(frame and headboard will be here in few weeks)


already looking like a toddler room---lots of toys on the floor


showing her new wall decals that she put on


what I saw when I came to get her from her nap


looks inviting


the room put together


the tv replaced by Bruno in his tank
(Bruno's light is also a nightlight)


opposite side of the room finished


old "baby room" looking bare