I have been dreading the move from crib to toddler bed for many reasons. First, I like the security I feel knowing my daughter is in a contained safe space while I sleep. I don't want to worry about her wondering the house unsupervised and possibly being injured. Second, transitions with toddlers are tough. Pacifier situation case in point. I was dreading the toddler waking in the middle of the night several times and having to put her back over and over again. I was picturing sleepless nights and a tired mama and baby. Thirdly, she has been throwing tantrums for all sleep times and was so angry on Friday for nap time she actually flung herself right out of her crib. I wanted to solve our sleep problems first before moving to a toddler bed. Lastly, I did not want to say goodbye to my baby. Lets face it, she is potty trained, no longer uses pacifiers or bottles, needs her food cut up, or to be rocked to sleep. She is well on her way to being a little girl. Illogically, keeping her in a crib allows me to still feel like she is my baby.
Despite my reasons, Madi had another agenda. We were about to have Blizzard Nemo hit us in full force with up to 3 feet of snow and there was a good chance we were going to lose power. No power means no heat. Our basement retains heat the best so we thought we would have a family camp out just in case rather than wake up freezing and relocating in the middle of the night. We blew up air mattresses and set up Madi's pack n play. I tried to put Madi in her pack n play and she freaked out, "I don't want a crib. Get me out. Put me on the ground." I asked her if she wanted to sleep on the ground and she said yes. I did not believe for a second she would sleep there. I gave her a pillow and a blanket and laid her down. No tears went right to sleep and to my amazement only woke up to get on the couch and go back to sleep there. This was a head scratcher. Could all these night time fits be because she didn't want to be sleeping in her crib?
The next morning we converted her crib to it's toddler/day bed state and when nap time came around her face lit up and her smile was so big. She was so happy to have a big girl bed. She climbed right in and went to sleep and took a 2 hour nap. That night same thing; climbed right in. She woke up once because she fell out (she was fine I put pillows on the floor). She went back to sleep no problem. Today nap time, climbed right in again. Same for bed time. I guess she was just ready and because I didn't want her to be ready I didn't see it. I am so proud of her and so sad at the same time. I wasn't supposed to be without a baby this quickly. :( Despite that, the quiet nights and easy nap times are well worth it. I wish everyone this same kind of success when transferring their toddler to a big girl bed.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Kids really do say the darnedest things
Two has got to be the most exciting age. Watching my daughter develop her own and independent personality is truly amazing and hysterical. I just wanted to give you some quotes and contexts to give you some insight into who my little peanut is.
One night at dinner and at random Madi gives me a giant hug and says, "you're the best ever. We're best friends." I mean really.... Just melt my heart.
The next day remembering she was mad that I took all of her pacifiers away says to me, "we're not friends. I'm leaving. I go to my friend Alex's house." Hearing a 2 year old say this knowing how impossible it would be for her to do this made me laugh.
Madi was Still mad over the paci situation later that night. I told her I loved her and she crossed her arms and looked away and said, " I no say I love you too." This sounds awful, but the little pout with this tiny little voice actually sounded adorable and I knew and understood why she was feeling resentful that day.
Me: "Madi, would you like pizza for dinner."
Madi: "no. I have a tummy ache. I'll have a cake pop."
Madi has also starting giving us the play by play of everything little thing she does. "I wash my hands. I walk down stairs. I'm jumping. I want to go see the cows. This is too tight. This is too big." If you do not acknowledge what she says she repeats it several times and then finally will shout, "did you hear that?" This girl is a definite attention seeker.
Last night before bed she asked if her friend Lucy could come over. Lucy is a close friends baby and is only about 8 months old. I said I didn't know what their plans for the week were and her response was, "mama, you call Rick and ask for baby Lucy to come over." Rick is Lucy's dads name. Seriously don't know how my newly turned 2 year old thinks of these things.
In the car today we told her she was not having a good attitude and needs to change it if she wanted to have family movie night as planned. She replied with, "well, I no want a good attitude." There's that terrible two sassy attitude everyone talks about. ;)
If anyone anywhere passes gas or a baby near by has a poopy diaper Madi shouts, " I smell poops." Hysterical every time.
Despite her sassy attitude and spunky and energetic self she is also unconditionally sweet. She never wants anyone left behind. Anytime she is playing with anything she asks, " you want to play too?" Words I hear daily out of her are "it's your turn" and "I share with you." Anytime she hears a thud from me banging something in the other room she will come running saying, " mama, are you ok? You need my help?" The thing about toddlers is that they say exactly what they mean and it's refreshing. If her feelings are hurt she will tell me so and if she is feeling happy she will tell me. When she likes something, she enthusiastically will say, "I love this." And if she doesn't like it you will hear about that too. She is full of love and cuddles and kind words and some not kind words and that's ok because they mirror the fact that sometimes she has a bad day and sometimes she has a great day and she is learning how to use her voice. One day she will learn social etiquette and she will think before she speaks and a piece of her will be guarded like it is in all of us. I just hope we have some time left for her to be able to openly and freely speak her mind. That freedom won't last forever. And while that time is here I will bask in the delight of her saying the darnedest thing.
One night at dinner and at random Madi gives me a giant hug and says, "you're the best ever. We're best friends." I mean really.... Just melt my heart.
The next day remembering she was mad that I took all of her pacifiers away says to me, "we're not friends. I'm leaving. I go to my friend Alex's house." Hearing a 2 year old say this knowing how impossible it would be for her to do this made me laugh.
Madi was Still mad over the paci situation later that night. I told her I loved her and she crossed her arms and looked away and said, " I no say I love you too." This sounds awful, but the little pout with this tiny little voice actually sounded adorable and I knew and understood why she was feeling resentful that day.
Me: "Madi, would you like pizza for dinner."
Madi: "no. I have a tummy ache. I'll have a cake pop."
Madi has also starting giving us the play by play of everything little thing she does. "I wash my hands. I walk down stairs. I'm jumping. I want to go see the cows. This is too tight. This is too big." If you do not acknowledge what she says she repeats it several times and then finally will shout, "did you hear that?" This girl is a definite attention seeker.
Last night before bed she asked if her friend Lucy could come over. Lucy is a close friends baby and is only about 8 months old. I said I didn't know what their plans for the week were and her response was, "mama, you call Rick and ask for baby Lucy to come over." Rick is Lucy's dads name. Seriously don't know how my newly turned 2 year old thinks of these things.
In the car today we told her she was not having a good attitude and needs to change it if she wanted to have family movie night as planned. She replied with, "well, I no want a good attitude." There's that terrible two sassy attitude everyone talks about. ;)
If anyone anywhere passes gas or a baby near by has a poopy diaper Madi shouts, " I smell poops." Hysterical every time.
Despite her sassy attitude and spunky and energetic self she is also unconditionally sweet. She never wants anyone left behind. Anytime she is playing with anything she asks, " you want to play too?" Words I hear daily out of her are "it's your turn" and "I share with you." Anytime she hears a thud from me banging something in the other room she will come running saying, " mama, are you ok? You need my help?" The thing about toddlers is that they say exactly what they mean and it's refreshing. If her feelings are hurt she will tell me so and if she is feeling happy she will tell me. When she likes something, she enthusiastically will say, "I love this." And if she doesn't like it you will hear about that too. She is full of love and cuddles and kind words and some not kind words and that's ok because they mirror the fact that sometimes she has a bad day and sometimes she has a great day and she is learning how to use her voice. One day she will learn social etiquette and she will think before she speaks and a piece of her will be guarded like it is in all of us. I just hope we have some time left for her to be able to openly and freely speak her mind. That freedom won't last forever. And while that time is here I will bask in the delight of her saying the darnedest thing.
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