School was great - she loved it and can't wait to go back this week. Then on Wednesday morning she came in our room, like she does every morning, and snuggles with us. She had her ba-ba and we started talking about how her new bed had come in and that meant that she was turning into a big girl. She was excited about that, so I threw this out there, "If you're going to sleep in a big girl bed, you can't have a ba-ba."
Her response, "Awwww" with sad puppy dog eyes, followed by "OK!"
We were both surprised but went with it, especially since it was coming from a girl that is literally addicted to her pacifier, which she only gets in her bed during nap and at night. I told her she had to throw it away so we rolled out of bed and she marched her way downstairs straight to the trash. She opened the top herself and threw in her most beloved possession. "Bye-bye ba-ba." I said. She was so proud of herself and started talking about her new bed, which we wouldn't be picking up for another three days.
Then came nap time. I put her in her crib, kissed her and wrapped her favorite blanket around her. She looked at me as if I had forgotten something then said, "My ba-ba, Mama. I want my ba-ba." I reminded her that she threw it out and it was gone. She cried and asked me to get it but I told her Daddy took the trash out and it was gone. Her response with wide, tear-filled eyes, "The man took it?" (Yes, she means the garbage man.) I told her that he did and it was gone but that she still had her blanket and her new bed would be here soon.
I thought for sure she was going to cry for hours but she didn't, she whimpered for several minutes and then quickly fell asleep in the secure and comfortable crib she's slept in for over 2 years. Bed time brought the same questions and whimpering but was followed by a long and uninterrupted 10 hours of sleep.
If you would have asked me before we did this what would be harder: getting rid of the pacifier or moving into a big bed, I would have told you pacifier - no questions asked. Boy was I wrong. Shockingly, with Blaine, neither was an issue. He got rid of his pacifier at 18 months and didn't give it a second thought and though he had problems sleeping, it was never because he was in a big bed. Let's just say that her nap yesterday, bed last night and nap today were not pretty. She is scared to death to be in that big bed, she hates the pillows and doesn't want any blankets or sheets on the bed, except for her blanket (a strong resemblance to her crib when she removes everything but the fitted sheet!)
Last night it took two hours to get her to go to sleep. First she removed all books from her book shelf, then the clothes from her closet, then took out her memory box and extracted her favorite memories, strewing them all over the room. I finally had to put on my game face and stand at the door and put her back in the bed every time she got out. That didn't work and she was sobbing (totally exhausted) by 10:00 pm, so I laid with her and she was out within minutes. Then an hour later she fell out of bed (which made her dislike it even more) and awoke two more times throughout the evening to voice her displeasure with her sleeping arrangements. This morning Girlfriend was dead tired, sleeping in the car on the way to the zoo, at 9:00 am!
I'm thinking bed rails are a good idea. She has always been a mover at night - moving all over her crib - so she doesn't know the limitations in her new bed. And perhaps a ride in the car every night before bed, so we can just carry her straight to bed asleep... :) Just kidding. What's weird is that she has always been our great sleeper... but that was with a ba-ba and in a crib. I'm certain she'll get back on track, it will just take some getting used to for her.
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| Her mattress is here, but not her frame. She needs a stool to climb in now, so I'm not sure how she's going to do it when it's another foot off the ground. |
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