Cuttin’ the Crib

by Alison Friedman in Marvelous Madelyn, Mommy's Musings, Pregnancy

I just put Madelyn to sleep in her crib for the very last time. Her big girl bed arrives tomorrow and Halloween night will be her first snooze in the full size bed. Let’s hope sugar and cheap chocolate are the missing ingredients to a successful night’s sleep.

This was right after she said: "Mommy, can I go to sleep in my crib now?" Pinch me.

This was right after she said: “Mommy, can I go to sleep in my crib now?” Pinch me.

We also read her final story from the glider and ottoman. It’s probably a good thing, as she’s having a hard time fitting on my lap since her sister is beginning to take up too much thigh real estate (never thought I’d get to say that my thighs are getting smaller). The next time we read a story before bed, we will snuggle together side by side.

Final cuddles in our chair before the new tenant takes on the lease.

Final cuddles in our chair before the new tenant takes on the lease.

It’s weird, this whole big girl bed thing. I am excited for her and looking forward to our family enjoying her new room, but I am also super nostalgic about closing this chapter. I remember all the sleepless nights I spent planning her nursery. Every detail was intricately imagined. I tossed and turned over the crib bedding and played Goldilocks on dozens of chairs in stores throughout Los Angeles: this one’s too glidey; this one’s too stiff; this one’s juuuuuust right. Some things don’t always go as planned and some things do. I always assumed she would be up all night in her crib leaving us exhausted — because that’s what babies do — and that she and I would spend hours in that chair nursing and cuddling — because that’s what babies do. Thankfully, the former didn’t happen — she slept soundly in that crib, and we lucked out in that department. The latter, well, that didn’t happen either, but perhaps I will get the chance to experience nursing and bonding with Madelyn’s baby sister.

It’s taken a while for Madelyn to come around on the big girl bed. She has always really loved sleeping in her crib. I tried to nap with her once in our bed, and she wouldn’t even close her eyes. She needs her own space and was always very attached to the security her crib provided. It’s so interesting how some kids are cut out for different sleeping arrangements. So months ago, when we presented the idea that change was blowin’ in the wind, she pretty much protested. We wanted to cut the crib early, around halfway through my pregnancy, so that she’d have time to adjust and it wouldn’t seem that the new baby was stealing her property.

I should’ve known she wasn’t going to drink the crib Kool-Aid just yet; she’s the only three-year-old I know who had never even attempted getting out. She can’t even climb in by herself. I always heard stories about the time I climbed out of my crib and my mom awoke to my face at her pillow. No such surprise ever happened because Madelyn never wanted out.

This is as far as Madelyn gets when she tries to climb in. Her upper body strength is not Olympian and her drive is not Harvardian.

This is as far as Madelyn gets when she tries to climb in. Her upper body strength is not Olympian and her drive is not Harvardian.

Even on weekend mornings, she will wake up around 8:30 and happily play for hours sometimes until 10:00 or 10:30, by singing songs, telling stories to her stuffed animal “friends,” and recreating the previous day’s events. Her crib has always been her spot for relaxing and her spot for creating; that crib knows secrets and the depths of her imagination.

It was only about a week ago that Madelyn finally got on board with the big girl bed. We went shopping for her bedding at Pottery Barn Kids and I was on a mission to find the cutest bedding. It was like nursery planning all over again, but this time, it had to last. Never did I think that she’d spend over three years in her crib, so I knew that this would be even more long term and hopefully take her to her pre-teen age. After about an hour of playing with all the overpriced magical decor at PBK, she realized how much she loved all the big girl items. When I picked out her bedding and showed it to her, she said it was “so beautiful, Mommy!” and I knew she had fallen victim to the wonder and enchantment of Pottery Barn.

Creating a monster.

Creating a monster.

Apple. Tree. It doesn’t fall far.

This past week, we’ve been busy building new furniture for her so that her baby furniture can go in her sister’s room. The poor child isn’t even born yet and is already getting Madelyn’s hand-me-downs. I plan to decorate the nursery with all new bedding and accessories so that Baby Girl Friedman #2 has somewhat of her own identity. Meanwhile, Madelyn gets a fresh start with a new dresser and bookshelf bench in addition to her new bed and bedding. Tomorrow, her crib and glider chair will move next door, and the adventure of her big girl room begins.

I’m crossing all my body parts — which is very hard to do when you’re 21 weeks pregnant — that her first night goes smoothly and sets the precedent for continued healthy sleeping habits for our lover of Zzzzzzzzz’s. I’ve heard of putting a pool noodle toy under the fitted sheet to help prevent roll outs. Any other nuggets of wisdom for keeping a kid in bed when freedom has suddenly been granted?

Since she never tried to go all Shawshank on me, I am hoping the lack of baby jail bars won’t tempt her to pull anything naughty.

She's never been so happy to be held captive behind bars. PJs are the new black.

She’s never been so happy to be held captive behind bars. PJs are the new black.

I won’t worry myself too much with what-ifs and maybes. Instead, I will continue to savor our last night together in the chair, cuddled close as her hair tickled my chin between sentences of our book. And despite the minor hernia from lifting her, I will treasure the moment of putting my baby — no, big girl — into her crib for her final snooze.

Growing up is sad-cool.