Sleeping like a baby... in a big boy bed

So, it was time for Trace to go from his toddler bed to a "real" bed. My denial lasted only long enough to observe him on many mornings curled up in the fetal position... not because it was comfy, but out of necessity.

His full bed was delivered on Friday morning and I couldn't resist taking one last picture of what his "nursery" looked like before...
I am very symmetrical (some call it anal... I prefer symmetrical) and it drove me nuts to think of his new bed not being centered on the wall and under his name and bible verse. There is something so peaceful about knowing your child is sleeping under the Word of God.

When we found out he was a boy and we knew he would be James Franklin III, we wanted a verse from the book of James to put above his crib. We scoured the chapter and when I read James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, I have never felt words more true. We just knew that was the one.

Four years ago when we bought his crib, we decided on a "lifestyle" crib, one that converts from crib, to toddler bed, to full size bed. The bed I ordered last week came with free rails (a nice surprise) and so the process began of taking his crib apart (sniff, sniff) and assembling his big boy bed.

Oh... and I do mean "process."

Jimmy worked and worked trying to get his headboard to match up to the bed rails that came with it. Just before he was about to throw them through the 2nd story window, we decided to call the 1-800 number on the box."

(We've all been there ladies... them handing you the phone and telling you to call, claiming their hands are too full or they are busy driving, when really it's just the male ego refusing to ask for help. ha!)

The company informed me that for "safety reasons" you can only use their rails that must be purchased at the locale retailer for a mere ...$159. So much for basking in the pride of "free bedrails with mattress purchase."

Apparently, while in my glowing state of pregnancy, I managed to pick the only line of "lifestyle" cribs that you then have to go back and buy their company bedrails in order to convert... of course I did. They probably told me that at the time, but I pleaded placenta brain and have no recognition of that conversation.

So, off to Children's Fair I go... with my checkbook. I get them home, and we proceed once again with assembly. After many screwdrivers, allen wrenches, electric drills, and four letter words the headboard, footboard, and bedrails were all one piece!

Now time for the box springs and mattress... that's where it gets ugly.

I wish I could have taken a moment to compose myself and capture a photo, but since I didn't, picture in your mind the story The Princess and the Pea.

That is about how high Trace's bed was. I even had to be hoisted up... can you imagine a 3-year-old climbing onto it. No way was that going to work.

Then Jimmy tried it without the box springs... better, until we realized it couldn't be pushed up in the corner (like I had planned) because of the 2 inch lip on the head and foot board. After all that work, and money, the bed was still not happening.

By this point, it was late in the evening, we are all frustrated and in need of sleep... but this is what Trace's room looked like at bedtime... 1/2 crib, 1/2 bed
So, he bunked with me in the guest room. (Two adults, a toddler, and a dog just don't mix in a bed together)

The next day we decided that until he's old enough to not roll off the bed, he will just have to do without the pretty head and footboards... so off to the attic they went, attached to some very expensive but pretty bedrails :) Not exactly the vision I had for his new big boy bedroom, but safety comes first.

By that night, he was snug as a bug in a rug tucked into his new bed and sleeping like a baby.
Does it look like he cares that there is no headboard?

I arranged his furniture so that he has a little play area of puzzles and books and his rocking chair to sit in. I took a picture because I knew his room would never be this neat again.

Sleep tight, sweet boy!