Dinosaur sheets

Tonight is a big night in our house. We've been hyping it up for months. Benjamin is sleeping in a big boy bed as I type. Since we moved into our new house we have had his bed set up in the baby's room. When I was still pregnant with Ellie we started talking about how Ben was going to sleep in what has been, up until now, our guest bed. And when we had company like Auntie Bekah and Grandmas and Papas "Gold Tooth" and "Kitty", we had Benjamin show off his big boy bed and asked if he would share it with them. He happily agreed to share every time. Yesterday we went to Target to pick up some big boy sheets and we took Grandma and Papa Kitty along. Benjamin was pretty excited to go to the store and seemed to like a set of sheets with balls and another set with dinosaurs. Benjamin held his sheets all the way to the check out and kept asking for us to open them.

Grandma and Papa Kitty went home today so Jeff and I decided that this was as good a day as any for Ben to make the switch. He seemed excited about his new bed and Ellie is starting to outgrow her bassinet already. I've been talking to Ben about what it's going to be like in his new bed all day long...he has to stay in his bed unless we get him...he should try to sleep up by his pillows so he doesn't fall off the end and get owies (we have blankets and pillows laid out just in case)...his bed is not for playing or jumping, just for sleeping...and so on. We didn't bribe him or threaten him (at least not yet). I just talked about it throughout the day and thought we would wait to see how he handled the transition.

Jeff disassembled the crib just enough to maneuver it out of Ben's room and into what will now be Ellie's room. Then he took apart the guest bed, moved everything into Ben's room and reassembled both the bed and the crib. As you can see in the pictures below, Benjamin offered his assistance every step of the way.

Ben helping by playing with his nightlight at daddy's feet.

Helping by showing daddy his toys.

Here he is helping by throwing his puppy at daddy.

Actually helping by holding things for daddy.

Just making sure daddy tightened things up enough.

Here daddy, let me help you with that.

Ben helps me make up his bed with his new dino sheets by sitting on them.

All finished. Think he's excited?

After all of that Jeff attached a safety railing on the side of the bed, gave Ben his bath and tucked him into his new bed. It took him a little while to fall asleep, but he was such a good little boy and stayed in his bed just the way he was told. I'm not sure if it was the thrill of having a new bed, the motivation brought on by having fun new dinosaur sheets to sleep on, or the fact that Benjamin is just a really good boy, but he is sawing logs next door and that is music to my ears. I know the first night isn't over yet and he may try to get out of bed in the morning, but so far the night has been a huge success in my opinion. Now my little Ben is a big boy and Ellie is in her big crib (she looks so teeny-tiny in there) and I'm lying in bed awake worrying about them both. Here's hoping we ALL get some good sleep on this big night and that this transition remains as easy as it seems.