Evy Kate is now almost exactly 2.5 years old (I can't believe it!). When we were in Dallas last week, I bought her big-girl bed! I didn't expect to buy one this soon, but it was such a good deal, I couldn't pass it up. It's iron, which I didn't think was in the budget (from my extensive research on possible big-girl beds). So when my aunt and I stumbled across it at an antique/flea market-type shop, I knew what a good deal it was. It's a full-size bed, which is what I was wanting. That's another thing I debated. I LOVE the look of two twin beds in a child's room, but I wasn't sure that would fit in Evy's room. Also, a full-size bed can grow with her easily. I was able to also get great deals on the bedding I was wanting (a simple white set from Target). We're leaving the Angel Toile fabric, because I love it and it still suits her so well (plus it saves money!).
All that to say, the elements of her big-girl room are mostly in place. However, I know we're not ready to make the switch. We are still unsure as to when Liam will come home (we're still hoping for possibly October now?), and I don't want to put Evy through a major change around the time of him coming into our family. Also, she's still perfectly content in her crib. She's never tried to climb out, and she sleeps SO well there. I have the mindset of, if it's not broken, why fix it? Now, of course, once she reaches a certain age we'll transition regardless. But I just don't think we need to push it right now. I've also heard from several other moms that they moved their children too soon, and it messed up their sleeping habits.
Something I'm concerned about is how to handle Evy getting out of her bed and staying in her room during quiet/nap time. It's a personal rule that we have that she stay in her room for a certain amount of quiet/rest time each day. I don't feel comfortable child-proofing the door from the inside because I think of her being trapped inside should we have a fire/emergency, etc. Do I just totally babyproof her room and when she wanders out, I repeatedly (gently) put her back in her room until she understands? Did you bolt dressers, etc. to the walls?
So, while I'm in the "figuring things out" stage, I'd love your input! I know there's so much wisdom out there, and I'd love to hear your experiences with making the change from crib to bed. Also important to note: Evy's crib doesn't convert to a "toddler" bed, so we'll be going straight from the crib to the full-size bed. Here are some specific topics I'm wondering about:
-When did you transition? Was it based on age, readiness, necessity?
-Did you use bedrails or go without? If so, what kind, and what was your experience?
-How did you introduce the concept to your toddler, and did you use any special "methods?" Or was it just an easy, cold-turkey thing?
-Like I mentioned earlier, how did/do you handle the staying-in-the-room thing?
I look forward to hearing your responses! I think blogging is such a great resource for ideas and help!
