My Baby, the Big Boy

Last night was Caden's first night in the toddler bed. We have been needing to make this switch for awhile since Lucas has far outgrown the toddler bed and Caden can climb out of the crib. So even though I was not totally ready to take him out of the crib, it was time. So like pulling off a band-aid, we just did it. I didn't have time to get super-emotional about it, although I still did a little. Enough to put him back in the crib after breakfast to take a picture of him once I realized he wouldn't ever sleep in there again.

So last night, Hubby and I divided to conquer bedtime as usual- he took Lucas and I took Caden. I got Caden to sleep as usual and laid him down and then I left for a workout class I was taking with some friends. When I got home at like 10:45, the house was dark and quiet. I got some water and started walking up the stairs only to be greeted by Caden standing in the hallway!! HA!! (Hubby was asleep and so was Lucas) It took me over two and a half hours to get him back to sleep. He kept getting up or asking for water or squirming all around in his bed. I admitedly started out very sympathetic, recognizing that it was something very new for him and wanting to give him the time he needed to adjust. But my sympathy turned to annoyance after about an hour of wrestling him and begging him to go to sleep. I didn't want to take him out of the bed, although if I had I probably could have rocked him back to sleep and been done with it. I want him to learn to stay in bed and fall asleep on his own. But that made for a LONG night for mama and a stiff back this morning from sleeping on the floor by his bed to keep him in it. Tonight, Caden went down easy again so we'll see how it goes....

It is like a frog in boiling water, this whole growing up thing. One day I am holding this not-so-tiny newborn, thinking about how much more calm an infant he is than his brother was. And now, this same little man chases me around with Buzz Lightyear in one hand and Woody in the other saying "Mommy, what time is it?" or "Carry you, Mommy" or "I'm hungy, Mama." One of the ironies in this whole toddler-bed transition, is that Caden has been fully weaned for about a month now. I had to wean him to start a medication for this whole Lupus thing (but we were on that path anyway). And he hasn't asked for "dursies" in weeks, except for last night. As we were getting ready for bed, he asked for "dursies" and got upset when it was clear that wasn't going to happen. Funny that he would ask last night of all nights. Broke my heart, just a little.

This is just one more step in this motherhood journey. They are growing. I am growing.



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