We got Alex a big boy bed yesterday evening. Over the last few weeks he had successfully (?) climbed out of his cot a couple of times. Also, whenever he got out of his bath, he would rush through to our bedroom, climb into our bed, and role-play going to sleep. He had definitely got the picture that other people go to sleep in beds. So why was he stuck in a cot?
We had originally planned to get him a bed for his second birthday. But he was ready for a bed now. We knew what one we wanted to get him. Ikea has a cool extendible kids’ bed. While he’s still relatively small both ends of the bed fold up to acts as head and footboards. Then, as he gets bigger, we can fold them out again to give him more space.
His Grandma Foley is here right now, visiting from California, and Alex’s good friend Mark had been hanging out with them all afternoon. In the evening, we all took a trip to Ikea where we had dinner (meatballs…mmmm), and bought the bed.
In retrospect it may have been a mistake to assemble as soon as we got back home, rather than waiting until this morning. It was well after nine o’clock by the time Abi and Mark had put it together, and Alex was really tired. Although he liked the idea of the bed, he became very unsure of it as soon as the lights went out. He made me hold him or lie next to him until he fell asleep, and was deeply under. Any attempts I made to leave his side before then resulted in startled shudders, wide-open eyes, and cries of “Dada! Dada!”
He did go to sleep eventually, though. When I got up early this morning, I found the door to his room open, a twenty pence piece at the foot of the bed, and his toy truck on the pillow next to his head. We hadn’t heard him, but clearly he had been awake and playing at some point in the middle of the night…but very, very quietly. Normally we hear him as soon as he stirs. Also, I got him up before he awoke naturally, so we didn’t get to find out what happens when he gets up in the morning. Will he get out of bed and come through to visit us? Or will he stay in his own room an play there, or read a book? We’ll find out tomorrow morning. I’m looking forward to it!
