Adventures of a Big Girl

Wednesday night, after another very rough evening with a very cranky baby, we finally got Adly to calm down and placed her in the crib on a whim. Lo and behold, she laid there calmly for a total of about 20 minutes. It was the first time in weeks I had attempted it, and her reaction led to the realization it would soon be time to move her into her crib permanently.

Then began the anxiety. When do we move her? She's been sleeping so well- what if it stops?! Who voluntarily subjects themselves to more sleepless torture?! So for the next two nights, I continued to put her in the beloved Rock n' Play, all the while plotting and mentally preparing for my plan of attack I began calling the Big Move. That's right. It was such a big deal, it deserved it's own title. 

As soon as I had made the decision to attempt the Big Move, I actually took a good look at our little leggy baby in the Rock n' Play. It wasn't until then that I realized she had quickly outgrown it. Her feet were even hanging out over the edge of it as she lay in there at night. Seeing that cemented the fact that we had to make the Big Move, and soon.

I decided to launch the Big Move on Friday night. Hey, we get crazy on the weekends over here. All day I planned for it, making sure she was well rested. At bedtime, as I started her normal routine, I realized I was sad. My little baby was about to make her way into her first big girl bed. The first of a few moves into big girl beds. And then came the worry. She's spent the first 2+ months of her life sleeping in the rocker and it kept her safe. What if something happens to her now in the crib? 

Despite my fears, I went through with it. I knew I had to. Ugh. Being the bigger person is so hard sometimes! With misty eyes, I laid my little sweet pea down to go night night in her big girl bed for the first time. I swaddled her, kissed her, and then ran out before I really lost it. 

Of course I went straight into the living room and began staring at her on the video monitor. (If they invent a camera you can stick onto your child's clothes when the go to school so you can watch their days- I'll totally invest). As I watched her, I quickly realized our little angel was right at home with all the room she was now afforded. She was so comfy in fact, that she spent the first 15 minutes working to writhe and wiggle her way out of my swaddle. Dammit. I am so bad at swaddling! That girl is like Houdini when it comes to getting out of swaddles. 

So I sent in my secret weapon: daddy. He swiftly went in and with a few quick hand motions, worked his swaddle magic. Sure enough, once she was securely entombed in her cocoon, she immediately dozed off into a peaceful sleep. And then, lucky for us, she slept through the whole night. Of course, I did not. I stressed and worried that something was going to happen and all through the night kept checking on her through our high tech video camera. Every time I looked, there she peacefully slept.

I'm such a creep. 

There you have it. Just like that, my little, bitty baby has successfully made her way into her first big girl bed. Maybe by the time she gets into her toddler bed I'll be past the point of crying over every new mountain she climbs. But until then, pass the Kleenex!