I have dreaded this day. As a parent when you bring your baby home from the hospital there is this feeling of safety that you have placing your newborn in their crib for the first time. Made of sturdy wood and surpassed a multitude of safety inspections by quality checkers. You know your kid will safely sleep.
As the child grows it becomes a socially acceptable kid cage for the animal that your child has become. You have a different reason that you feel safe... Your kid still can't get out and walk in to your room.
All of that changes when you have a second child who needs the crib and kicks the older sibling out. You do it in stages. First above then below.
I held my breath and said a silent prayer the first night she slept in the half wall crib. I just knew this was the beginning of the end.
But with Bella she always proves me wrong. She always keeps me guessing. She took to her new bed like a fish to water. She loved it. She loved being able to crawl in at night. The bonus was that every morning she still asked permission to get out by yelling "Mommy, Daddy, I awaken!"
So we have moved on to the next stage - her official big girl bed. Her only request is that it be purple and lucky for her she has a mother who loves to paint furniture (must be from my Pierret blood).
With every stage in parenthood you feel sad to say goodbye to one stage but you are blessed with new experiences that you never dreamed of. I'm sad that I lost her inability to roam at night but what I got in return far far out weights that....
Every night I get to lay down with my daughter and cuddle. She hugs me and says "Mommy, you and I the best." (unprompted)
I wish I could put these moments in a jar so I can relive them forever.
FYI - she still asks permission to get out of bed.
