When we found out I was pregnant, we knew that Harrison's time in the nursery was going to be fairly short lived. We decided to keep the nursery as the nursery and turn the office into Harrison's new room. We also decided that we didn't want to buy another crib. That meant that Harrison would be in a toddler bed by the time the new baby arrived.
I wasn't too concerned about the transition to the toddler bed as my mom did the same thing with me before my sister arrived when I was fourteen months old. I'm just sticking to tradition here people.
I didn't want to have to buy anything more than a toddler bed for his new room, so we used furniture that we already had.
The Expedit was used when this room was the office. You may notice that the bottom two rows of this Expedit are empty. Before Harrison had his first nap, and slept his first night in this room, I had put stuff in every cubby. I put the books that he could 'read' without supervision in a couple of the cubbys on the bottom, and a couple baskets with his toys as well. I was then able to put some of his keepsake items, books that required supervision, and breakable items in the top two rows.
I think it took me two naps to realize that if there was anything on the bottom two rows, it will be played with during the times sleep should be happening. Eventually I'll try putting a few things within his reach and see how he does, but for now - they shall remain empty! It doesn't make for the prettiest looking area's, but when it comes to Harrison's sleep - practicality rules (Mama needs her breaks!)
Due to some rearranging in our room (a post is coming!) we had a dresser from our bedroom set that just so happened to match the Expedit. So, we threw the dresser in Harrison's room! It fantastic as it's drawers are deep and wide, and it's deep enough to be able to use the top as a change table.
Even when Harrison was in the nursery, his drawers were organized by clothing size. I've done the same thing in his new room. I know that as his clothes get bigger and bigger, the likely-hood of it all fitting in one drawer is slim, but for now, it works!
The shelf above the dresser (high enough that it is safely out of his reach when he is on the change pad) is a very recent install and has a few of those items that I can't keep in the Expedit yet.
I'm also using one of the drawers for diapers and all the necessary junk that goes along with it. I just bought some newborn sized diapers and can not believe how small they are! And how huge Harrison's are in comparison!
And now, for what I think is the cutest part of the room:
Is that not the cutest, tiniest bed you've ever seen? We got it from
Sears. Surprisingly, it was cheaper and nicer than any of the beds I saw at Ikea. It still uses a crib sized mattress so I'm able to keep using the bedding that I made for him!
I originally bought that body pillow when I was pregnant with Harrison but ended up not using it. It is now used as a soft place for him to land should he roll out of bed in the middle of the night. I'm sure it doesn't need to be there anymore, but it makes me feel better.
I really like his new room, and it's exciting to think that (unless we move) he will grow up in this room. I still have to hang the pictures that used to be above his crib somewhere in here (right now they are leaning against the wall on top of the Expedit), but I can't decide if I want them on the wall that his bed is up against (I'm worried that the frames would look dwarfed on the big wall) or on the wall above the Expedit. What to do, what to do....
Suggestions?
As far as Harrison's transition from his crib to the toddler bed, I decided to take a 'Go Big or Go Home' approach. I wasn't going to flip flop between his bed and the crib because we had a deadline and I wanted him to be fully settled well before Baby Girl arrived.
That being said, when we got back from our holidays Harrison had two nights in his crib while we got everything moved over. Once everything was ready - we made the switch starting with his morning nap.
Not going to lie, I was really nervous. Like heart racing, glued to the video monitor nervous. Thankfully he didn't hurl himself off the side of his bed (not during the first nap anyways). It did take a day or two for him to properly get off his bed, as opposed to leaning himself off the bed. He chose to continue with the option that doesn't involve crying. After a couple days of constantly going in and out of his room to put him back on his bed, I decided 'NO MORE!' It was exhausting for me, and I needed my rest as much as he needed his naps!
If he decided to get off his bed, he could sleep on the floor. It wasn't going to kill him. And so far, it hasn't. Although sometimes he wakes up with a pretty wicked pattern on the side of his head from the rug. It seems that he prefers sleeping on the floor to sleeping on his bed. Oh well, as long as he sleeps.
Don't worry though - if he falls asleep on the floor at night, Bobby goes in and puts him back on his bed when we turn in for the night.
He has been in his new room, in his new bed for about six weeks now, and I'm so glad that I moved him over so early. So that he could be settled before the baby arrived, and so that I could get my hands on the nursery!!
