Yesterday, Mia and I met Jodi and Michael for lunch and running around in random circles screaming like lunatics. That second part was the kids. Mostly. I made the mistake of telling Mia when she woke up that we were meeting them and was then subjected to six hours of "Jodi and Michael now? Jodi and Michael now?" which was fun. Michael wasn't much in the mood for sitting around in some boring restaurant listening to his mom talk to some weird lady, although he may have just been upset that Mia kept eating his lunch. The running around screaming bit was to everyone's liking though.
Obviously, since Jodi is the kind of person I absolutely hate who could show up in a ratty old bathrobe and make it look cute, I got home to discover a large and prominent hole in my shirt. At least I was wearing a tank top under it, I hate when I accidentally spend two hours flashing my boobs at unsuspecting toddlers.
Mia fell asleep in the car on the way home, bless her, and was too zonked to object when I plopped her into her brand-new big girl bed, set up in her room that very morning, rather than her crib. She didn't make a peep for an hour and then almost gave me a heart attack when she wandered into my bedroom to say hello. Sure, it didn't count since I had basically tricked her into it, but I was thrilled to have the first sleep in the big girl bed out of the way. We put her back in it at a little past eight last night and braced for the worst... and didn't hear so much as a snore for almost 12 hours when I finally burst into her room to make sure she was still breathing and found her all tucked into bed grinning like she had just won the lottery.
She's napping there again right now, again without a fight, and while I keep telling myself it can't possibly be this easy I am also telling myself that my instinct that she was done with the crib may just have been right. Even if I'm not ready for this, it seems that she is. She's done being a great big baby in a tiny little crib and ready to be a very small little girl in a far too large bed. And while I am thrilled to watch her grow up and excited to see every small step she takes, and even with a new infant on the ever-closer horizon, I can't help but mourn, just a little, the loss of these last few pieces of her babyness.
Comments (24)
That babyness, it fades too quickly.
Posted by Karly | October 2, 2007 2:22 PM
Do we get pictures??
Posted by Shelly | October 2, 2007 2:28 PM
"Obviously, since Jodi is the kind of person I absolutely hate who could show up in a ratty old bathrobe and make it look cute,"
That could not be further from the truth. Seriously.
And I never noticed the whole, I would have told you.
Posted by Jodi | October 2, 2007 2:29 PM
I hear ya! It is wonderful and makes us feel great as a parent to see them grow up but it is sad and surreal to see them grow up all at once...
Posted by Christina | October 2, 2007 2:50 PM
I used to look for the ways in which Cole was becoming a "big boy." Now I look for all the ways that he's still my baby. And when he's sleepy, he still lets me cuddle him up on my tummy and I remember what it was like to be pregnant. The nice parts anyway.
Posted by heels | October 2, 2007 2:52 PM
Well said. Thank you.
Posted by ckirby50 | October 2, 2007 2:57 PM
it's a damn good thing you're making another one of those there babies, otherwise it would be too sad to hear about Mia in her big girl bed and all done with her crib.
(Sweetie and I are actively considering fitting Lady with a cowbell, because I can't keep getting scared out of my wits when she appears suddenly out of nowhere)
Posted by chatty cricket | October 2, 2007 3:41 PM
Are you crying? Because even I am tearing up over here. And I've got no visuals.
Posted by shokufeh | October 2, 2007 4:21 PM
*sniff*
I was thinking the same thing today about D.'s new walking trick.
Posted by Leah | October 2, 2007 4:24 PM
Amazing how well she is adapting. What a big girl she is!
Posted by Maribeth | October 2, 2007 4:36 PM
Is that a magic bed...cuz if it is...can I put my name on the waiting list to use it in a couple years just in case our daughter has a hard time with the transition from crib to bed? :-) LOL
Way to go Mia!!!
Posted by Li'l Foot's Mommy | October 2, 2007 4:44 PM
While I know its a little sad to see her babyhood disappearing before your eyes, I am happy to hear she is enjoying the new, big gir bed! Can't wait to see it! Maybe it was the tight sleeping quarters that kept waking her up? I know when I roll over and smack my arm or leg on my hubby, it briefly wakes me up... and sometimes him too! lol I imagine smacking the crib doesn't feel any better. Hmmm.. That could have been responsible for her grumpiness you described in a few posts a while back, too, now that I think about it. Who knows. I'm rambling because I'm sleepy and grumpy too.
Posted by Suzy | October 2, 2007 4:59 PM
We were surprised at how easily our son took to his big boy bed. My mom said, in her experience, kids seem to sleep better in their new beds -- maybe they don't feel so scrunched up. I know that, the few times James slept in our bed, it was like he was on an all-night stretch-a-thon. Mostly right into my back, ouch. I think you've mentioned similar things about sleeping with Mia. How do little people take up so much room?
Congrats. It is sad but it's good, too.
Posted by JamesMommy | October 3, 2007 9:00 AM
It is surprising - like take your breath away surprising sometimes - at just how fast that time does fly.
I look at my son, who's 11 now, and I can still remember the day he was born, the day we took him home, all of that great stuff. Sometimes it's hard to realize he's almost a teen-ager and almost as big as me!
Posted by Traci | October 3, 2007 9:31 AM
We are going through the same thing with the bed situation. I got her bed set up and it's so TALL I've yet let her sleep in it, I'm so scared she's going to fall a break a bone. Did you put safety rails on Mia's?
Posted by mamma knows | October 3, 2007 9:40 AM
Lauren was about 2 1/4 when we finally moved her to her big girl bed. I have the best picture of her first night in there - her feet on the pillow, her head under the covers. She eventually figured it out... :)
I don't know what I'm going to do when Jamie goes to his Big Boy Bed and I have no babies left!!
Posted by Chrissie | October 3, 2007 10:38 AM
It's always bittersweet, this mommy thing.
Yay for Mia Big Girl! :)
Posted by sweethomealagirl | October 3, 2007 10:40 AM
I agree...totally bittersweet. They grow way too fast and even though I'm so excited over what's next, I can't help but feel sad over what's past. I'm glad the transistion went so well...what a relief!
Posted by Lesley | October 3, 2007 11:26 AM
Well said. I can very much relate.
Posted by sue | October 3, 2007 11:48 AM
I remember that when I was babysitting the family across the street when I was a teen and they bought their youngest son a big boy bed...but no one told me he had never slept in it before...and I tucked him in that night and he promptly went right to sleep...no big deal. Needless to say they were surprised when they got home.
Posted by Amy | October 3, 2007 12:10 PM
It sucks, huh? Do we get pictures of said princess in said bed?
Posted by mr lady | October 3, 2007 12:59 PM
I know how you feel. It all goes way too fast. I think that you are way ahead of the game just by blogging your daily life with your family. You have a running journal to look back on and remember everything that happened. I wish I had that.
My girls are 23 and 16 and WAY grown up. My baby has a job, a boyfriend and is driving! I would much rather be doing the big girl bed crisis anyday.
Keep writing and taking beautiful pictures!
Posted by Peggy | October 3, 2007 1:24 PM
I am putting this moment off as long as possible. My darling girl is 21 months. I've got time, right?
Posted by Michelle | October 3, 2007 1:33 PM
I can so relate with mourning the loss of babiness. I have mourned it four times now and will now have to wait for grandkids. :( On the other hand they are still a ton of fun as kids instead of babies - and the messes aren't quite so gross.
Posted by OddMix | October 3, 2007 1:58 PM