Aiden has been in a big boy bed for about a month now. We purchased a convertible crib for Aiden which would turn from crib to toddler/daybed to double bed. I’m glad we did, as I believe it made the transition quite seamless. 

Aiden has always been a sensitive sleeper, so we held off on this transition for some time. Though we had planned the switch before Damien was born, we were missing some parts that were originally supposed to come with the crib. Once that was solved, we waited for the new-baby transition to wear off. 

As expected, Aiden came right out of his crib. Pretty much instantly. He discovered he could read his books, though it took him to night 2 before he realized he could also turn on his book light to do so. After the first hour in his new bed, going in and out to talk about it and look at his books, he thought he’d go see Daddy (I happened to be listening at the time). Well, that was a shock for him. Door closed!

After explaining that he had to stay in his room, and some tears, Aiden finally settled back down. The first few nights he would stay up for a long time reading or talking or examining his room. Now, he sometimes stays up a while, but more often than not simply reads for an hour and then turns off his light and goes to bed. Sometimes we remind him after an hour to stop reading (really, should we complain about this?). He talks, plays around in his bed, then eventually falls asleep.

I thought if he stopped napping this may stop, but he’s had 2 naps fails in the last month and still reads at night before sleeping. He just likes reading. 

All in all, the transition has been great. Though sometimes Aiden still cries if he can’t fall asleep after a long time (sometimes he makes himself overtired, but we can’t control that), his stall tactics are far easier to manage – he can’t throw out his blanky or ask for water if he can retrieve both from his room!

So, for now, all is good! At least until we potty train at night (or at all) and he needs the door open to leave for that! :)