So. Not. Ready.

Children are just full of little surprises, aren't they? Adrienne handed us a big one yesterday. Matt was off and everyone was laying down resting. Adrienne was babbling away to her baby as she tried to fall asleep. I could hear her through the monitor. After a good 30 minute conversation, I heard "Uh oh baby". I assumed that the baby had been thrown out of the crib, but thought she'd get upset if she really wanted her back. Side note: I am a stickler when it comes to wee ones sleeping with stuff. I really only allow the approved lovie, but Adrienne is so attached to this new baby that after careful inspection of potential choking hazards on said baby I decided to allow it. It was a moment of weakness on a day I was desperate for a break, and  I blame the baby for the following series of events! A few short minutes later, I heard a huge thud come from upstairs. I told Matt that I was sure Adrienne was out of the crib. He said, "No way" as I ran upstairs to find Adrienne standing in her room, stunned. She said, "Mama!" and then proceeded to cry after my stern "Adrienne Elizabeth!" I hollered for Matt who promptly entered the room and declared that we would not wait for this to happen again--the toddler rail had to go on immediately. I resisted, but he reminded me that all it would take is for one bad fall in the wrong position for her to break her neck. Well that settled it. I proceeded to cry as Matt removed the crib front and replaced with with that big girl toddler rail.

I am not ready for this. I am not ready for my "baby" to be a big girl. I am not ready to say goodbye to crib confinement and all of her baby-ness. But she is. As soon as Matt replaced the rail, we moved her bookshelf and anything else that appeared remotely dangerous out of her room, put her sleep sack back on (she is a whiz at removing it, which I'm sure aided her in her escape), and tucked her back into bed for her nap. She was pleased as punch.

I am pleased to report, however, that this transition has gone incredibly well so far. This is mostly because Adrienne hasn't yet figured out that she has the ability to get in and out of this bed by herself. I have been careful to place her in the bed at sleep times and to pick her up out of it, and have given Jillian strict instructions not to show her how! This will not last long, I am sure. I never expected to have to transition Adrienne to a toddler bed so young--she is less thrill-seeking than Jillian was, and we didn't have to move her until just before her second birthday. For some reason I just assumed that every "milestone" would be later with the second child, but yet, Adrienne is doing so many things earlier than Jillian did--one can only assume she is trying to keep up.  In addition to this big change, she suddenly decided that "I want to sit" when we read books, rock, and sing before bedtime. She is totally over snuggling on my lap for that, so she sits next to me in the chair. Talk about a knife to the heart. When I put her into bed, she now wants her baby, her lovie, her "nose" (a wipe or washcloth that she can wipe her nose with), a blanket, and "say big girl" (she wants me to tell her that she's a big girl). Slow down, Adrienne, your mother's heart can't take this growing up so fast bit.