A Big Girl Bed

Isabelle moved into her big girl bed. It is her daddy's bed, from when he was a little boy. It was assembled with much fanfare and a little fuss. Isabelle was furious at Mommy for wanting to put the vinyl mattress protector on her pretty mattress. We (the three of us) agreed that Daddy would sneak it on and put the pretty sheet over it so that she wouldn't have to see it. Daddy, thinking himself very clever, went one step further, and threw the pretty quilt over the top before she came up to see it. Isabelle loved it. So much so that she became mad when Daddy folded down the pretty quilt for her to get under it! "No! No!" Fortunately, Moppity Molly came to the rescue, diving under the covers and demonstrating their use, which delighted our little girl.

We helped her into the bed, and she sat in the middle and looked so cute. We admired her, and fussed over her, made sure she could climb out on her own, turned the lights off on request--until she said, "Mommy Daddy go now." It was only 6:30.

When bedtime finally arrived, she snuggled down without a fuss. Ten minutes later the study door opens to reveal a very sleepy girl who said, "Well, I had to get a tissue."

Back to bed. Voices over the monitor. "Teaser [cat] going to sleep with you? I think so. Teaser get on the step stool. Teaser going to sleep with you!"

A couple years ago we put a tiny little peanut in the middle of a great big crib. Yesterday, there was an enormous baby in that crib. Today, there is a tiny little girl in the middle of a great big bed. A she is so proud she's like to split the zipper on her jammies.