Toddler Transitions

Oh, Mr. Toddler. It was time for us as your parents to help you grow, but it wasn't easy.

Over the last month, we have really been watching Calan grow and watching him change even more from our little guy to a big boy.

A month ago we began our potty training journey. It was a stressful time for both him and I. As a mom you feel like you are banging your head against a wall over and over and over again. I am sure as a toddler you are just plain confused as to why anything needs to change at all.

For us, it took about 3 days for Calan just to start to grasp the idea of potty training. It took another 4 days for him to ask to go potty. And it took another 3 days for him to actually poop in the potty.

After about 10 days, Calan was fully potty trained. Except for a few nap-time accidents, he has been accident free. Every once in awhile like if we are at a play date, I have to make him go pee rather than waiting for him to ask me, but other than that, he is in control.

And then Saturday night, we said goodbye to the crib and hello to a normal bed. We are still transitioning, but it is going pretty well. The first night was the worst so far, so if every night is better, I figure we are getting somewhere.

To transition him, we did all the normal stuff of getting him excited about the bed. When I brought home construction truck sheets, all he kept saying was wow, so I figured I choose the right set. Then the big night came. We put him to bed telling him to stay and that it was time to sleep. We explained that sleeping in his big boy bed was a privilege and that if he did not go to sleep that he would have to sleep in his pack-and-play.

Well, warning after warning, we tried to hold off putting him in his pack-and-play because as his parents we wanted him to sleep in his bed. However, I wish we would have been more firm that first night. Around 9:30, we finally set up the pack-and-play and put him in there. He of course FREAKED OUT, and after he calmed down, I did give in and put him back in his big boy bed. And he went right to sleep around 10.

Nap times have been a little more difficult, and he has kind of chosen to sleep in the pack-and-play  instead of his bed the first few days, but yesterday he started off in the pack-and-play, but wanted to be in his bed about halfway through and he went right back to sleep.

Last night, he was asleep a little after 8:30 and I had to wake him around 7:45 this morning. So, I feel like we are getting somewhere. It is still early to say that we are transitioned, but we are getting there.

It isn't perfect. At night, it takes longer for him to settle down. He needs water or another toy or some other excuse that has Bob running back and forth from the kids' room for about 20 minutes. We also had to make his pack-and-play less desirable since he started wanting to sleep there instead of his bed. So, we told him that if he sleeps in his pack-and-play, he couldn't take any of his stuff animals with him. Just his blankets and a pillow. That helped make him want to sleep in his bed more.

So what have I learned through the last month of toddler transitions:

Remember who your kid is

We read a book and watched a video for potty training and while the information was great, I forgot to factor in who our kid is. He hated being forced to sit on the potty over and over and over again. Once I started to space the time out to every hour rather than 30 minutes, he (and I) were much happier. Also, even in his diaper, he never pooped in front of people. The kid likes his privacy and I needed to understand that. He was never going to poop on the potty under my watch.

For the bed, I have had to remind myself that it is all about transitioning and that it is OK not every night or day will be perfect. However, Calan is a kid who needs sleep, so if his pack-and-play is needed to make sure that happens, so be it. I just needed to figure out a way to make his bed the better option. It is still early with the whole bed transition, but overall it has been pretty painless and I think as long as we keep it relaxed for him, sleep won't be compromised.

As Calan's mommy, I have been pretty proud of my little guy. I have been happy that these transitions have worked and that he was ready for them. A part of me is pretty sad that he is growing up, but overall, I'm pretty darn proud of the little guy he is becoming. (OK, enough mommy pride).

His first night in his bed and raring to go. It would be another 2 1/2 hours
later before he actually fell asleep.

A little story time after a nap time. He does love playing and laying in his bed. 

A quiet moment after a nap. When he snuggles in his blanket, I get a
glimpse of my baby still. He is getting big, but a mom needs these
little moments too.