Big Girl Bed

Tonight we moved Lauren into her full size bed. I am so emotionally drained from the experience and the tears (shed by me, not her) that I don't think I'll be able to put into words how I really feel about this. I am going to try, but I'm afraid they will be of little comparison to the actual thoughts rolling around in my head.

Shawn started by taking down her baby bed. I can remember the day that he set it up for the first time and all the hopes and dreams I had for her. I wondered what she would look like, what her personality would be like, but I never knew how darling she would actually be. Or how much of my heart is hers alone.

She was totally fine with us taking down her bed and even though we tried to explain that Easton would need the bed when he came, she was very adamant that when Easton comes he will sleep with her. So precious to know that she is excited about our new addition. 

I think the hardest part of moving her was the feeling that I was giving up my baby. That I was voluntarily moving her to a different stage in life. It helped that she was so eager and excited about it, but it still didn't take away the sting.

One of my favorite parts of the whole thing was when Lauren wanted to get our her tool box and use her tools like her daddy. Thanks, Nammy for the tool set. Who knew this girl would use it and love it so much?

Shawn set up her headboard and Lauren had a blast running around her room throwing the ball to whoever would listen to her and catch it.

Doesn't she look so tiny in that bed? There is a little white step stool we placed by it that she can climb on to get into her bed. I think that helped her be even more excited about it. We also have a safety rail that Shawn put on the side of her bed that isn't against a wall.

Of course Barney had to try the new sleeping arrangement out. It wasn't long before ALL of her beloved stuffed animals had to find a new home alongside her. She really did need the larger bed for all of her animals. 

And there was MUCH reading of the Dora big sister book. She has it memorized and it never gets old hearing her "read" it, even if it is over and over and over. =)

Tonight I crawled into bed with her and read her her bedtime stories. We usually sit in our rocking chair and read and pray. Because we will be moving the rocking chair too, I thought we should get used to a new normal for us. She was a little unsure at first, but she really liked that I was able to climb right in bed with her and cuddle next to her while reading her stories. We prayed and I held her close to me knowing that God would give us both the strength to take on the new milestones ahead of us.

 

This picture melts my heart and breaks it at the same time. She was so brave as I kissed her goodnight and got ready to turn out her lights. Much braver than me. How she is old enough to be sleeping in a big bed I'll never understand. I am praying that God gives me the strength to make it through this transition and more importantly that he gives me the mindset to purpose everyday to take every single moment I have with this girl and soak.it.up. Never forgetting the way she looked in a baby bed, or a toddler bed, or now with her doe eyes in a big girl bed. Never letting her childhood pass me by.