A couple of Firsts...

In preparation for this new little one to enter our lives, we decided that we wanted to get Grant used to his "Big Boy Bed," so that he didn't feel like once the baby got here, he was just kicked out of his crib. So we went out and picked out a side for the day-bed/one time guest bed and made a big deal about setting it up, getting it ready and then taking his first nap in the big boy bed. Our original intention was to start slowly...just with naps and let him sleep normally at night time for a little bit. But the first experience didn't go so well, so we decided to quit the crib cold turkey. Grant was not too pleased to be sleeping in another bed for the first time. He wanted his crib and nothing to do with this humongous new bed. Usually he goes down for his nap really easily, but not this time. It was an hour and 1/2 fight. He kept getting out of the bed and banging on the walls and doors, which we had shut in an effort to at least keep him in his room. I had to keep going up and putting him in his bed. So the rule became: You must stay IN your bed. If you get out, you will be spanked. So, he had several spankings that first day...and second. And third. The fourth day that he was in his bed, he kept getting out again, which we had been doing better with. So the fourth time I had gone up to put him back in his bed (each time receiving a spanking a bit harder than before), I opened the door. He was sitting in the middle of the floor holding "Mr. Bear," his security blanket. He took one look at me and burst into tears. I came in, picked him up and explained to him again that he needed to stay in his bed. He put both hands on my face and with crocodile tears running down his cheeks, he said his first entirely understandable sentence: "Mommy, Mommy, I want my Daddy!" Oh, way to tear a mom's heart out! What a first sentence, huh? I still spanked him, much against my instincts. I would have held him and rocked him to sleep while tickling his face after that. But consistency is key! He hasn't really gotten out of his bed since that day. Whew!