Parenting Hack

I would like again to state that I am by no means a parenting expert, far from it. The Mr. and I are trial by error, savage the Internet, take advice from others, and then just figure out what works best for us kind of people. You may or may not agree with our parenting techniques, but hey to each there own. I just know I am always looking for recommendations and advice and will take just about any tip. When writing a parenting blog post I am writing with people like me in mind, just suggestions when all else is failing. 

Up until this weekend Elin has still been sleeping in a crib. We have a tiny 2 bedroom apartment so the kids are going to have to share a room. Baylor is still in our room and probably will remain there for a little longer (can I get an amen we slept from 9:30 until 3:30 last night) so we have had no use for him to have the crib yet. Plus we just didn't want to boot Elin out just because she had a baby brother. She is great sleeper so we don't want to mess that up. 

(I ordered a new crib sheet so just anxiously awaiting, will up date as soon as it arrives)

For whatever reason though Elin started talking about wanting to sleep in a big bed. The Mr. and I talked about it and decided that why not, we have a queen size bed in their room for when guest come over, and we knew that while living here Elin would grow up and move into a big girl bed. However, we had yet to purchase bed rails because we didn't know she would be ready to move as soon as we got here. 

(Still need to put Baylor's monogram up above the crib, will up date soon)

I hated to tell her no she couldn't sleep in the big girl bed when she was wanting to but it was 7:30 at night and there was no way my Amazon Prime Membership was getting rails to me by 8:00. The Mr. and I talked about it and decided this maybe the chance to get her in a big girl bed and we didn't need to blow it because we didn't have rails. 

Naturally I went to the internet looking. Some people suggested putting a soft mat on the floor so if they fell off it wouldn't hurt, others suggested putting a pool noodle under the fitted sheet (again 8:00), while other said get the rails. 

My mind kept racing back to the pool noodles. They are just a long skinny cylinder shaped piece of foam placed under the fitted sheet, what could I possible have in the house that resembled this shape? Then it dawned on me that we have tons of blankets in the house. Everyone under the sun gets you some type of blanket when you have a baby (note to those who are not parents yet). I decided that if I rolled them up to look like a pool noodle I could place that under her fitted sheet and it should do the trick. 

Worked like a charm! She is in a queen size bed and sleeps in the middle so she came no where near rolling off the bed. She woke up in the exact same position I left her in the night before. We are now 3 days into taking a nap and sleeping in the big girl bed at night. She no longer refers to the crib as her bed, but tells me its Baylor's bed when I ask her where she wants to sleep. Guess I officially have a big girl on my hands (currently choking back the tears). 

Someone once told me the days are long but the years are short, and boy is that true. I can't believe my baby girl is in a big girl bed and no longer has a pac. Slow down time!