Taking the sides off the cot (gulp!)

On Wednesday we reached that milestone that signifies that your offspring has -literally- sprung over that line between baby and little boy: Taking the side off the cot. 

Adam and I had been umming and aahing for several days as to whether to make the move or not. We were in two minds- part of us thinking "well now he's two, this is one thing we should get out of the way before moving on to other things" i.e. potty training, pre-school, and the other half of us saying "well if it ain't broke...". Well, anyway, on Wednesday morning the decision was taken out of our hands- when I went into Freddie's room first thing, Teddy was launched over the side of the cot, followed closely by our son. So that was it: We officially had a wannabe escapee, and the cot was on the way out.

I was a little anxious as to how Freddie would be with the side off, especially as that afternoon, whilst I was getting to grips with an allen key and removing the side in preparation, my efforts were met with a wobbly lip and lots of "oh dear!" from him (aargh!). 

That night, we rolled up a towel like a sausage, and stuck it underneath the sheet as a make-shift bedguard, plus put a couple of pillows down by the side of the cot in case he fell out. We then carried out the bedtime routine as usual, read him his bedtime story, and put him in the cot, before turning the light out and saying goodnight, the only difference being that the bedroom door was now left ajar and with the landing light left on (before we would close his bedroom door, and he would happily fall asleep in the dark). We then prayed. Lots. And we waited... and we waited... and we waited... for little footsteps to come out of the bedroom and a little voice to squeal "mummeeeeeee!". But nothing. After about 10 minutes we stuck our heads in the room, and the little chap was fast asleep! Not a peep from him all night! We did spend a slightly more anxious evening and night checking on him, but all was well, and in the morning he was still sat in bed calling our names as usual. The next day's daytime nap was fine too, something I had been a bit more worried about as he doesn't always go to sleep straight away during the day anymore.

Now before I get too smug, I have a feeling that this might be the calm before the proverbial storm. We can't decide whether our son is being exceptionally well-behaved and staying in bed because he is totally angelic (ha!), or whether, bless him, he is being slightly dim and not realising he can get in and out of bed by himself (more likely). I'm sure once he realises he is the master of his own sleeping destiny he will be in and out of bed like a yo-yo. Although having said that, he is in such a consistent sleeping/napping routine that he doesn't generally object when we put him to bed- I guess we will see... 

...so far so good!

x