Toddler transition time

Nate has had to grow up fast in the past couple months. The biggest change is moving from his baby nursery and crib that he's slept in since he was born into a big-boy toddler bed (which is actually quite miniature and we're not even allowed to sit on it). We were dreading the big move because it meant that we could no longer count on his predictable sleep pattern -- which has been 7 pm to 6 am with a 2-3 hour nap at least since he turned 1.

We told him it was his "big boy bed" and his special room with a sheet with puppies, lions, elephants and monkeys on it. And most importantly, we showed him how to run down the hallway yelling at the top of our lungs and then collapse on the bed. OK, he started that but we encouraged it. There have been a couple instances of him simply walking out of his bedroom into the living room at 9pm, and he also tends to move his bed to the middle of the room if he isn't quite tired yet. And of course, he's fallen out of bed a few times, but he's super-tough and learning to sleep like a normal human being with his head at the top of the bed rather than rotating all over the place. Once Chuck actually found him standing at the side of the bed with his head on the pillow, totally asleep. But it's been three weeks, and I must say, it was SOOOO much easier than I expected. He has a new (and preferred, as far as I'm concerned) sleep schedule -- 8:30pm to 7:30am. That means I get to see more of him after I come home from work AND sleep in! And what is so funny is that in the morning, he'll just sit at the bottom of the bed with his legs between the slats and just babble or moan for me. He won't get up or come out of his room. Next item on the list: the paci. We'll wait until after Baby is home for a while, otherwise he'll just pluck the baby's paci right out of his mouth.

Speaking of Baby, he'll be here in just 13 days! In some ways, I feel like this pregnancy has flown by, but I'm also feeling the physical effects of pregnancy more than I did last time. That is what happens when you have to lift a 30 lb toddler at least 25 times a day. I'm pretty sure that this baby will be big like Nate, though he'll be 11 days earlier than Nate was so maybe he'll be more of a normal size. I'm guessing 8 lbs even. I brought down all of Nate's baby clothes last weekend and I can't believe how tiny they are! It makes me excited to have a newborn in the house again ... and also a little nostalgic because my first born is all grown up!