Clara has officially completed the move from crib to bed. We never expected her to stay in her crib this long — we’d had a “big girl” bed ready for over a year, since many of her friends made the switch earlier — but she adored her crib and surprised us by hanging on to it. We loved that she slept soundly through the night (even after potty training she could hold it until morning), so we followed our pediatrician’s advice: “let sleeping kids lie — she’ll tell you when she’s ready.”
She began taking “play naps” in her big girl bed, which felt like a gentle sign of interest. Those turned into real naps, then an overnight, and before long the transition was underway. She’s now fully in her twin bed — we’ve been at 100% for about a month, so we finally feel confident saying that.
We were worried she might use the change as an excuse to play at night or wake up absurdly early, but she surprised us again by adapting smoothly. Aside from a couple of nighttime trips to retrieve another stuffed animal, she’s slept through naps and nights without issue. We’re thrilled and very relieved.
Part of me can’t believe she was content in a crib for so long, and the other part can’t believe she’s now on a twin mattress every night. How is she not still a tiny infant in my arms? You blink and they’re growing up. No, I’m not crying — there’s just dust in my eye.
The best part of the transition was finally being able to move the crib out of her room. We waited about a month before removing it because we didn’t want her to feel like it had been snatched away. While we moved it, we told her the room would have more space for fun things — she liked that idea.
Here’s the temporary blank space the wall had…
…and here’s what it looks like now.
I know — we said “make more room for fun” and then put a dresser there. The wall where the dresser used to be will become a full “wall o’ fun.” Clara was excited to have the birdcages from her playroom hung above the dresser in its new spot. Between the striped toy baskets, the moose lamp, the play table and chairs, the daybed, and the pile of artwork we plan to hang, the room is turning into a nice mix of nursery and playroom pieces.
It still looks a little sparse, so we’ll layer in more art or fill the birdcages with something (Clara’s obsessed with ribbons lately). This wall isn’t finished, but it’s moving in the right direction.
To hang the birdcages we used white plant hooks screwed into ceiling anchors so they’re secure. For placement, John held the cages while I stood back and said, “there — no, there! — ok, right there,” then we marked the spots, installed the hooks, and adjusted the ribbons to the right height.
During the hook-installing phase our little helper enjoyed playing with the cages. At one point she picked both up and breathlessly announced, “I love carrying birdcages around.” We laughed so hard we couldn’t take a proper photo of that moment, but I did capture this slightly earlier shot.
A small detail that bothered me was a bowl on the dresser: I’d spray‑painted the outside glossy red for a book project, but the underside looked splotchy when visible on the curved bowl. It always nagged at me, so I finally painted the bottom a contrasting color.
It only took about twenty minutes. I prepped the bottom with liquid deglosser, then used a small brush and a test pot of paint (Embellished Blue by Behr) to apply two thin coats. No drips on the front, a little drying time, and the bowl was ready to go back on the dresser.
Here’s that side of the room from the doorway now. See the hooks on the dresser? They used to hold wet bags for cloth diapers, but I strung two ribbons to hold Clara’s hair clips. She enjoys snapping them on and off, so it’s become a little activity for her — such a funny gal.
It’s strange to get used to turning the corner and not seeing the crib anymore.
But the most exciting wall is still a work in progress — you can spot a few items we’ve started adding on the right of the room photo. I have a few more painting, hanging, and drilling tasks to finish, and we hope to have it all done and photographed for you on Thursday.
I’d love to hear about your crib-to-bed transitions. Did your kids climb out of the crib when they were very young? Did they move to a toddler bed first or go straight to a twin? It’s fascinating how children hit milestones at different times — Clara talked early but delayed walking, and she loved her crib longer than most. I appreciate that every child moves at their own pace.
P.S. We’re chatting about baby names and what we might have named a girl version of our bun over on Young House Life.