Crib Jumper

Photo taken 8.7.09




We had the best morning. The BEST. Buby's orientation at school went amazingly well. He adores his teacher and his friends and his new classroom {more on that later}. It could not have gone any better, actually. On the way home we sang songs, talked to Daddy + Grandma, and plotted out his real first day tomorrow. We made yummy lunches, laughed out loud for about two hours ~ no joke ~ danced to Kanye in the kitchen, and practiced writing our names.


Around 1 pm I took Bleu upstairs for her nap. We rocked in the chair for a bit. I kissed her baby soft skin and embraced her until her eyes grew heavy. As I always do. Then I gently laid her down awake, whispered sweet nothings and tip-toed out of the room. She stood up and watched me walk out. I figured she'd lay right back down, per usual. I proceeded to Buby's room to organize his closet.


She fussed in there. Not 2 minutes later I heard the most horrifying thump. Ever. I'm sure I'll never forget that thump, which was instantly trumped by the kind of screams a mama never wants to hear. I practically dive rolled into Bleu's room and found her all out of sorts on the floor. In shock and tears. Hysterical.


She jumped out of that crib of hers. And from the looks of it, not gracefully. I comforted her, checked for brokenness, and then called My Sweets, my mom and the pediatrician {at Tom's request}. Our trusty nurse ~ Miss Patty ~ once raised her own cautious/careful Buby-like boy followed by a daredevil jumper/climber girl, so she gets it. For the next six hours I kept an exhausted Bleu awake and watched for swelling, bruising, vomiting, staggering, irritability. Ugh. Boo boos break my heart. Every itty bitty one, and this was a biggie.


Bleu seems fine now. Within 20 minutes she was running circles around Buby, jumping on his back to steal a cracker. But I must admit the rest of Buby's School Year's Eve celebration had a cloud hanging over. I hate that I spent the afternoon turning around dressers and researching toddler beds with My Sweets. She's only 16 months after all. {We have the Pottery Barn crib from '05 but never bought the optional toddler-bed conversion kit. Our crib does not have a removable side.}


I can't put her back in the crib tonight, because she'll do it again and break her face next time. And we'd never sleep. The jump was way too easy and fast, and the fall too far. This necessary transition could not have come on a worse week. {Note: She's been sleeping so heavenly lately, too. Long naps. Long nights.} Bleu is not one of those kids who can sleep anywhere {like Buby as a babes}. She snoozes at home in her crib. Only. So here we go... experimenting with playpens and pillows on the floor until her new toddler bed arrives sometime next week. Wish us luck. If I'm not blogging, you know why.