After trips to three different real furniture stores and a few half-hearted searches on our local Craigslist we ended up buying a twin sized bed for Little Evan at Ikea. I don’t know why we even bothered looking anywhere else when the bed I had pictured in my mind was clearly modern, minimalist and Swedish while all the furniture at the traditional stores was heavy and tall and wooden. The salesman at our local store tried to convince me we shouldn’t get a twin bed at all, because eventually he’d need a full sized bed anyways so why not buy one now? Along with the matching dresser? And hey, how about this $400 mattress too? I tried to point out that 99% of college students I know sleep in twin sized beds so Little Evan’s “need” for a full sized bed was sort of subjective single bed with tv. Besides, my little 27 lb toddler still fits just fine in his crib. It’s not like he needs the space of a full. Heck, I can lie in the twin WITH him and we both fit fine. So basically, I told the salesman to shove it (politely) and we went to Ikea. Besides, I had already ordered super cute sheets from Garnet Hill in twin and I hate returning things. Flawless logic, that.

We bought this bed:

ODDA bedframe with drawers

I love that it’s low enough for him to climb in and out himself and the extra storage space underneath. You can NEVER have enough places to hide toys and stuffed animals. So we bought the bed frame and the least expensive mattress they sell (my theory is between now and full potty training it’s going to get so gross we’ll end up tossing it anyways) and E swore his way through their wordless Swedish instructions and now it’s all set up and ready for Little Evan to start sleeping in it. Which is going…not so well.

Sunday night he lay on the bed but asked to sleep in the crib when it was time to turn the lights out. But for Monday nap time he climbed right up, lay down, asked for his milk and and kiss and told me night-night. I tucked him in, made sure he had his eight zillion different blankets and stuffed animals and left the room.

I listened outside the door. All was quiet. I came downstairs and listened over the monitor. I could hear him babbling a little and rustling his sheets. Then there was complete silence and I did a little happy dance of joy.

I texted E to tell him how I was AWESOME and that our kid was a big-boy bed genius and that when he got home we could totally take the crib apart for good because who needs it?! I made plans to hem curtains and move bookcases and blog the awesome new toddler room because the redecorating was totally going to be done super soon!

Ten seconds later, a little voice said “Hai!” and Evan peeked around the corner of the kitchen.

My heart totally stopped. My genius big-boy bed sleeping toddler was instead a genius room escaping (EVEN THOUGH there’s a child-proof cover on the door handle) toddler who managed to get out of bed and climb down the stairs in complete silence.  I am TERRIFIED of letting him climb down the stairs on his own so the thought of him doing the whole flight without anyone there to spot him almost made me pass out.

So. No more big boy bed until we get a gate for the stairs. And any recommendations for door handle covers that ACTUALLY KEEP CHILDREN FROM OPENING DOORS are appreciated.

Adorable bebehs in the adorable bed

Final room makeover results have been officially pushed back until we can take the crib down for good. I’m hoping some time before June.

He asked to have Caroline lie in bed. I think he’d sleep with her all the time if I’d let him.

Uh, ALSO needed: a way to make that outlet/cords a little less dangerous. Because right now I can imagine about 4000 ways he could kill himself either accidentally or because he’s a toddler and doesn’t seem to remember playing with outlets is danger! no matter how many times I scream it at tell him. Unfortunately, that’s the outlet that the light switch works not using it at all is the worst possible option. Well, worst besides some sort of terrible tragedy, so maybe not really WORST worst. I’m just hoping there’s a solution besides never having light in Little Evan’s room.

“OK Mom! Go away! We’re good without you!”

Yeah kid, that’s what YOU think.

I didn’t miss Little Evan’s monthday on Saturday, I was just too busy enjoying spending time with him this weekend to bother to sit down and write an update. He’s turning into a little person more and more every single day and it’s an amazing transition to watch. Just this week he found two of my vintage doll house people – the father and the little boy – and he’s been carrying them around making up pretend stories and adventures. They rode on cars and rode on the dog and sat in chairs and ate stuff and talked to each other. I named the father Joe and after Joe told Little Evan to be nice to his mommy Little Evan gave me a kiss. I think maybe next time Joe is going to tell him to pick up his toys, eat his vegetables, and take more naps.

Although really, naps aren’t our problem. Anytime between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm that he starts looking tired he’s more than happy to head upstairs for some shut-eye. A sippy cup of milk and a blankie are his only requests, although if I let him take a book to bed he’ll “read” it before he zonks out. Bedtimes are almost the same, but Daddy does bath and pj’s first. It’s nice to have at least one consistently easy toddler thing – and for it to be such a BIG thing – especially on days when everything else feels like a battle.

Speaking of battles, we’re currently in the middle of one involving food and how it is prepared/served. It all changes daily, which is beyond frustrating. The whole apple he loved yesterday gets thrown across the room today or the yogurt he was eating from the container 30 seconds ago is suddenly not good enough unless it’s in a BOWL. I have to let him choose his own utensils or nothing gets eaten at all. If I put the plate on the desk and he wanted to eat at the counter the meal is ruined. I try to be accommodating because I know he’s just trying to control one of the few things he can in his great big world but food isn’t optional. He HAS to eat. The worst part is I doubt “picky eating” is a phase that ends anytime soon.

Little Evan’s favorite things this month include the dog, the cats, his vintage wooden desk, his alphabet flashcards, sitting on the couch with mama or daddy, coloring with chalk, reaching things he’s not supposed to touch, and getting anyone who comes into the house to pick him up. His least favorite things include leaving anywhere he’s having fun, being told “no”, and sitting in the shopping cart. All those least favorites makes taking him on errands all sorts of challenging, so my evenings and weekends are now busy with those sorts of things.

I’m excited about Little Evan’s upcoming birthday but of course sad that his days of being 1 are numbered. 2 is going to be a whole new adventure!!

23 Month Milestones (from BabyCenter as usual)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
• Names simple picture in a book – Yes! He’s very good at this now, especially the books with animals. Maybe exclusively books with animals. I’m not actually sure we own any books that don’t contain animals.
• Uses 50 to 70 words – I never did get around to making a list of words but I would say we’re up to about 60 or 70 on a regular basis. Plus he’ll repeat almost anything and picks up new words on a daily basis.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Opens doors – Yes, including our back door which is going to be a problem.
• Sings simple tunes – If by “simple tunes” you mean “the theme song to How I Met Your Mother or Battlestar Galactica”, then yes. In case you think I’m a horrible mother, he can also sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”. And several Ke$ha songs. Maybe I am a horrible mother.
• Takes more of an interest in playing with other kids – He has ALWAYS liked playing with other kids. He’s very good at sharing too, which always makes me a proud mama.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• Talks about self (likes, dislikes) – No. I’m not sure he even knows what he likes or dislikes. It changes on a minute by minute basis.
• Asks “why?” – Not yet. Can I add “thank god”?

We (and every other family with a toddler) have had these Target boots for ages but because Little Evan has such tiny little feet (he’s wearing a size 5 or 6 shoe at almost 23 months) he never wears them. They’ve just lead to a lot of falling down and frustration.

Little Evan recently found them in his closet – I think I pulled them out of storage when I was struggling to find snow boots, thinking at least they were waterproof and would be better than nothing – and he started carrying them around saying “BOOT! BOOT! BOOT!”

A couple days ago he got bored with just holding them and wanted to wear them. He’s definitely gotten the hang of walking in them but because they’re kind of big they fall off a lot. It was a constant battle of on-off-on-off-on and eventually I told him I was done playing Prince Charming to his Cinderella with lost boots.

So when I saw him sitting here with the dog, wearing his boots again I was a little surprised.  Did he…put them on himself? How awesome is that?! And how terrifying – he cannot possibly be old enough to put his own boots on. That seems like such an advanced skill, such a grown up ability, so much more of a KID thing than a TODDLER thing. It made me a little teary-eyed. If he doesn’t even need me to help him with his boots, how much longer before he hardly needs me at all?

Of course, he hardly ever gets them on the right feet. So maybe he still needs me for a little longer.

So in the excitement of yesterday and this weekend (no not THAT excitement, although if you’re as sick of hearing about it as I am definitely read this), I almost forgot Baby Evan’s monthday is today! 16 months doesn’t sound like anything special but for me it’s getting way too close to 18 months, which is a year and a half. And when he’s a year and a half he’ll be closer to 2 than 1 and my heart might break into a zillion teeny tiny pieces because I will definitely have to stop calling Baby Evan Baby Evan. I’m actually sort of glad I’ve got a new baby to ease the pain of watching my firstborn turn into such a PERSON.

Examples of personhood include: following directions more often than not, FINALLY signing “more” when he wants more and then pointing at the specific thing he wants more of, turning the pages of books as I read them, giving bedtime hugs and kisses and then requesting to be put in the crib and left alone to sleep, and clapping along with any and all applause on the television. Oh yeah, and running/climbing/dancing/grabbing/all manner of other child-like behaviors I swear he couldn’t do yesterday. Someone tell me he’s going to slow down soon – at this rate he’s going to be doing long division and competing in Olympic sports by the time he’s 6.

Time for some arbitrary and mostly meaningless milestones!

16 month milestone from Baby Center

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
• Turns the pages of a book – Yes, although this isn’t always a good thing since he gets bored with more than about four words per page and starts flipping to the end after a few seconds. I have no idea what happens in the middle of Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore. I’m assuming it involves pigs.
• Has temper tantrums when frustrated – Oh. Ha. Yes. Complete with thrashing, screaming and banging his head against the hardest object in the room. What a fun milestone.
• Becomes attached to a soft toy or other object – He has a blankie he sleeps with (and an identical extra blankie in case something happens to the first one)(both knit by his grandmother because she is awesome) and he definitely loves that blankie more than he loves other blankies…but I don’t think I would say he’s “attached”. Also, despite my best efforts he has no real interest in the bear I made him. Who, for the record, has a head now.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Discovers the joy of climbing – So far, he likes climbing on and off the couch SO MUCH he hasn’t yet tried to climb anything especially dangerous. Plus he doesn’t really need to since he’s TALL ENOUGH TO REACH THE COUNTERS. Ack.
• Stacks three blocks – No, but he can knock down ALL of them.
• Uses spoon or fork – I’m not sure I’d call his utensil skills good enough for public viewing but we use them at home. He’s actually better with a fork than a spoon and really enjoys it.
• Learns the correct way to use common objects (e.g., the telephone) – Yes, definitely, and he’s becoming a better mimic every day. It’s adorable.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• Takes off one piece of clothing by himself – Does a diaper count? I’m pretty sure every kid this age has done that at least once, which I wouldn’t really call “advanced.”
• Gets finicky about food – He’s always been finicky about food. Right now he’s eating mainly animal crackers and mini bagels, but he FINALLY decided he likes whole milk so I’m hoping the weight check this month will still be good.
• Switches from two naps to one – How is this a milestone? For us it was a schedule thing – back when we first started doing Stroller Strides and Baby Signs and fourbazillionty other morning activities Baby Evan switched to just one mid-day nap. Luckily that noontime nap usually lasts at least two hours and can be moved successfully from the car to the crib most days if we’re running late. But I am already dreading the day he goes to NO nap. I’m not letting that happen until he’s in full-day kindergarten.

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