It’s Sunday night and the hubster is working an unusual night shift. I put J to bed 20 minutes ago and am now sat on the sofa with a coffee and my laptop and the house is silent aside from a quiet hum from the freezer in the kitchen

Whats so special about this? Well it’s the third night J has been in her big girls bed and for the third night in a row she has gone straight to sleep without a fuss. I was a bit apprehensive tonight, thinking if she wouldn’t go down I’d have failed the hubster as he normally does the bedtime routine but she was perfect

My beautiful, amazing daughter has astounded me once more with yet another massive change we’ve put her way. She turned 2 and a half at the end of May and it was about time she went into a big bed

I really have been putting off the inevitable, not wanting to admit to myself that she’s no longer a baby, not really a young toddler any more, but in fact turning into a child and therefore needing to have the opportunity to develop and grow and be in a bed, and ultimately having a little bit of responsibility

On Friday evening her cot bars were removed, having decided to wait until she was settled in her new set up before choosing a bigger, more robust bed for her. As soon as the bars came off I cried. I realised just how small the bed was, how small she still is and how much she’s changing constantly – every day, she’s still my baby after all and I can still scoop her up and snuggle her

The last week or so was spent helping to prepare her for staying in bed and not wake us at some horrid hour, and for her to understand the difference between night and day. We’ve used a gro-clock which I purchased earlier in the year following a friend’s recommendation to help with this which I would honestly recommend to anyone. Each morning we’ve heard her say “it’s yellow!” her voice full of excitement that she can get out of bed and start her day

Putting her into the bed was no problem, she was told that because she’s a big girl now and very good she gets a brand new bed (she hasn’t twigged it’s her old bed yet!) She instantly jumped up onto it, got under the covers and point blank refused to get out and into her pyjamas

Listening to her excited squeals and looking at her made me cry once more as  she was told how proud of her we were. She probably thinks that I’m a silly old sap, but you know what, I am, and I am so very lucky to have such an amazing daughter. I’m sure we will experience tough times, she’s already feisty and determined and I dread to think what teenage hormones will add to the mix, but when the occasion is presented to her, she certainly rises to it and for that I am one very happy and lucky mummy

Linking up for this week’s #PoCoLo