Drum roll please... bring on the Big Boy Bed

And, all the anticipation, decisions, and drama I engaged in prior to the delivery of Luke's big boy bed have all come to a head... 

This morning, Luke got to pick out a car to mark the arrival of the big boy bed at his favorite car joint, Whistle Stop Toys in Old Town. He picked a 1950s Red and White Mustang, telling the clerk it's a "Mustang hot rod!" You can imagine the negotiations leading up to this Mustang decision.... about 15 different kind of cars to choose from(corvettes, limos, golf carts, buses, dump trucks, fire trucks, Mercedes). He kept picking one, then wanted a new one. Unlucky for my Starbucks slush fund, he settled on the $17 Mustang instead of the $5 bus. Though the word "settled" isn't terribly accurate, as just as my credit card was swiped he decided he wanted a different Mustang. Buyers remorse, I get it. But we managed to come to a realization that the Mustang he picked was just right. 

Delivery guys were waiting for us outside when we rolled in. Luke watched them bring the pieces upstairs, put the bed together, and then I put the sheets on. He hopped in and realized that the headboard is a PERFECT place to drive cars. It's also a perfect place to leave red Mustang paint marks on the walls. 

So I came up with what I thought was a brilliant solution - blanket behind the headboard held in with tacks. 

Luke loved the jumping on the bed part. 

Here's the blanket, car park concoction, and "cheese face."

When it was time to actually go down for a nap in the new bed, I tried to be a rule nut by telling him he could not exit the bed. He gave me a sad face as I left the room and I asked him what was wrong. He said, "get down." So I told him he a had a choice to either sleep in the big boy bed or the crib, which was still in the room. He pointed to the crib, and my spirits dropped a little, but I put him in it. But then he pointed to the bed and said "big boy bed." So I popped him back in the bed, and said good night.

He drove the cars on the headboard for a while, jumped a little, and then settled down.

I am shocked. He went to sleep! Though where is that brilliant blanket protector of Mustang red paint? And more importantly the five tacks I used to hold it in place?!

So far so good, though, that is what I said about the first day of preschool when he waltzed right in. Then kicked and screamed for the next three months.... let's hope for the sake of Luke's 34 week pregnant mom that the night transition is as smooth as the nap time appears to have been. (knocking on wood)