she's all growing up

A few months prior to her 5th birthday, we started bringing up E's room. Or, sleeping in it, that is. As some of you may or may not know, she has slept in a toddler bed next to me for almost 18 months now, since the first day she came home from China. She is an incredibly sound sleeper, and I can count on one hand how many times I've been awakened at night due to a bad dream or a cough :) Girl gets her sleep, and I wish mom could say the same but I don't sleep that way!

Anyway, probably sometime in the last month she mentioned she wanted to sleep in her room, which we were just thrilled she'd brought up on her own, but we'd yet to set up her toddler rail on the big bed so we delayed and then sort of forgot about it. (And yeah, she needs the rail). Since she can't use her legs really to turn over in sleep, she sort of flings herself, and that can lead to flinging entirely off the bed. Aunt Karen was here for a visit this weekend (pictured above with us!) and E always asks to have her toddler bed moved into her room to sleep with Aunt Karen while she's here... well, last night, she asked for the same.

She asked to sleep... ALONE. In her room.

It was all so sudden. So matter of fact. There was none of this "transitioning" (that apparently I needed more than she did-ha). Just, hey mama and baba I want to sleep in my room now. Apparently she and Aunt Karen had quite a talk about how "cool" her room is, which may have influenced my little one a bit :O) At any rate, we moved the toddler bed back a second time (having yet to put the rail on the big bed up still), and bedtime story complete, we tucked her in, and said our goodnights....

Mama: "I will sure miss you tonight E. But I am so proud of you for sleeping in your big girl room!"
E: "Well you don't have to be scared Mama, I'll be right here, okay? And don't cry, okay? I know you will miss me but don't cry".

And dang if I didn't walk out of that room with a tears in my eyes. It goes by too fast. I want to rewind the clock. Or stop time all together.

She slept as soundly as she ever does through the night. When I asked this morning if she liked sleeping in her room, she replied, "Yep" as if she'd been sleeping there all along.

We'll go with the flow on this, knowing that she may need time with us now and again, maybe even long stretches. Once, a long time ago, before boarding that plane to China, a wise woman told me, "follow her lead". And though we have guided her, disciplined appropriately, when it's come to these important milestones we really have let her show us when she's ready without ever pushing. We've gently suggested and let the thought sit with her, and let it go. Knowing in time she'd come around. There was no need for fanfare or making a big deal out of this change. It came naturally, and its own time- her time.