Time for a Big Girl Bed

After much contemplating and nervous nail biting, Dan and I decided that it was time to make the switch from the crib (or the cage as we now refer to it) to the toddler bed. Last week I ordered the toddler bedding set with of course the ever, unforgettable, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We borrowed a toddler bed from a friend of mine and picked it up on Saturday.

After Katelynn woke up from her nap on Saturday we brought the new bed upstairs to her room and had washed all the sheets and pillowcase and moved the crib to the side (just in case this didn't work so well, I wanted the cage option again!)
I have never seen my little girl so excited as she was on Saturday, she was in love with the bed and we decorated her wall with Mickey Mouse and friends wall stickers. She showed her little stuffed kitty, Penny, her bed and her Elmo and wanted all of her blankies on her new "Big Girl Bed".
We did our whole bath time routine on Saturday night and even let her stay up a little bit later than usual (I wanted to make sure she was really tired and stayed in the bed). Then we went over the "RULES".
It was so funny, she looked at me with these big blue wide-opened eyes absorbing every little piece of information that I gave her as if her little life (or bed) depended on it.
Rule 1 - When it's bedtime or nap time we stay in the bed and we go to sleep.
Rule 2 - When we wake up in the morning we call for Mommy or Daddy to come and get me.
Rule 3 - We do not get out of the bed without Mommy or Daddy being in the room when we wake up.
and the Warning - If we do not follow the rules then it's back to the crib.
Dan came into her room after she took a bath, got her pj's on and brushed her teeth and she ran up to him and said, "Dad, what are the rules, remember?" His reply - No jumping on the bed. So we made that a rule as well - good job Dad!
And my (little) Big Girl did an awesome job, she never got out of the bed until the next morning and called for me - Mommy, Mommy I'm awake, nap time went just as smooth on Sunday and again last night for bedtime. Whew, Thank Goodness.
I have to tell you that this milestone of going from the crib to the bed really pulled at my heart compared to others, I haven't figured out why yet, but my little girl is definitely growing up.