what's in your Crib?

[JordanKX]

DS (13.5 mos) hasn't been in his crib for TOO long. And I'm actually considering just putting a mattress on the floor. BUT...

The past few weeks, he's really wanted animals. This is his new thing. he reaches for animals as he's going to sleep, so we pick one (he normally has last nights' and maybe the night before in his crib already)... and he goes to bed with it. He sleeps with blankets. And has one musical thingy attached to his crib that would be a baby toy - squeeze the color and it tells you what color it is - but he still plays with it (I can hear him squeezing it in the morning).

Tonight, he didn't ask for an animal, but his kiddo cell phone. The one toy I'm already annoyed that a friend bought him, but OK, it's what he wants, take it to bed.

20 minutes later, I can still hear the phone going off in his room! Granted, I'm happy he's playing - and it gives me insight to what life could be like if I removed the crib and just went with a mattress - but... he was awake Much Longer than usual!

Is Bed supposed to be without toys? I don't really feel that way. But I do want him to associate our nighttime routine with SLEEP... and that I'm thinking of going to just a bed, instead of a crib....

what's your take? What's in your crib? when did you move yours out of the crib and did they just get out of bed and play?

[alfabetsoup]

I think this is one of those very annoying problems-that's-not-a-problem. Did he go to sleep in the end? Was he tired or his schedule thrown off the next day? If not, then there really isn't a problem.

DD2 has a whole range of toys in her crib. She is not a co-sleeper and never has been, likes her space when sleeping. She plays, she sings, she rolls around, but in the end she goes to sleep. She has a toy in there that makes noise--I actually find it quite funny, sometimes you think she's asleep and then you'll hear "Yes! My name is Iggle Piggle...." (UK toy)

As for the crib issue, DD1 hated it, never used it & had her own single bed from 15 months. DD2 loves it, she feels safe and cozy in there, she has her toys and her bumper with pictures and her blankies. She is 2y3mo. I don't envision her moving out anytime soon--my plan is to keep in the crib as long as she's happy (probably until she needs to get up in the night to pee) then convert it to a toddler bed. When DD1 is 6 we'll get them a bunk bed, DD2 will be 4. Cribs get a lot of bad press in here but there's nothing inherently evil about a baby sleeping in one. Baby is safe there and when she wakes up can't get up and wreak havoc.

[tzs]

i've got a small toy/book basket in mine. i like that when dd wakes up she will talk to herself for a while and rustle through her stuff. i've gone in there and found her flipping through a board book and talking not even noticing i had come in...so cute.
i figure it buys me a few extra minutes in bed in the am and even if i'm up i'll leave her in there if she's happy and talking....i like that she can entertain herself and is involved in whatever process she's in and i don't want to interrupt it.
if she did the same at bedtime i'd be so into it as well but she's not there.

[JordanKX]

Originally Posted by alfabetsoup

I think this is one of those very annoying problems-that's-not-a-problem. Did he go to sleep in the end? Was he tired or his schedule thrown off the next day? If not, then there really isn't a problem.

Good point!
Yes he went to sleep, No it didn't affect his next day... so really, what's the problem :-) I just didn't know how strict others were with "play space" vs "sleep space". But like most things, it really should just be happy kiddo = happy kiddo, yk! :-)

[Kreeblim]

20 minutes later, I can still hear the phone going off in his room! Granted, I'm happy he's playing - and it gives me insight to what life could be like if I removed the crib and just went with a mattress - but... he was awake Much Longer than usual!

Sounds like my ds and his stupid monkey flashlight! We were in some store doing emergency last minute shopping for a family party and had NOTHING to keep him occupied, so I ended up buying him this ridiculous pink monkey with a flashlight in it's mouth that goes "EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH" when you pull it's head back to expose the flashlight. It kept him happy in the store, and I figured we could use it for camping.

He's two and this was in the spring...he takes it to bed almost EVERY NIGHT. Since we have a baby moniter in the room all you hear is 10 minutes of:

"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"
"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"
"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"
"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"
"nigh nigh monkeeeeeeeeeeee"
"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"
"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"
"EEE EEE OOO AAH AAH"

He was never able to cosleep like my others (he is diagnosed with sensory issues, so he slept in a swing for almost the first year and then a crib which is the only way he's happy) but he seems to love his crib and would probably have problems in an open room. He has two "silkie" blankets, several small animals, a giant elmo, and his monkey light every night. He doesn't cuddle with the big Elmo...he just wants to make sure he's in his normal place at the bed foot each night.