The time has come ...

for dear old Bubba Joe to start sleeping in his own bed, in his own room.

You see, we've had a family bed for quite some time now. I think it all started when he was around 4-6 months of age and kept getting sick. It was harder and harder to get up (I was working full-time +) to nurse him AND he was always sick. And well, just like his mommy, he just doesn't do things the easy way - it's 110% or nuthin'! So sick wasn't just a runny nose and a fever and maybe a bit of conjestion - no, sick was a ruptured eardrum, or throwing up or super-high fever that makes his extremities turn blue. (That's my boy!)

But now, at 2 years, 3 months, it's time.

Oma and Opa just found his bed and bought it as his baptism present - a car bed! And Bubba Joe loves his "auto bett" (german, of course). It's a light blue car that is perfect for him! He hasn't stopped playing in it since all the men in our family built it last night. Oh, and Bubba Joe of course had to be part of the action - "baby bauen" - Henry's building too! Try to take away that real screwdriver with the sharp point at the end and give him one of his wooden ones that are *way* more blunt ... he'll come after you.

Last night was the first night.

BJD slept on the other mattress on the floor (we took apart our wonderful king-size'ish bed because I refuse to buy another mattress - we have 3 people, THREE!!!). And with only a bit of crying (that broke my heart) and a few mind games (now I want mommy, no, now I want daddy, where's my Maus?!?, Um, Um, UMMMM (i.e. he's hungry)), he fell asleep for a good 10+ hours. Yeah!

Say a prayer for strength and courage to hold strong. Hearing your baby cry out for you, even when you know he's just trying to avoid going to sleep.

BTW - Bubba Joe calls himself "baby" because that's what Oma has called him. I try to teach him to say "I" or his name *sigh* but "baby" it is.