What a difference a year makes!

It's funny looking at baby picures of Nicholas. It just reinforces the fact that he's a little boy now, no longer a baby. Although I CAN still fit him intot he shirt he's wearing in this picture... in a pinch.

Today Steve put together Nick's first big boy bed. We opted for a twin instead of a toddler bed. I mean, who wants to go through this transition twice? So after a few tears because Steve wouldn't let Nick use his screw gun, and a few words through gritted teeth at the instructions for the railings (my words - mea culpa), Nicholas had his first bed assembled in his room. I will post a picture as soon as I remember to take one.

Nick even napped in his bed this afternoon! I wasn't sure how it was going to go. After all, in his crib he would rattle the railings to get out. In his NEW bed he can just GET OUT. I settled him down, read him a story, and then kissed him and said what I usually do at nap time. "Have a good nap. When you wake up we'll play."

I had the time to walk into my bedroom and start nursing Nate before I heard a soft "Hi!" Nick was at the gate at his door, waving and smiling. I just told him to go to bed. He left, but from the noises coming from his room, I could tell there wasn't any sleeping going on. When I finally got Nathan down I went in to check. Stuffed animals were all over the floor - a few had been thrown outside the baby gate and into the hall. Books were everywhere. And Nick was playing with his cars.

I took him to his bed and tried stretching out with him. I closed my eyes. But then I felt a tickling under my nose. Nick's face was an inch from mine, and he was putting his finger up my nose. When I brushed him away he started poking the freckles (and OK, the moles) on my face. I couldn't keep it together. My body was shaking his whole bed trying to keep from laughing.

I left him again, telling him to go to sleep, and he cried. But then the noise suddenly stopped, after about fifteen minutes. He had fallen asleep! I checked, to be sure. And he stayed asleep for a good hour and a half.

Of course, he woke up in hysterics, but that could be anything.

I'm giving it a few days before I try putting him in bed for the night. Although after the nap I think it might not be as bad as I thought it would.