The great toddler bed debate

When Logan was about a year and a half old, we took him out of the crib and got him a toddler bed.



He'd never been a great sleeper, gave up napping at the ripe old age of one (unless I drove him around in the car for hours, which I did frequently), and just generally crapped out in the whole sleeping department. He was hardcore refusing his crib, freaking out if we went anywhere near it, and he ended up in our bed most of the time. He's a KICKER and a bed hog, so Hubby and I weren't sleeping much.

Finally we decided to get him the little transitional bed, since he was so young. The novelty worked, and he was excited to sleep in it. Well, for all of a week anyway. Then, looking at the kind of girly decor of his room and the big rips he'd put in the wallpaper, we decided to do his room up for him, since we'd never done it before he was born (hence the girly decor). In the couple weeks it took to do his room, we pushed his little bed into our room. He wanted to be in our bed, and we were back to square one. Once the room reno was done, he still didn't want to go back into his toddler bed, so I spent a few months (not) sleeping on his floor. Hardwood, I might add. Fun times.

Eventually, we got him a real big-boy bed. A high one with drawers under it. He needed a step stool to get into it, and I cushioned the floor with pillows because he DID fall out. Even then, he tried to come to our bed, and I'd make him get back in his own, but I'd lay with him and ended up sleeping in there a lot. At least there was room, and it was soft!

Finally, around the age of three, something clicked and Logan became a great sleeper.

Now on to Jordan.

Jordan's given us sleep issues, too, but in different ways as Logan.

While nursing, Jordan held on to multiple night feedings longer than Logan did. I also did things a bit differently by working to make sure he had organized sleep and nap--IN HIS BED--routines and that has worked to my advantage in that he is now two and still takes a nap most days, and all I have to do is lay him in his crib.

He still wakes up in the night though. We go through phases. Sometimes he'll sleep through no problem for a few months and then something will throw him off and he'll start waking up and wanting me. Usually a night or two of letting him cry a little (it only generally takes a minute or two) will do the trick.

Lately, though, MAN he's been wanting me to hold him all night. He wants to sleep in the guest bedroom with me. He is starting to talk, and somehow knows that screaming "Mommy! Please!" hysterically, over and over, will wear me down, especially at 1:30 a.m. It's easier to just snuggle him and sleep.

When these things happen, I just do my best to get him back into the swing.

But here he is, about 2 years and 2 months old, and I find myself wondering if he is ready to transition into the toddler bed. Would he like it? Would it help him sleep better or would he be the kid that would just stay up and play? I know I'd have to rely on a baby gate in his doorway if I did put the toddler bed in there now, because our house is big, with stairs, and I don't want him wandering in the dark.

I know I should keep him in the crib as long as I can, for safety sake, and also because, well, he's CONFINED! For such a climber, I'm so shocked he hasn't figured out how to climb out of it, especially since he sleeps with multiple quilts AND a Pillow Pet. I bet he figures it out soon. He's seen enough babies do it on America's Funniest Videos.

So, that's it. I'm just undergoing the great toddler bed debate in my head.
Is it time?
If not, when?