Goodbye Crib

Over ten years ago Sean and I went crib shopping and I hated every crib I saw. Being of small stature every crib was far too tall for me to reach into it without standing on a stool. And then I met the crib of my dreams.....

 It is lower than most cribs and has the awesome door on the side. Over the years the door has served many purposes including, but not limited to being able to slid a finally-sleeping Tyler into his crib without waking him, being able to slid Sam into the crib without further hurting my strained back muscles (it was unwise to pick up Tyler and Sam at the same time just days after giving birth), and for all three of our children the door has provided easy access in and out of the crib during non-nap and bed hours (Really shouldn't everyone including an 18 month old be able to access their sleeping spot even when awake?).

Over the last ten years this crib has resided in 4 of our homes and is an anchor for so many memories.....including my introduction to Lakewood Hospital a whopping 24 hours after we moved here. Never again shall we prop the mattress rail against a wall! I can remember clearly the weeks after we had moved Sam into Tyler's room so that we could assemble the crib for "the new baby". The crib stood in Sam's old room for only about 6 weeks because a miscarriage the day before my birthday carried our unborn child straight to God's arms. I remember thinking how sad it was that our final dis assembly of the crib was after we  had suffered such a loss. And I remember just as vividly how just 18 months later how excited we were to put up the crib for Riley. I was just BURSTING from that pregnancy! I was about  33 weeks pregnant...far enough along that the baby should be viable if born. And I remember how tiny Riley looked in that crib.....in that crib on the day we took it down!

On Friday we disassembled the crib for the last time. I am not sad to see this old friend covered and stored away. Rather excited that our family has officially moved into the stage in which all of our children are now "big kids".

Riley is absolutely thrilled!

And her big brothers so kindly fueled the excitement of their sister.

So now, at night, I sneak in and "check on her just one more time". And sometimes I can find her snuggled in the middle of her stuffed animals.

Here's to the horizons we will visit on your bed, my dear little red-haired girl!