My Big Girl, Part 2- Big Girl's Bed

Boo has always loved her sleep. She slept through from 5 weeks, and still has 3 hour naps every afternoon. She has her moments, when teething or whatever but she always just needs a little kiss and will go straight back to sleep. So I wasn't enamoured with the prospect of moving her from her cot to a bed.

She hadn't learned how to climb out of her cot or anything, so I was tempted to keep her in it for as long as possible! But she had gotten too big for it really; it's only a cot, not a cot bed, so really I had no choice. It was time.

My Sis and I in the very same bed 25 years ago!

My Mum has pretty much hung on to everything from our childhood- from our old toilet training seat (gross!), to a sheet of dinosaur stickers (with only one sticker left on it); you name it, she's kept it! 

So I wasn't surprised when she offered up my old single bed for Boo to have. 

At first I flatly rejected it. I knew that my old bed had been passed down from my Dad, as it used to be his old bed too- so it was really bloody old- like getting on for 60 years old! Given it's age I wrote it off as no less than a death trap, and certainly not good enough for my precious Boo! 

Also, I had envisaged taking Boo on a special shopping trip to choose her own special bed, getting her involved in the whole process and giving her ownership of the transition from cot to bed. 

However, as the time to get Boo a bed drew nearer, I started to reconsider the offer of the old bed. The frame was still in good nick and the mattress was pretty new. It would save us a lot of money, and as it was a full sized bed, not a toddler one, we wouldn't have to buy her another one, ever! Also, in reality the 'special' shopping trip I had imagined would have consisted of me asking her which bed she wanted, and her pointing to whichever bed was closest to her and saying 'that one'.

So I decided to take on the challenge of bringing this ancient relic of a bed out of retirement, and breathe new life into it! Up-cycling's all the rage nowadays anyway isn't it, and if Kirsty Allsop can do it, then so can I!

I still wanted to Boo to have ownership over the move, so I told her all about the new (old) bed, and how it used to be Mummy's old bed, and Pop's before me- she was very excited! I showed her pics of me in the bed- she loved that! We chose bed linen together- one set purple owls, one set pink fairies. Then I asked her what colour she would like me to paint the bed...

"Red" she said. Hmmm, that wouldn't really 'go' in her room, so I suggested she have another think.

"Orange" she declared. Well, that certainly wouldn't go! No, try again.

"Brown!" she shouted. No, no, no. I am point blank not sanding down a wooden (basically brown) bed and then painting it bloody brown.You're not having a brown bed, full stop!

I felt she needed a gentle nudge in the right direction, so I took her to Homebase and found a tin of pink paint and a tin of purple paint and told her to choose (that's still taking ownership, right??)

Suffice to say she chose purple (Hallelujah!) 

the headboard and footboard ready for their makeover

We went to my parents' house the next day and she played with them, whilst I slaved away in the freezing garage, sanding* away the headboard, footboard and barrier (luckily the rest of the frame is metal so didn't need painting!) and got to work painting.

The barrier all saddled up and ready!

The paint I used was a Crown One Coat, and I must say it did only need one coat (save the odd touch up here and there) Which was great, as it meant it took no time at all! (It did obvs take some time, but was very quick!) 
The paint went on nicely, was a bit drippy but definitley better than some satin/gloss paints I've used before! I would definitley recommend it and would buy this brand again- I have always liked using Crown paints and have never had any problems with them. 

I used Crown, Solo, Satin paint, in 'Purple Heart'

My Dad leant me his garage and 
work bench for the day- 
very profesh!

The finished (almost!) article!

Boo kept coming in for a look, and telling everyone that Mummy was painting her bed purple, she was definitely involved in the process, and very excitied! 

I left the paint to dry (with an electric heater pointing at it as it was so bloody freezing!) for a couple of hours, then came back and carefully turned the pieces over to paint the parts that had been locked in the workbench. Then I left the bed pieces in the garage for a couple of days before my folks' brought them over to us at the weekend.

My Dad put it all together in her room and that was it! Boo clambered in, and refused to leave! She jumped and snuggled in it, waved bye to her cot (sniff!) and requested to have her dinner in it! She napped beautifully in it that afternoon and slept soundly that night, save a couple of moments where I just tucked her back to sleep. Obviously she was ready for this change and was happy in the 'Big Girl's Bed'.

Within a week my little baby had gone from being in nappies and in a cot, to being potty trained and in a big bed.

Thankfully because it all happened so quickly I didn't have much time to think (and cry) about it. And, I'm actually really quite chuffed that we have crossed of 2 things I had been dreading, without any problems at all (touch wood!)- unbelievable! 

Boo's bedroom is 
now complete! 
(except for new a carpet!)

Boo totally adores her 'Big Girl Bed'

I'm so glad I didn't buy Boo a new bed. I think this one looks great (if I do say so myself!), and I love that it used to be mine! It makes me feel like I'm wrapped around her, hugging her at night. So if you feel drawn to a bit of up-cycling, why not give it a go! See my post on Blackboard Paint for more upcyling ideas! 
Thanks for reading!

MummyBear  

*My Dad may** have done most of the sanding for me.
** Definitely did.