I took some photos of the Cutlet climbing up into his new bed this morning, but of course the camera (from work) doesn't want to cooperate today as far as downloading them to my home computer. So I'll try to share those later this week.
The Cutlet's crib used to be my crib. Lemme tell you, safety regulations and crib construction has come a long way since 1973. We got around those with a judicious crib-bumper and new crib mattress, but it was still possible (didn't happen) to get a little head stuck between the crib bars. The sliding side never really did its duty, either. My sister, her son and then the Cutlet used it, but in between it was taken apart, moved to Texas, turned into a little daybed-like sofa, disassembled, trucked to our house over in Fort Worth and now is in many many pieces in our guest bedroom. If the need arises for a crib again, we're going to buy a new one that meets today's safety standards.
My first "big boy" bed – if it could be called that – was a firetruck bunk bed my dad built for me. He found the plans in a copy of Southern Living and used plywood to make it come to life. It was fire-engine red on the outside, with the lower bunk surrounded by a mustardy yellow. It was the envy of all the boys on the block, despite the fact that it was never completely finished. It lacked "wheels" and lids for the hood/toy box, but I never really cared. Besides, I can now appreciate the fact that I get my inability to finish home projects quickly by way of heredity. Can't put on a new pair of genes, people!
Sadly, once it was time for me to have a more mature (and boring) sleeping arrangement, the firetruck bunkbed was scrapped for firewood (no kidding). I got a plain iron bed frame and had an old dark pine headboard bolted to it. That served me well until the need for more room. After marriage, one of our gifts was a nice mission-style bed with big puffy mattress. So adult. So hard to keep the spindles dusted. Sometimes the Petite Filet snores like a drunk banshee or does a freestyle swimming relay while asleep, but it's nice to wake up next to her every morning – unless her backstroke kicks me to the couch.
The Cutlet's first noncrib bed will (we hope) last him for years. It's a captain's bed with drawer storage underneath. We also bought a matching dresser – that furniture line is now being discontinued and we couldn't get it later.
Dreams, hopes, goals and priorities change, sometimes as easily as changing your sheets. Others are hard to get rid of, kind of like trying to ditch old mattresses by the curb. Growing up is hard to do, and even harder to watch your wee one hit milestones from which there's no turning back. His room doesn't even look as much like a baby's room without the crib! Time is flying!
We're the same people as we grow up, yet I'm not sure I'd be friends with who I used to be. I don't have as much in common with that guy. He really needs to get a haircut and get a job! And sit up straight! Besides, with a birthday coming up on Friday, my former self would be too cool to talk to such an old fogey!
Do you have any fond memories of beds gone by? What do you sleep on now? How have your dreams changed as you've gotten older?
Sleep tight and embrace tomorrow's possibilities with both arms.
we've unfortunately already gone from the toddler bed for our manchild into a bed that should last him until junior high (that's the plan at least).
i don't remember my first bed, although i remember the "awesome" furniture i got the christmas of my 6th grade year. i had it until just last year when sold at a garage sale.
i guess i'm not sentimental like that.
They have the 5 in 1 bed now at TOYS R US. My buddy got one for his daughter and he expects her to take it to college. My bed had bars, but that because I used to be a restless sleeper.
After my brother and I got our own rooms and gave up the bunk beds, I got the most spectacular white furniture with gold trim a little girl ever had. Canopy bed and everything. I slept on that until I moved out of the house at 22. For the last three years I've slept on The Goddamed Futon(tm), which finally actually looks like a real adult bed now that I've nailed some iron garden posts to the wall to look like a headboard (it looks great, I swear).