In which Christmas plans for Evan are laid
A few weeks ago, Evan expressed the desire for a "big boy" bed - a twin-sized bed. He actually threw quite a little fit over it, as we could not provide one immediately.
It so happens that Chris and I had been discussing getting him a twin bed for Christmas, and so I had a couple of options. I told him he could wait awhile for something really cool, or we could put a twin mattress on the floor for him right away. He didn't like the mattress-on-the-floor solution, and so he agreed to wait.
He's currently sleeping in his toddler bed, which was converted from his crib. I'm actually pretty pleased that we've gotten four and a half years out of our investment - nothing else you purchase for a new baby lasts as long! That's half of the recommended life of his mattress! Although he hasn't quite grown out of the toddler bed, the time seems to be right to move him into a twin.
If you've been in his room, you know that it's pretty small, about 10' x 9'. And his toy collection is rivaled only by the book collection. The train table has to live in the Hall because there simply isn't enough space in there to play with it. Likewise his desk. The solution has seemed to be a loft bed.
A loft bed is the top bed of a pair of bunk beds. The underside is left free for a desk or play space, and frees up about 28 square feet of floor space. The going rate? $500 - $700. Yikes!
A Google search found College Bed Lofts. They are designed to be very basic, and completely customizable. The web site is full of ideas - curtains across the bottom to make a "fort"; rope lighting and a beanbag to make a cool hang-out space; bookshelves, chalkboards, train tables, refrigerators, micorwaves, even a short couch or futon for extra seating/slumber parties. Paint it any color. Decorate it however you like. Of course, they're designed for dorm rooms, but many, many kids have them and seem to love them. $337 will purchase a loft bed and have it shipped or you can purchase the plans for $10 and build your own for about $120 in lumber and hardware. I love companies like this - and yes, we're going to build our own. I downloaded the plans this morning.
It seems pretty easy; reviews on the web page said that folks with minimal woodworking skills could build them. They take about a weekend to build; it seems that some families make family projects out of building the loft bed. Moms have done it, and so have kids, with Dad's direction of course. By the way, there are twin, full and queen sizes. I suspect that some of what we learn building these will come in handy when we do camping beds.
For kids, there's a safety rail modification that complies with the government's guidelines for youth beds. Evan loved sleeping in the overhead bunk on the train; I think he's going to love this bed. He never falls out of bed any more, so I'm not fearful of him getting hurt.
I had intended to buy him Spiderman bedding, but all I can find is the really cheap stuff - 120 count sheets, 70% polyester/30% cotton. Yuck. I'm leaning toward getting some good stuff from Company Kids - some of his current bedding is from them, and it's great quality. I really love the "Round Table" bedding - fantasy knights and dragons. This will require a change of curtains from Thomas the Tank Engine, though! Room decorations should be easy enough - he's already got the Wizard puppet and castle building blocks. And estucheons are pretty easy to cut out and paint.
Now the challenge is how to make it a surprise for him. I'm thinking that we can partially assemble the bed and stow it upstairs somewhere before Christmas Morning. If we can get him out of his bedroom (while he's asleep? after he wakes up and goes downstairs?) Chris and I can probably finish the assembly in half an hour or so. I'd like to string a ribbon all through the house leading him up to his Christmas bed. Hmmm..... I could string the ribbon the night before, and he does sleep like the dead. It should be pretty easy to get him moved to our bedroom after he goes to sleep.
I just hope he's as excited about this as I am.
It so happens that Chris and I had been discussing getting him a twin bed for Christmas, and so I had a couple of options. I told him he could wait awhile for something really cool, or we could put a twin mattress on the floor for him right away. He didn't like the mattress-on-the-floor solution, and so he agreed to wait.
He's currently sleeping in his toddler bed, which was converted from his crib. I'm actually pretty pleased that we've gotten four and a half years out of our investment - nothing else you purchase for a new baby lasts as long! That's half of the recommended life of his mattress! Although he hasn't quite grown out of the toddler bed, the time seems to be right to move him into a twin.
If you've been in his room, you know that it's pretty small, about 10' x 9'. And his toy collection is rivaled only by the book collection. The train table has to live in the Hall because there simply isn't enough space in there to play with it. Likewise his desk. The solution has seemed to be a loft bed.
A loft bed is the top bed of a pair of bunk beds. The underside is left free for a desk or play space, and frees up about 28 square feet of floor space. The going rate? $500 - $700. Yikes!
A Google search found College Bed Lofts. They are designed to be very basic, and completely customizable. The web site is full of ideas - curtains across the bottom to make a "fort"; rope lighting and a beanbag to make a cool hang-out space; bookshelves, chalkboards, train tables, refrigerators, micorwaves, even a short couch or futon for extra seating/slumber parties. Paint it any color. Decorate it however you like. Of course, they're designed for dorm rooms, but many, many kids have them and seem to love them. $337 will purchase a loft bed and have it shipped or you can purchase the plans for $10 and build your own for about $120 in lumber and hardware. I love companies like this - and yes, we're going to build our own. I downloaded the plans this morning.
It seems pretty easy; reviews on the web page said that folks with minimal woodworking skills could build them. They take about a weekend to build; it seems that some families make family projects out of building the loft bed. Moms have done it, and so have kids, with Dad's direction of course. By the way, there are twin, full and queen sizes. I suspect that some of what we learn building these will come in handy when we do camping beds.
For kids, there's a safety rail modification that complies with the government's guidelines for youth beds. Evan loved sleeping in the overhead bunk on the train; I think he's going to love this bed. He never falls out of bed any more, so I'm not fearful of him getting hurt.
I had intended to buy him Spiderman bedding, but all I can find is the really cheap stuff - 120 count sheets, 70% polyester/30% cotton. Yuck. I'm leaning toward getting some good stuff from Company Kids - some of his current bedding is from them, and it's great quality. I really love the "Round Table" bedding - fantasy knights and dragons. This will require a change of curtains from Thomas the Tank Engine, though! Room decorations should be easy enough - he's already got the Wizard puppet and castle building blocks. And estucheons are pretty easy to cut out and paint.
Now the challenge is how to make it a surprise for him. I'm thinking that we can partially assemble the bed and stow it upstairs somewhere before Christmas Morning. If we can get him out of his bedroom (while he's asleep? after he wakes up and goes downstairs?) Chris and I can probably finish the assembly in half an hour or so. I'd like to string a ribbon all through the house leading him up to his Christmas bed. Hmmm..... I could string the ribbon the night before, and he does sleep like the dead. It should be pretty easy to get him moved to our bedroom after he goes to sleep.
I just hope he's as excited about this as I am.
posted by Melanie Unruh-Bays at
1:33 PM
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