Toddlerhood is full of those heart-wrenching “My baby isn’t a baby anymore” moments – and now that we have another kiddo on the way, Little Y truly won’t be the baby of the house.  So here are some ways we’re preparing – and some things we’re deliberately putting off.

Ditching the Crib

Little Y has slept in his crib like a champ for most of his life, and I was selfishly afraid to rock this boat. But it seemed silly and wasteful to buy another crib when Little Y could move to a twin bed that could see him through childhood. So we decided we’d tackle the “big boy bed” transition at least a couple months before No. 2 arrives in hopes of minimizing any resentment over crib-stealing.

Checking out the new bed and sleeping like a champ the first night

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We’re about a week into the transition now, and I am thrilled at how easy this has been – aside from some occasional wall kicking, that is. We read “Big Enough For a Bed” for about a week before the transition (and continue reading it now to reinforce things), so that may have helped. I also sweetened the pot by getting some fun truck sheets from Target, and I’m letting Little Y use his small Thomas the Train pillow – a privilege he never got in his crib. The bed we chose, an Ikea Malm, is quite low to the ground – so low that we haven’t used a rail – which may also be helping him feel comfortable. We also kept all other parts of his routine the same to maximize our chances for success. So far, so good!

More Daddy Time

Over the next couple months, Little Y is definitely going to be spending more quality time with Papa Y. We’ve gotten lax about this because early and mid-summer are crazy times at work for Papa Y, and the results are less than pleasant. Sometimes, if I venture more than 20 feet away, I swear Little Y sounds like this:

But now that I’m no stranger to the demands of a newborn, particularly one who’s breastfed, I want Papa Y to be prepared to pick up the slack when he can. I do the lion’s share of kiddo care, including nearly all nap and bedtime routines, but I know there will be times when I’ll be too tied up with the baby to read “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go” for the 70 billionth time. Right now, the plan is to have Papa Y start doing bedtime at least a couple times a week, and we’re hoping to restore some morning Daddy-Son time when we can, too.

A Pacifier Reprieve …

One transition I am deliberately putting off? Pacifier weaning. I’m a little conflicted about this. At 2, I feel like he should be able to go without. On the other hand, Little Y has never really had a lovey, but he has always had his paci for sleep. Considering we just tackled one big sleep transition, I don’t want to force another one. And I really don’t want to get rid of it just in time for him to potentially see the baby using one, and then throw a fit because he wants it back.

Most of what I’ve read indicates that we’re probably in the clear regarding potential dental problems for the first few years, and I’m betting it will be a lot easier to verbally reason with Little Y over the issue at age 3 rather than 2. So right now he can keep his paci, but my goal is to make sure we stay firm on limiting use to sleep and the very worst tantrums instead of backsliding.

… and a Potty Reprieve, too

A lot of people potty-train their 2-year-olds, or at least begin the process. Frankly, I have no intention of joining the club anytime soon. I don’t relish the thought of two kids in diapers, but the thought of managing a baby while running after a toddler to make sure he doesn’t pee on the playroom floor is even less palatable.

I might feel differently if Little Y was showing me all the signs of readiness, but I can really only confidently say “yes” to about half the list. Of course, there’s also conventional wisdom that says boys train later than girls (though this is totally case-by-case, of course). So just like pacifier weaning, it seems like we’ll probably wait until closer to 3 to start getting serious about the potty. By then, the baby will be well out of the constant hold-sleep-feed phase, and maybe Little Y will be a bit more interested in ditching diapers.

How have you managed these common toddler transitions? Did any special considerations alter your timeline?