Written by So, if you’re not a regular follower of this blog, you may have missed the Prologue of this post. If so, click HERE for the full backstory.
Long story short, at 21 months, Cadence climbed up high enough to fall headfirst out of her crib and we were faced with a very difficult decision. Do we transition her to a toddler bed, and give up any hope of getting a good night’s sleep ever again? Or do we try to find a way to keep her in her crib long enough for her to get over her climbing obsession and not end up in the Emergency Room with a busted skull?
As soon as we found the crib tent, the decision was easy.
I had my doubts though, whether Cadence would embrace the addition of the crib tent without a fuss, or if she would freak out and try to claw her way out of it like a wild animal caught in a trap.
Luckily, Cadence seems to love her new sleeping arrangement. Now, when it’s time to put her to bed, she doesn’t fuss or whine or try weasel me into rocking her until she falls asleep. Instead, she finishes her milk, gives me a hug, says “Nigh nigh,” and points at the crib, and then smiles at me through the mesh as I zip the flap closed. She also thinks it’s hilarious to give a few last kisses through the mesh before I leave and close the door.
Afterward, I usually hear her spending a few minutes jumping in bed. It’s either that or she’s having a cage match with her baby doll, her sock monkey and her stuffed Rango. I can’t be sure, because I don’t want to disturb her to open the door and find out. One of these days, I’m going to have to set up the video camera to find out just exactly what goes on in there in the moments she slowly winds herself down to sleep.
Even better, when she wakes, she is usually content to play for a bit before demanding that we come get her. And upon entering the room we are greeted with smiles and stories of her bedtime adventures, and sometimes even silliness like this…
All hail the crib tent. One of the best inventions ever.
Lori Romano 
We got lucky. The crib she had converted from a crib to a toddler bed. So at 21 months too we did the transition, with a full bed (sans railing bump) at 28 months.
http://callistanicole.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/
We have a convertible crib that will change over easily to a toddler bed, and then a full-size bed when she’s ready. We just have to wait for her to have enough self-control to actually stay in bed when it’s bedtime! Haha!