Recognizing that we need to be setting up a crib again soon, and would there by be needing a crib sized mattress… we decided to upgrade Bridget to a twin sized bed and reclaim the mattress from the toddler bed for the crib.

I’d seen a low loft (or junior loft) bed at Ikea and thought it would be perfect. A raised bed thats high, but not too high, and has storage underneath. After a bit more research we opted for a similar but very different bed at RCWilley’s. It was similar in that it was a junior loft with a rail and approx. the same height above ground. It was different in that it was made of metal rather than wood, and included shelves and drawers below instead of just open space.

We picked up the bed about a month ago, and I’m pleased to say that Bridget loves it! The transition was very seamless, and she hasn’t looked back or missed her toddler bed at all. And the best part, if you ask her, is the climber (ladder). She loves that she can climb up and down herself.

Here are a few pictures of the bed assembly process, and Bridget trying out the new digs.

Should I mention that the fine print says not to allow children under 6 years old on the bunk? She’s almost 6, right? Kinda. At any rate, she does just fine.

The light pink sheets made it even better.

And here is a little video clip of Bridget trying out the “climber” for the first time.

I should mention that we did have to set some ground rules for the bed. No standing up there. And no food or drinks (or water of any kind, including in small containers or doll’s baby bottles). So far, so good!