Growing Up
Yesterday I put safety rails on my bed for Sarah. No, not the bed I sleep on, but the bed that was mine when I was a kid. It was actually my great-grandfather's bed and has been passed down from generation to generation - granted, no one has wanted to part with it, but it was passed down nevertheless. It is hand-made from maple. The head board stands at over 6 feet. Carved upon it is the sunrise. The sunset is on the footboard. There are other intricate details too numerous to name and describe. I will try to remember to post a picture of it then you'll understand what I mean about not giving it up.

When I was about 7 years old I was deemed old enough to sleep on this masterpiece. You see, the bed is very tall and my mom was worried that I might fall off before then. The side rails are at least a foot and a half off the floor - you have to climb up into the bed - and with the mattresses, it's well over 3 feet to the ground (quite a painful fall!). I love the bed (my precious!), but I wasn't allowed to take it with me when I moved out - my dad didn't want to part with it as it was his bed before it was mine.

Well, I ended up getting the bed, but only after several years had passed and my parents moved to Mentone (they didn't have the space for it). Yeah! I finally got my bed back! Muhahahaha!

Now it's Sarah's turn to sleep in it. Sure, she's getting to sleep in it way before I ever did, but her toddler bed and this bed were taking up too much room. So last night she got to sleep on it for the first time. She was very excited! I put a stool near the foot of the bed and she climbed up and down without a problem. The safety rails are very sturdy so I'm not worried about her falling off.

This morning Pete asked her if she would like to get in the "big bed" (our bed) with Mommy. "No, Daddy. I have my own big bed." She later told me that she was a big girl. :)

Little does she know that it is still MY bed. Perhaps when she has a child of her own, maybe, just maybe, I'll let her store it in her house. ;)