Reason #76 – My son sleeps on cardboard
Reason #76 – My son sleeps on cardboard
Aug 31As usual, I am not kidding. Not one bit.
I finally bit the bullet and bought my son a nice, big, heavily discounted fancy crib. It is all we could ever have wished for: it transforms into a toddler bed, a day bed and a single bed (and a small aircraft if you buy the extension package.) It is HUGE, so it can contain my freakishly strong and fast baby in comfort and luxury. It is heavy and sturdy, so hopefully it will take him more than 15 minutes a few months to break it. Heck, maybe it will last long enough to be handed down to a sibling! A girl can dream.
One of my housemates bravely helped me assemble it. Girls with screwdrivers! We put the crib together in no time and without a single glitch… only to discover it did not fit through my bedroom door. FAIL.
Never fear, we briefly took the door off its hinges and none was the wiser.
But that has nothing to do with cardboard. Here’s the cardboard.
As some of you know – and the rest can imagine – it’s not easy being a single mom. All those expenses on just one salary! (Partners of SAHMs can stop smirking now.) Life is tough! *pout, look pointedly at affiliate links, make eyes*
Which means that while I could afford a crib, I could not afford a mattress. C is currently sleeping on 3 layers of cardboard…
…plus a folded sleeping bag, a quilt and the mat from his old pack-n-play.
We call him the Prince and the Pea.
I already ordered a bespoke mattress and fancy bumpers/quilts/frill and assorted crap. It’s all coming! But in the meantime, C will have to sleep on of cardboard.
I may have to turn a few tricks to afford all of this.
Go on, make me an offer I can’t refuse.
I mean, “Make me an offer. I can’t refuse.”
The crib wasn’t cheap.
I am.
We still have them! And I’m a negligent mum. My 5 year olds dresser has every centimeter covered in those tiny little choking hazards :)
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Haha, before my son was born my mil snagged a used crib, it fell apart with my 2 month old son in it. He was fine!
Than we just used the playpen with it’s net cage, its thin wooden mattress with the 1 inch layer of cheap foam. He was fine!
Than we finally stopped being cheap and bought a real crib, after he stopped using it and had a real bed, the crib was recalled. He was fine!
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ofthesea Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 8:06 am
One of these days I’m going to write about recalls, and then I’m going to get deported. That’s why I’m biding my time!
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stef Reply:
September 28th, 2011 at 6:29 am
Some of the recalls are over the top. Some are probably a good thing. But Canada can be a little strange on what kids stuff the ban.
Our crib was recalled becuase the screws were not good. Um, replace the screws?
But it’s ok, drop down cribs are banned now anyways. They have gone the way of the dodo, and the baby walker.
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ofthesea Reply:
September 29th, 2011 at 9:09 am
And the Kinder Surprise chocolates!
Umm…thanks for your post! I did the exact same thing with my daughter. Living in Northern Manitoba made it difficult to access cheap furniture therefore we got the crib and used it with cardboard until a friend could bring back a mattress!
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ofthesea Reply:
October 13th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Hooray for cardboard! Hey, we do what we gotta do.
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Kids will sleep where they want to sleep. My 20 month old son refuses to fall asleep on his bed (crib converted to toddler bed) and instead prefers to fall asleep on the floor by his door, snuggling his blanket. We gave up on trying to convince him that the bed was for sleeping, and just put down a folded blanket by the door for him to sleep on.
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ofthesea Reply:
September 30th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I look forward to discovering where C wants to sleep once he’s out of his cage, ahem, crib.
If it makes you feel better, I heard the same thing from one of the ladies in my Facebook group. The only difference is that her soon sleeps on the floor by his sisters’ door so he can eavesdrop on them!
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Oh my gosh! I don’t have anything to add (like all those blog tips say) but I just want to say this post was seriously funny! I thought you we’re joking until I saw the picture. But never fear. Like I said in another post my son never even had a crib!
Alexandria recently posted Dear Ms Hilton–
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ofthesea Reply:
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:29 am
I wouldn’t joke about something as serious as this ;)
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My mom proudly tells us how we slept in empty dresser drawers for the first several months of our lives … grant it that was one million years ago but I wanted to let you know that your son is better off than I was as a kid.
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ofthesea Reply:
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:30 am
Empty dresser drawers! What’s not to love?
I wish I had a big enough dresser…
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Is this just a desperate plea to get us to click on your advertisers? ;-)
The newest studies say the chemicals in mattresses may be a factor in SIDS. So actually you are being a very proactive mom.
Laura @ The Things I Said I’d Never Do recently posted Vacation with a baby Are we crazy
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:35 am
Hey, I never said I had lots of integrity! ;)
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Haha, what you have there is basically the (fancy) equivellent of a baby’s crib in China (for those that use them anyway). It’s a METAL crib with a flimy sort of blanket that is made.of.wood.
Seriously.
My spoiled American child of course would have none of that crazy wood blanket nonsense and takes up 3/4 of our bed.
I say don’t worry about it. Like your post about bottles being used as toys, kids eat/play with/sleep on weird stuff and turn out just fine.
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:34 am
Metal and wood? LOVE IT. And it would make it extra-easy to administer electric shocks on demand!
I didn’t say that out loud, did I?
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ok, you HAVE to have a look at my recent photos posted on my FB page… my son put himself on the floor outside his door.. in WINTER (there’s a heater in his room but not in the hall) so he wouldn’t miss out on the ‘fun’ his sisters were having in THEIR room next door. And we didn’t find him till 10.30pm…he goes to bed at 7.30pm. C’mon.. hand over the “crap Mom” crown. Just for today lol
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:30 am
What on earth were his sisters up to????
Off to look at your pics!
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Ah, kids are tough. He won’t even remember it years from now. Unless he’s one of those freaky people who can remember everything. Even the day they were born. Then you are just screwed.
Allison @ Alli ‘n Son recently posted 365 Days
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:30 am
As long as nobody shows him the pictures we’ll be fine.
Don’t even think of blackmailing me. I’m poor.
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Alexandria Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Clever blog name Allison!
Alexandria recently posted Dear Ms Hilton–
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ofthesea Reply:
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:29 am
And did you see her design? Alli is TALENTED! *jealous*
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I personally was too cheap to order a new crib, borrowed one from a friend, then when she had the nerve to give birth, bought a used one. If you really, really felt the need you could call it green sleeping. I mean, after all, it’s biodegradable, recycled, reused….
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:29 am
I caved in to social expectations and bought the durn thing, but it will now be reused, reduced and recycled, trust me.
Coming up: I set a poor example for withstanding peer pressure
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If it wasn’t too much to ship I would send you my crib mattress that has been sitting in a cupboard for four years!! lol!! Hey they say a firm mattress is best for babies…so it looks like you are all set!!
How Does She Do It Mom recently posted Deadly Fitness Training…
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:28 am
Arh, I am ALWAYS in the wrong place for hand-me-downs :(
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I really thought you topped this one. I’m reading along, looking at the photo, and with all of the love in the world, I’m thinking, “Come on Maria- put in a goddamn blanket for him at least.”
It’s a relief I always read your entire posts, or I may just have to kidnap C and care for him myself.
And those crib mattresses? NOT all they’re cracked up to be- believe me. I guarantee if you put your little contraption on the floor next to your new mattress and lay on them both? You may toss out your new purchase.
I am the crap mom who makes her son sleep on a crib mattress. And his toddler bed? Fits the same, uncomfortable piece of junk.
No wonder my child doesn’t sleep through the night.
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:27 am
No blanket! He sleeps on raw cardboard, I tell you!
Now come and take him away. He looks more like you anyway ;)
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My principal mentioned today that maybe my “boob” issue is because maybe I’m pregnant. (I’m not, just took a test…) But before the test, I thought, “Hmmm, where could a possible baby sleep? Cardboard box!” Again, I think you’re a great Mom! Again, I don’t have kids so I probably don’t know what I’m talking about…..
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:26 am
Cardboard box is totally the way forward. Cheap and cheerful!
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Just read Amy’s quote about Jesus sleeping on hay. Fill that damn bed with hay. I dare you. Mattresses house bedbugs. Hay doesn’t ( I don’t think it does anyway).
Summer recently posted Monday- Blah
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 3:56 pm
It would certainly further my plans of starting a cult with C as a baby Messiah. I wonder where I can buy some hay…
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Girl, you do whatcha gotta do! At least he’s got a crib, right?! (and a mighty fine one, at that!)
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Yeah, it looks great from outside! Nobody needs to know there is cardboard in there!
It will be our secret.
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We’ve got a crib, but most nights I feel we ALL end up sleeping on the floor. First, the toddler + me, then the preschooler snuggles in, then the kindergartner… I don’t sleep well, but it’s heaven :).
Unplanned Cooking recently posted The Happiness Project- Are you happy
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 3:53 pm
So cute! I used to love snuggling with C, but now all he dreams about is Kung Fu, and I totally don’t enjoy receiving kicks and punches throughout the night.
Coming up: I’d rather sleep on the floor than with my son.
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Brandi Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 5:44 am
Me too. But I have daughters. Either way, they sleep alone. I have even slept sitting up simply to avoid laying them with me in my bed, because when they are ten I will not want them in my bed. LOL.
Brandi recently posted Have You Seen Him
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ofthesea Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 9:36 am
EXACTLY. Exactly. The odd afternoon nap-cuddle is all fine and dandy, but at night my bed is MINE and MINE ALONE.
Perks of being a single mom!
The crib is coming Thursday. But, seriously no mattress for awhile. I cannot believe how much cribs cost. Then I think about how Baby Jesus slept on hay and I can’t help but think I’ve been duped. (OMG! This is SO going on the blog later this week! Pretend I didn’t write this! Please act surprised when you read it Thursday or Friday ;-)
There is no shame in the cardboard. He doesn’t know the difference.
Amy recently posted Now THAT is a good looking kid!- August 30-2010
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 3:52 pm
I’ll totally act surprised. I’ll even leave a comment to the effect of “Ames, what a NOTION! I would have NEVER thought of it!”
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Okay, so I’m not a single mom but I am a mom of seven. We’ve ended up with two little ones after ten years. I now have a two year old and a seventh month old. Well I got a toddler bed and haven’t got a mattress yet either. But we got rid of our furniture and I took the two couch pillows and put it on the toddler bed with a nice sheet and blankets. So now we’ve neglected to get a real mattress lol.
Tomica recently posted Bernice Wood joined Tomica Bonners group
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 12:46 pm
C used to hate sleeping on sofa cushions, but that was ages ago… maybe I should give it another shot!
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As long as he has a blanket and a pillow, he’ll survive ;)
Michelle @ Mommy Loves Stilettos recently posted The Happiness Project
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Ah, but you see, that is my one ostrich: I am afraid he’ll suffocate, so he has neither.
We all have an ostrich, what can I say?
*hanging head in shame*
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My kids sleep on the floor. They HAD Beds. They Broke beds. I refuse to buy MORE beds until they stop breaking them (they broke mine too). So I sold the mattresses and they now sleep on a comforter on the floor. They had a foam mattress topper thingy, but one kid started biting off chunks so I had to take it away too (he’s 5).
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ofthesea Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 10:05 am
Biting off chunks?
Why do I feel that’s my future talking to me?
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