Big boy bed

My wife stopped at Wal-Mart the other night and whilst shopping for a few basic items, she couldn't resist buying some furniture. What fiendish grip is it that Wal-Mart has upon its patrons?

She brought home a traditional bed (that is, not a crib) for my son. It is a parent's way of saying: "I think you're old enough not to roll out and crack your head open in the middle of the night." He's very happy with it.

For a while at least, he goes to bed again of his own free will. Even more importantly, he can get up on his own, but he doesn't quite get that yet. Sometimes when he wakes, he'll lay in bed and whine about his predicament, rather than simply disembark the mattress and begin his day. Very old-school thinking, my boy. It's adorable to invite him to extricate himself from his self-imposed prison. Once free he's quite jolly, and if we're both home he comes to noodle around with us, before we all get up to begin the day.