Seriously? A Used Crib Tent!

The drama around here has been Reef’s nighttime routine, or lack of it. The nights in our home have changed from “sweet dreams in the desert” to “nightmare in crazy town.” Putting Reef to bed is a 1 to 2 hour ordeal, with him crying and climbing out of his crib over and over again. I have to give the counselor the credit for being consistent. He deals with Reef while I deal with my EBay listings. In the end, we both have headaches and heartbreaks from Reef's cries and pleas .

Fifteen years ago when I was a nanny in Paradise Valley, I worked for a mom who used a mesh tent crib over her son’s crib.

Image found here.

I’d never seen one before, but it kept her son from climbing out of his crib. It also prohibited scorpions and other fun desert insects from falling into his crib while he was asleep.

This contraption came to mind about a week ago. I desperately said to the counselor, “We need a crib tent, NOW.”

I should mention the counselor is a mental health provider, working with all sorts of people with all sorts of issues. The idea of barricading our kid in a tent at night got him thinking. Would Reef have issues because of this crazy thing? Surely, he would.

“I don’t know,” the counselor said. “It just doesn’t seem right, locking him in like that.”

Another example of why the counselor is a better parent then me.

Either way, the bags under our eyes and irritable mood convinced us both the end was near. It was just a matter of time before our kiddo was sleeping under a crib tent; issues or not.

I looked on Craig’s list and wasn’t too surprised I didn’t find a used crib tent. I wasn't really sure what this thing was actually called. Anyway, I visited a local second-hand children’s clothing store called “Once upon a Child.”

“No, we don’t have a mesh crib tent here,” the cashier said when I asked her.

So, I had to do something I don’t normally do. The reality was setting in.

I would have to purchase a new crib tent and pay full-price!

I looked on-line and found just want we needed: The Tots in Mind – Crib Tent II (you know when a product has roman numerals in it; it’s going to be expensive). For $69.00, I clicked order and send! Money well spent, for sure.

Since I’m also looking for a used double stroller, I went back to “Once upon a Child” this week to see what they have in stock. While chasing Reef around the store, I found the most amazing thing in the back corner: A used crib tent, priced at $30.00.

The thing is it’s actually not used at all. It’s brand new, but “Once upon a Child” purchased it from a parent who never used it. Technically, they couldn’t price it as new so $30.00 seemed like a fair price to list it at.

I brought it home last night. Derek and I bonded over the installation, talking about how good it would feel to go to bed before midnight & to sleep through the night without a two-year old visitor.

We were practically giddy (although the bags under the counselor's eyes are pretty obvious).

Reef on the other hand knew something was up. He watched as we put this thing together.

"Do you want to go night-night?" I asked when we finished. At this point, he ran away.

It was only a few seconds before he came back with his usual cheerful personality. He's such a great little kid.

Don't you see where this is headed? You know I'd go there. Guilt, and plenty of it. Momma Guilt! I held him a bit before bedtime, longer then usual. Can't you see it on my face?

I look as guilty as a bank robber hiding a bag of money behind her back. Talk about issues. I'm the one who needs counseling from the crib tent!

To his credit, Reef was super. The better parent, the counselor, read Reef his usual stories, sang a few bedtime songs (the U of A fight song was somewhere in this routine) and laid our baby boy down. Reef cried for five minutes and fell asleep. The crib tent is a huge success.

I have yet to receive the $69.00 crib tent in the mail. Once it arrives, I'll take it to the post office and send it back for a full refund. Who knew I could find this thing used? Deep down, I knew it was possible, but still a wonderful surprise to save $39.00 and get a full nights sleep in the same day.

F.Y.I., on Monday I'll be linking this story up to the blog "Cop Momma." Appropriate, for sure.

Image found here.

Tomorrow I'll feature my $1,000.00 house project that was paid for by selling other people's trash. Have a great day.