Our First Post-Language-School Task

Now that we've made it through the crazy two months of language school (and PASSED our A1 exams!), we're on to some different types of activities.  My favorite, for many reasons that I will shortly expound upon, was a trip to IKEA!!!

Gregory and I are huge IKEA fans.  We love their prices, the ease of transporting large pieces of furniture home in our own vehicles without delivery charges, and the accomplishment of assembling these items.  But we also love the IKEA store -- the maze of fun furniture displays, the cheap and yummy food, the espresso bar, and yes, even the accomplishment of making it through the store successfully!  Yesterday, on our first IKEA visit with a child, we discovered a new delight -- watching Nathanael explore toys and furniture in the kid's section!  We were all quite entertained.  (And in case you are not aware of the IKEA kid-care, they watch your kids for free between the ages of 3 and 10!  We're counting down the months to a free date!)

But on to the purpose of this post.  After over two months, Nathanael has been outgrowing the nightly use of our hosts' pack 'n play.  (Read:  None of us have been sleeping so well these days.)  IKEA's crib prices simply cannot be beat, so we headed out on our little adventure the first day stores opened here after Christmas; the store was crazy crowded!  And I feel as if I should also make a note here about visiting an IKEA in a language you aren't completely familiar with yet:  if at all possible, try to go to one in a language you know first; I cannot imagine how confusing it would be the first time without being able to fully read and speak the language!

We found the crib I'd seen online, and Nathanael begged for us to let him get into the display.  We conceded, and our little guy proceeded to lie down in the crib and sing his sleeping song.  We were all hooked.

This morning, I am pleased to report that all three of us slept through the entire night.  What a relief!

Nathanael loved watching Dad put the crib together.

And here's his new little haven.

It's crazy that we've had our son in "temporary/loaner" beds from age 3 months until 20 months!  And we have another 4-5 more to come!  (Those "loaner" beds have been a huge, huge blessing though!)