Sunday, February 28, 2010

Moving Out

(If you came from SITS looking for music/video, click here. My link got messed up! Thx!)

Today I had a wild hair.




No, not THAT kind of hare. I said HAIR.





Close. But not that one, either.

This is when you are suddenly struck by an idea so crazy, so impetuous you want to act on it immediately.

Are you ready?

I told David it was time we moved X's crib out of room.

I KNOW! We're inSANE around here.

Stop snickering and listen. This is a BIG deal. Because X was born in our room. He's spent every night of his life there. But now that he's almost one, I'm ready to have our space back.

This morning I spent almost an hour sorting through laundry (yes, David, we DO have an ottoman in there, thanks for pointing that out once I took the pile of clothes off it, hardee har har), filling two bags for Goodwill, throwing out some stuff - basically everything that I can't do on a regular basis because there's a small child sleeping in our room.

I've tried to do it while he's playing on the floor, but, well, you all know about his affinity for feminine products, so I spend most of my time grabbing things out of his hands (or mouth) and usually just give up being productive.

He still, most days, takes two naps. And he goes down for the night around 7. I can't remember the last time David and I watched TV in bed. Forget about anything else that *might* make noise, because this child is the lightest sleeper ever. He wakes up if I so much as sniffle.

We were waiting for him to sleep through the night before we put him in with one of his sibs. That finally happened when he turned 10 months. I just got up and left the room when he cried and went downstairs to sleep on the couch. Once I'm out, he gives up and goes back to sleep.

Now he's rarely up in the night. He wakes up for the day around 6:15 a.m., though, which is usually at least an hour before anyone else. Including me. At least, I'd like to sleep longer. He then proceeds to nurse off and on for an hour while I summon the energy to lift an arm to make sure he doesn't fall off the bed.

I also worry that he won't sleep well once he's moved because the bigger kids will wake him up when THEY go to bed. They are like night roosters: they are SO LOUD while they pee, brush their teeth, get into pjs, etc. I'm surprised you all can't hear them.

We still have to make space in Sawyer's room. An old set of storage bins and an empty aquarium need to be taken out and thrown in the garage. That was supposed to get done today (fail). Our house has teeny bedrooms. I mean, TEE-NY. It's going to be a tough squeeze to fit the crib in there.

But when it gets down to it, these are only logistics.

The real reason I haven't moved him is me.

I can't imagine not having him near. Those first few weeks of his life were spent sleeping in bed with us, and I admit I loved having him so close. Then he moved to a co-sleeper because David was afraid he'd roll over on him, and I was barely sleeping.  He was still in bed half the night nursing anyway, but at least I got a couple hours of sleep in between (although I'd wake up with a start SURE I'd forgotten to put him back in his co-sleeper and he was somewhere under the covers). He soon got too big for the co-sleeper and graduated to the crib.

He can look over the top rail and see me. I'd like to say he then calls, "Mama!" but he might be the only almost one year-old who has never said that word. Daddy is an entirely different story. He's got that one down.

He just wails. Until I sit up and look at his sweet little face.



I mean, could you resist so much cuteness?

His breath is the last thing I hear before I fall asleep (unless someone else's snoring drowns him out).

It's been 355 nights.

I will miss him.

But not tonight. Because he's still in our room. The wild hair thing only goes so far. Maybe tomorrow.

Okay, probably not. Soon, though.

Soon.

14 comments:

~dawn said...

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by my blog... and here in the mid-atlantic it's still cold wintery weather, thank you very much for pointing out how nice Cali is.LOL

As for having your son move out of your room... yes it's hard on you, but remember that coping skills and problem solving skills and learning to amuse and be by himslef skills are imperative for a well0-adjusted and successful childhood AND adulthood... so take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are helping him to grow and be a better person. He'll be okay.. really he will. And, so will you.

Andrea said...

Wow...that's a long time to not get a good full night of sleep! Let us know how it goes!

Dawn said...

you can do it! :)

Cheryl said...

Dawn - yes! deep breaths! I think it's just so hard when you KNOW it's the last baby...

Andrea - Yes. It is. But it's been better the past couple months now that he's sleeping. I feel more human. As much as one can with three kids, that is!

Thanks Dawn!

Anonymous said...

Oh, what a big moment! To me those moments were as impacting as birth - out of the womb into the world, now out of the room to another little world - farther away until one day they move out.

My baby monitor was a tremendous help. You can still hear them breathe, cough, sniffle and throw up, and crying definitely - the sound goes up a few notches.

Best of luck tomorrow:)

Cheryl said...

Thanks, bcm, for stopping by! It is sad how fast they leave us, isn't it? You know, we haven't used a baby monitor since our eldest was a baby (he's 6 now) because our house is THAT small! lol I know I just have to bite the bullet and do it...and I bet when he's finally out I'll be all "What the heck was I waiting for?" ;)

heather@actingbalanced.com said...

Aw, I hope you can get the move made in time to celebrate his first birthday with a full night of sleep! Stopping by from SITS

Cheryl said...

Thanks for visiting, Acting Balanced Mom! That WOULD be a lovely first birthday gift, wouldn't it?

The Blonde Duck said...

Popped in from SITS to say hi! What a precious baby!

Cheryl said...

Thanks TBD! We think he's pretty cute too!

kirsten said...

How did I miss this post?

Now,I'm one of the hardest out there when it comes to moments like this, but I say MOVE HIM - YOU CAN DO IT! You've got a lifetime with him, I promise, a lifetime of special moments, new developments, and transitions.

Everyone WILL get used to it. I keep telling myself that Laura & Mary on Little House on the Prairie all lived in one room, and they all slept. (AND they got siblings, come to that. Hmmm...)

Unknown said...

Sweet baby! Just stopping by from SITS to say Hi. Have a great week!

Patricia said...

wow that's a long. With my first, we kept her in the room the longest, by the third baby, I was more eager to get him out of our room. it is special though having them in there with you though, isn't it.

I miss my babies. sigh.

Have a great day!

i cant decide said...

I finally moved my little boy out of our room. He is 17 months. It is nice to have my room back.

Related Posts with Thumbnails