Empty nest
Tedi moved to a new apartment last weekend and we introduced the idea of having his own room to Howie over the next few days. However, I was in no rush to move him out of our room. I rather liked having him there and all I want is to keep him close and hold him tight. He had other ideas.
On Wednesday morning we moved his dresser and changing table across the hall. After lunch, he thought he needed a bed too. Matt fashioned one out of our down comforter and some quilts and blankets. He stayed in there reading his library books and insisted on napping there as well. He napped there Thursday and Friday too. I took a bath late Friday evening thinking that I would be done about the time he was ready for bed. I heard them start the bedtime routine and so I finished the chapter I was reading, dried off and got dressed. By the time I came out of our bedroom, the house was quiet and Howie's bedroom door was closed. I couldn't believe he was spending his first night in his own room and I didn't even tell him good night. Matt said he was turning toward our room and he had planned to wait for me, but Howie insisted they turn the other direction.
Later, we discussed moving him to his bed in our room when we were on our way to bed, but decided to just open both bedroom doors. We figured he wouldn't last much longer. As we were settling into bed around midnight, he started calling for Matt. "Dad? Dad?" as Matt dashed across the hall. "Please pull blankets up." We were surprised that not only was he not scared when he woke up, he had no interest in coming back to our room. All he wanted was to be tucked in again. He did join us aroud 6 am, but I'll take an hour of snuggling over him getting up so early any day (not that I ever get up with him). Matt moved Howie's mattress across the hall first thing Saturday morning. I think I need to ramp up my efforts to find him a real bed. Oh, and a chair to fill all the empty space in our room. It's a little depressing if I let myself think about it.
So, for those who told us we'd never get him out of our room, I guess never = 2 years and 4 months. We never intended to co-sleep or keep him in our room and may have moved him out a little sooner if Tedi hadn't been using the other bedroom (whether we had finished her room in the basement or she moved out earlier). I don't regret it and I would have done it again in a heartbeat. The benefits of having him in our room far outweighed any inconvenience, though it has been nice to be able to access our room while he is sleeping. I no longer have an excuse for leaving our laundry piled on the couch instead of putting it away.
Here are some photos from Wednesday afternoon:
On Wednesday morning we moved his dresser and changing table across the hall. After lunch, he thought he needed a bed too. Matt fashioned one out of our down comforter and some quilts and blankets. He stayed in there reading his library books and insisted on napping there as well. He napped there Thursday and Friday too. I took a bath late Friday evening thinking that I would be done about the time he was ready for bed. I heard them start the bedtime routine and so I finished the chapter I was reading, dried off and got dressed. By the time I came out of our bedroom, the house was quiet and Howie's bedroom door was closed. I couldn't believe he was spending his first night in his own room and I didn't even tell him good night. Matt said he was turning toward our room and he had planned to wait for me, but Howie insisted they turn the other direction.
Later, we discussed moving him to his bed in our room when we were on our way to bed, but decided to just open both bedroom doors. We figured he wouldn't last much longer. As we were settling into bed around midnight, he started calling for Matt. "Dad? Dad?" as Matt dashed across the hall. "Please pull blankets up." We were surprised that not only was he not scared when he woke up, he had no interest in coming back to our room. All he wanted was to be tucked in again. He did join us aroud 6 am, but I'll take an hour of snuggling over him getting up so early any day (not that I ever get up with him). Matt moved Howie's mattress across the hall first thing Saturday morning. I think I need to ramp up my efforts to find him a real bed. Oh, and a chair to fill all the empty space in our room. It's a little depressing if I let myself think about it.
So, for those who told us we'd never get him out of our room, I guess never = 2 years and 4 months. We never intended to co-sleep or keep him in our room and may have moved him out a little sooner if Tedi hadn't been using the other bedroom (whether we had finished her room in the basement or she moved out earlier). I don't regret it and I would have done it again in a heartbeat. The benefits of having him in our room far outweighed any inconvenience, though it has been nice to be able to access our room while he is sleeping. I no longer have an excuse for leaving our laundry piled on the couch instead of putting it away.
Here are some photos from Wednesday afternoon:
posted by Valarie at 12:39 AM
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