Movin' Out!

 S has been sleeping with me since she was born. 

The first 1-2  months she was in a bassinet by my bedside. Then I brought her crib into my room, since I was too lazy to walk across the hallway.

She never slept in the crib! 

She would fall asleep in my arms but when I tried to put her in the crib, the sensation of being put down always woke her up. I tried sleep training a  few times but she ended up crying so hard she would throw up. So after 1-2 attempts I simply gave up.

She ended up co-sleeping with me as a baby and all though toddlerhood. Finally when she was 5 years old, I had enough of being kicked in the head or slapped inadvertently at night. I got a twin bed that I put right next to my queen bed. That way, she had her own bed but was still close to me. 

It has worked for us all these years. I have a really big master bedroom so space was not an issue. It also allowed her room to be a play room with her toys, and later book shelves and desk/chair.

In addition to sleeping in my room, S always needed me with her as she fell asleep. For years, that meant holding her hand until she drifted off. When she was about seven or eight, I was able to help her break that habit, but I still needed to be physically present in the room, in the dark.

The past year or so she has gotten better about getting herself ready for bed and getting into bed while I potter around downstairs. But when I come up at 10pm and she is still awake since she cannot sleep without me (or someone).

I assumed that once friends started coming over, peer pressure might motivate her to move into her own room. That did not happen. Her friends have asked where her bed is, she explains it, and it’s been a non-issue. She’s had several sleepovers, and the girls simply sleep in sleeping bags in her bedroom

So even though I wanted my own space, I just let it be.

Imagine my surprise, when on Saturday morning, she said she was ready to move into her own room!

She spent all Saturday organizing her room since we needed to move some furniture around. We gathered a ton of items for donation and lots of trash bags were filled with actual trash/papers/junk. We vacuumed and dusted and got ready for the big move.

Sat was her last night in my room!

Today we woke up with alacrity, ate breakfast and moved her bed. I had to disassemble the headboard, but it was not too much of effort and we were able to get it done fairly quicky.

Her room looks lovely. It is the best room in the house since it faces the South and overlooks the street. It is bright and sunny and her bed is placed such that she can look out the window and see the birds and trees and people coming and going.

She LOVES her new room. And is super excited, albeit, nervous to sleep there tonight.

Its 9pm, I am not sure if she is asleep or not. I do expect there will be an adjustment period. The cat is also VERY confused. 

S did it, and I am proud of her!!

Its the first time in 13 years, I am typing this blog not in total darkness - feels strange. Now I can have my bedside lamp on whenever I like!