Room sharing

Will it work?

When the new baby comes the girls will have to share a room. Kate, 2.5 and still in her crib will move next door to four-year-old Caroline’s room. Caroline will move from her queen bed to a twin.

Or will she?

Or will we keep her in her bed and just move in Kate's crib?

One less transition for them both? For us?

I just need everyone to sleep soundly in their new routine before the baby is here in 12 weeks.

Or do I?

Or should I just move the rocking chair, changing table, and diaper station into our bedroom since the baby will be in the bassinet anyway? Then we could keep Kate in her room and Caroline in hers just a little longer.

Or do they both need a brand-new bedroom reveal that signals: Alright team, new room, new routine, new rules?

Sharing a room has been a back of mind stress that bubbles to the top of my brain in the middle of the night and on walks and during the day taking up more and more stress, causing my Garmin watch to buzz with ‘Relax Reminders.’

We’ve already tried the whole room sharing thing. We tried it on last week’s road trip to Ohio, where we stayed with friends. We wrestled the girls to lay still and close their eyes until 10PM.

We tried it again one random Tuesday at home. It lasted 10 minutes.

“Let’s practice sharing a room!” I announced at 7:50PM, twenty minutes past when we should have been in separate rooms, winding down, ready for rest.

Clayton doubted my optimism but let me lead. I declared a family meeting, which is really just me clapping my hands and asking everyone to raise their hand if they can hear me so I can act like I’m in charge.

I reminded the girls once again that we’re going to practice sharing a room because when the baby comes they get to sleep, play and exist together in the same room! How fun!

I wriggled Kate’s crib mattress out of her crib and carried it into Caroline’s room. I set it against the wall and we all sat together and read Little Blue Truck until no one was sitting or listening anymore. Instead, they were launching themselves from Caroline’s queen mattress onto the crib mattress declaring that this was now a gymnastics studio.

I clapped my hands again, attempting some reign of authority.

They looked at me.

They dove to their respective pillows on their respective mattresses.

They wriggled. Then wiggled. Then wept.

We negotiated, we threatened, we bribed.

Caroline moaned that Kate was being too loud. Kate said Caroline was talking too much.

The clock kept ticking and no one was closer to sleep.

I looked at Clayton and apologized, “This was not my best idea. Get that crib mattress and that toddler back in that room.”

Room sharing can wait.

Or can it?