Our Roommate
Planning for Rome has almost been usurped by a new topic: planning for a new apartment. Though we would swear up and down that living in under 500 sq ft is good for us, the prospect of just a little more space has our minds reeling. I have a list of furniture and things we’ll need that’s titled “new apartment new life.”
Now’s a good time to do a post on sharing a room with Lux this past year-n-a half. Occasionally people ask me how that’s going and I often don’t know what to say because I’m so accustomed to it.
She sleeps in the top corner of the crib, closest to me. We put her water bottle there and she often wakes for a drink during the night. In the morning when she wakes she noisily reads aloud her books that were left in the crib from the night before. After that she dangles each of her stuffed animals over the edge of the crib and documents their fall to the ground with loud pronouncements. Eventually we lift her out and try to convince her to come cuddle in our bed with us, but typically she marches out of the room and then marches back in, until I ask her if she wants some oatmeal. Then she nods with glee as if I’ve announced we’re adopting a puppy.
The fact that I know all of this is one of the things I like about room sharing. I also like that she doesn’t wake up to noise in the room, both because we have a small apartment and because we just don’t bother with being very quiet when we’re getting ready for bed. Travel too, is eased because sharing a hotel room is the usual. When she’s sick, it’s just a quick hop from the bed to check on her, or soothe her back to sleep. The times we’ve gone through brief sleep “regressions” (when babies decide to wake up earlier than the typical schedule, like say, 4am) I’ve been able to both say “we’re still sleeping right now” but not abandon her to be by herself while she falls back asleep.
Around 12 months there was a point where she woke up early, and it felt like she was waking up because she wanted to see us. But right around that time a friend moved into a two-bedroom and confirmed that her daughter woke up early even in her own room. Roughly one month later it became old news to Lux that we were there and she woke up later, clearly with no concern about whether we were there or not.
A mom once asked me how I would feel putting Lux in her own room now, and I shied away from the question. It sounded lonely. And she nodded her head, as if in confirmation to herself that this showed a negative side effect of our plan–being afraid of the eventual separation.
But soon she will have her own room. I look forward to turning on a bright bedside lamp and reading myself to sleep (I do this now, but by the dim light of the closet). I don’t look forward to having another room to check for distributed toys. I’ll miss saying “good morning!” from my pillow when she wakes up. I think she’ll notice that the new space is her room and will enjoy hiding away in there. And of course, she’ll sleep better than all of us once baby #2 comes along.
Does the idea of a one-bedroom house appeal to the minimalist in you? Or sound stifling?
17 Comments
Sonja
I got a book light for drawing in bed. Best thing ever. Better than a closet light, for sure.
Rachael Ringenberg
I had one of these as a kid, when my sister and I shared a room. It was a wonderful, flashlight-under-the-covers feeling. Definitely time to recreate it.
Shannon Schreiber
We live in a 650 sq. ft. one bedroom, and plan to stay with two kids. BUT we have a large walk in closet that is the kids bedroom…we just aren’t sure how well a 2 year old and newborn will do in the same room. Looks like we might be taking the roommate approach in our future.
Rachael Ringenberg
I’m curious about that too. When do they become compatible roommates? Maybe around 6 months? I wish our closets were just the tiniest bit bigger to do this.
Emily R-C
I am in love with the idea of tiny houses/small spaces. Have you seen the Tumbleweed Tiny House site? So excellent. There are definitely things that I’ll have to get used to, but it’s our plan for the future nonetheless.
Also, I gleefully read the quote on your blackboard in the second-to-last photo; it’s one of my favorites, and the title of my blog. Huzzah!
Rachael Ringenberg
I’m intrigued by this blog. For some reason disqus isn’t showing me your address?
And I have not seen that site and need to add it to my subscriptions! It’s amazing how you can be inspired by the right things if you’re looking in the right places. As opposed to reading magazines shot in Brooklyn townhouses.
Emily R-C
Ha! But those magazines are so pretty.
My blog is over at http://www.exclaimandmurmur.com. It’s pretty brand new, but that just means you can get in on the fun early.
Rachael Ringenberg
checking it out pronto….
Hannah
We don’t formally room share, but we essentially do. Violet has always been a bad sleeper, so at six months we gave in-we bought a rail for our bed and started bringing her in with us when we were too exhausted to stay up with her. I know it’s not what you’re supposed to do, and I’m sure it will be terrible to break the habit. But there is nothing, nothing in the world, better than being there the instant Violet wakes up in the morning. She goes from dead asleep to huge grin, waving, and saying “Hi!!” in a half second. Then she always crawls over to Snuggles’ side, smacks him on the back, and says, “Hi, daddy!!!” It’s my favorite part of the day.
Rachael Ringenberg
Yes, what is the deal with the dead asleep to wide-awake!? It’s crazy. I only wish I remembered how to do that.
Actually I have lots of friends still co-sleeping. Bridget (see comment below) is just transitioning out around 18 months and has loved it! Part of me wishes Lux could do both, because it would be so cozy sometimes. (and weird cribs in hotels give me the hives too)
Bridget Hunt
I love your place and your little co-habitating room with Lux. And I also like that you’re just laid back about the whole thing. Not angsty about when she moves into her next room, etc. We (especially ME) could all take a lesson from you in the chill-out process.
Rachael Ringenberg
Don’t worry you will love the next place too! I think P moving into his new room probably represents more to you than just it being his room…like having your bed back for a bit and maybe even sleeping for a whole night here and there. : )
melissa martin
you have a very sweet little roomate. as did we, but oh it was so nice to turn that light back on after she moved. 🙂
Melissa Purswell
you have a very sweet roomate, as did we, but oh how nice it was to turn that light back on. 🙂
Kacia Hosmer
I’m a bit jealous! I love that she sleeps so well with you near by–when we travel, we can kiss sleeping goodbye if we are all staying in the same room. I know people always say “I miss our first space–it was so small and so perfect,” but the truth is…..I actually do!!
Also? I think for the price of what you’re paying in Boston, you could get a 4 bedroom here in Pittsburgh. Think about it ;o]
Rachael Ringenberg
Haha. I am totally going to say “oh our old perfect place…” I have yet to reach the limit of things the mind can romantize.
noelle
It sounds like fun to me! Like camping. That’s what I’m going to be telling myself in 2 weeks for the next 2-3 years 😉
p.s. you picked the best diaper print