One Year Later

Several times during our vacation I would remember that in 2008 we returned from vacation to move in LESS THAN TWO DAYS and have a fence built. I still need immense and intense therapy for that string of stupid decisions. But here we are, one year later on Broad St and enjoying our space so much. We have 600 more square feet, rooms that are well suited to our furniture, a bigger yard, more storage...a good move. But it occurred to me a month or two ago that we might all benefit from a bedroom switcharoo. Now, let me explain that this is not a new house (I hate new construction), so if you are picturing a master suite you are sorely mistaken. In our 80+ year old house, a bedroom is a bedroom. So after much consideration and mental planning, we switched Elliott's room and our room yesterday. So far, I'm digging it. Our room looks H-U-G-E. Elliott's room looks well proportioned for a child's room, but I am having a little trouble fitting all his toys in there. I am not opposed to a past due toy purge, and I might have to consider a bin or two in the living room. But other than that, it looks really good as his room. And in an effort to attempt to get him in his bed, I caved and put a DVD player in his room. I have lots of mixed feelings about this, BUT he did go to sleep in his own bed last night and stayed there until 4 am. And at that time, he did not wake up in total meltdown like he has in the past. I woke up to the tiniest "Mami" whisper in my left ear. He had calmy (I suppose) walked from his room to ours and was standing beside the bed. Blow me over with a feather. Now, I was pretty confident I could get him to fall asleep by himself. By as Doug sometimes suffers from lack of brain, he blew that plan and did lay down with him. But I am so very proud to say that from 11 pm to 4 am he slept IN HIS OWN BED IN HIS OWN ROOM ALL BY HIMSELF. And I am saying to myself and all other parents who are struggling with some issues or another, just think of how much progress can be made one year later.

Cross your fingers for tonight.