This weekend was an emotional one for me. Husband and I finally took a day and did something we've been talking and thinking about for months: we bought Sweet Pea a big girl bed. Sweet Pea has been ready for a big girl bed for months. But because Sweet Pea wasn't our first child, there wasn't just an extra bedroom and furniture waiting around for her to move into. Transitioning Sweet Pea to a big girl bed meant a bunch of serious considerations on Husband and my part. Like, do we give up the guest room or take down the nursery? Do we repaint? What kind of furniture should be buy KJ? And, how much sleep would we lose if we just put a mattress in KJ's room and put off the decision even longer?
I have no qualms with putting my mixed gendered kids in the same bedroom. I think the kids would love it and have a good time. But that's the problem. I don't think they'd actually go to sleep. Plus, if both kids shared a room, we'd have two essentially unused rooms: the nursery and the guest bedroom. It seemed ridiculous to leave two rooms unused just so that I wouldn't have to decide between the nursery and the guest room. So we sucked it up and made a plan.
We're moving Sweet Pea to the guest room. The guest room has always been my favorite room in the house, but I am just not ready to give up the nursery yet. Having a nursery means that I haven't yet closed off the possibility of more children. And I like having that option. But that means bye-bye guest room. And it means the days of my children waking up to their visiting grandparents in the room next door are over too. I'm a little sad about that. But I'm hopeful we'll be able to make something work when it comes time for grandparent visits. After all, in just a year or two KJ will think "camping out" in the basement is the coolest thing ever, and that will free up a bed.
Location decided, we then had to go buy furniture. I've been looking at furniture for months. Literally. When we were little, my mom bought us all a nice set of furniture for our rooms. And now that we are all adults, we each have that furniture in our own homes. I wanted to do something similar for my kids. While I think IKEA is fine for some things, I wanted my kids to have bedroom furniture that would fit them always. But few places sell solid-wood furniture any more. And even fewer sell twin beds. After all, most people just convert their cribs. Ever the rebels, however, we bought a (now banned) drop side crib, that obviously doesn't convert. So we had to buy everything - and we had to buy it for KJ, since he was currently using my furniture from when I was a girl that was to go to Sweet Pea.
To me, buying lifetime furniture for a boy is like picking a name for a boy (although admittedly much less important). You have to pick something that fits the boy now, but will still fit him 10 years from now, when he's more of a man. Something that isn't too baby but isn't too big. It's a difficult balance to find. Thankfully, my months of searching paid off and I found a nice, solid wood set made in the U.S. On Saturday, we ordered it.
And then we went to buy Sweet Pea her bed. Buying the bed was easy - we went to the local mattress place and picked out a mattress and box spring very similar to KJ's. The kids ran around the store throwing Serta sheep the salesman kindly gave them. And on Thursday, we can go pick it up (we wanted a low profile box spring which had to be ordered). Everything is pretty close to ready for the big transition.
Except me. There have been a lot of times already in my kids' lives where I wished I could freeze time and keep them the way they are. But I've never wanted it more than right now. KJ is just so amazing. He's funny and smart and learning so much every day. He helps his sister and is the best problem solver. And while he still has some babyish tantrums, we're able to reason with him, and leave him a decision. More often than not, he makes the mature decision and follows what we say. I'm so impressed with him. And Sweet Pea is just adorable. She's giggly and cute and so strong willed. Sweet Pea has always had a personality on her, but now it just shines through. She loves thoroughly and knows what she wants. And she doesn't take no for an answer. She's the perfect girl for me. And I want them to stay just.the.way.they.are.
But of course they won't. This weekend's shopping spree was fact enough that in 8-10 weeks, both kids will have different bedrooms and the nursery will be empty. I'm happy that they are growing and developing. And I know how lucky we are that they are well. But boy, I do wish it wasn't going by quite so fast. Thank God for the 8-10 week delivery time. Maybe by then I'll convince myself that I'm ready for this.
Karen
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