Here's the Before, Let's Hope There's an After


This is it. The last week before we do the big room-exchange. Before we set up the crib and Fable gets booted out of our bed once and for all, which, sniff, but also, phew. Eight-months of co-sleeping has been lovely but I miss having sex in my own bed. Not that sprawling across the bathroom floor in a heap of dirty towels isn't sexy it's just that, I'm going to be twenty-eight next week not nineteen.

Hal and I currently reside in the larger of the two bedrooms but that is soon to change. A crib and twin-sized bed will not fit in the smaller room so (Ready? Break!) we're going to have to move everything from Archer's room into ours and everything from our room into Archer's.

We have no idea how this will work out but it has to so we'll make it happen. I snapped a few before pictures of our separate spaces before our massive reorganization.

Behold the before:

Our Room

Yes, that's the giant, insane painting mentioned in my book. Bedding is Anthropologie. Anthropologie is my girlfriend.

Dresser belonged to my father when he was a boy. Gramophone belonged to a stranger.

Hal's dresser. Where all my makeup and weirdness lives.

This doorway separates both bedrooms.

Archer's Room

In case he ever forgets.

Archer's crib turned toddler bed soon to become Fable's crib and Fable's dresses hanging all over the place because she doesn't really have a closet/dresser space right now.

Kid's dresser slash changing table that's never been used to change anybody and a painting my Nana painted for me when I was a child.

Fable's Room

Had this Dwell bedding since before she was born. It's all the "room" she has for now, which is why I'm really excited about finally giving her a space of her own.

Fingers crossed that there's an after.

Stay tuned.

GGC

39 comments:

Ray | 2:16 PM

Fable looks so cute in that monkey hat! I love it (she's so looking like her daddy in this photo). And good luck on switching rooms. I hope things go smoothly. ;o)

The Girl | 2:27 PM

I love the first picture where she's all, "DUDE." I giggled when I saw it in my reader, and I giggle now.

Sweet mother of god, I hope my kiddo's as sweet as your two are.

(Hey, speaking of kiddo, just felt the little peanut move BIG last night for the first time. Can I get a woot-woot?)

Rachel F | 2:32 PM

Swear to God, Bec, I almost bought Fable a blanket in that exact pattern at a sample sale, but then figured you probably had your own bedding vision.

Jennifer | 2:43 PM

Rebecca,

We had to do the same thing with our two kids, which were also about the same age. I know it seems like things are going to be rough, but it's not as hard as it seems. I made a big deal about it in my head, and in reality, it works out better for everyone. They have their space, and you have yours back. And I don't know how Fable is doing during the night, but my daughter was still waking up 2-3 times a night and she was 11 months. Yawn... But once she had her big brother for a roommate, she started sleeping through the night. We all started sleeping through the night! And they will very quickly learn to sleep through the other's cries. You'll miss her for the first week or so, but just wait until they start talking to each other when they wake up in the morning. It's so cute!

They'll be better people for it. Go ahead and check "Works well with others" off now.

--Jennifer

Jasie VanGesen | 2:44 PM

Good luck! You guys will totally survive.

I'm the type to attempt to do the entire thing from start to finish in one day... considering that it's a full blown switcharoo, I'm guessing this is how you'll have to go about it?

It's going to be awesome.

Maggie | 3:13 PM

I always wondered where/how parents who co-slept with their babies had sex? Now I know! Thanks!

And now I'm glad I didn't with my daughter, and also know that I will not with future babies! Thanks again!

And Fable is just too cute for words! I would have a hard time kicking her out of my bed too!

Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com | 3:21 PM

The monkey hat is ADORABLE! Where do you find all of her clothes?!

Good luck with the big room switcheroo. I'm sure it'll turn out lovely, even if it's a little (or, um, VERY) hectic for awhile =)

mrs. q. | 3:36 PM

Our son (4) and daughter (2) share a room, mainly because they were insanely attached to us at bedtime and it was the only way to get them attached to each other instead.

Be prepared for this scenario, which played out in our house on the day after the big move (a year ago): lots of running around squealing. A new room! New furniture! Different patterns in which to run! Then at bedtime, a tearful request that everything go back to the way it was so that they can get some sleep.

Godspeed.

Amanda | 3:40 PM

You have excellent taste. I'm excited for you, via the big move.

Sandi | 3:43 PM

I can't wait to see the photo's of the "after" I hope it's a smooth transition, but, since there are children involved, it won't be.

Anonymous | 4:04 PM

were soon to be doing the same thing, not an easy task with a 5yr old girl, 2 yr old boy and 3 month old girl, dont really know whos going where, but cant wait to see the afters of yours! What does Archer think of sharing a room with his little sister??

Babing at High Altitude | 4:45 PM

I am finding it incredibly hard to move my daughter into her own room, too. I know it is better for everyone's sleep-sake. I wish she had an older brother like Fable does, to share the room. I shared a room with my older brother, and we had soooo much fun tormenting our parents! Good luck! I'm sure it will go much smoother than you think.

The Informal Matriarch | 5:06 PM

woooooooot have fun doing it in your own bed again!! It was hard for me to be done with co-sleeping too. But once you make the switch it feels FABULOUS!

Geordy and Pete | 5:14 PM

how exciting!

embrace the change!

can't wait to see the photos.

x

jessicapea | 5:24 PM

Good luck with the move.
Mostly just wanted to post because, OMG, fable is so freekin cute!

NOELLE ALOUD | 6:00 PM

Good luck with the move!

I love-love-love and want to kiss that gramophone! Does it work?

Motherhood Uncensored | 6:05 PM

Here's hoping! Margs is in the playpen in our room for oh, um, 3 hours before we get in there and then ends up in the bed with us attached to my boob.

SoMo | 6:17 PM

Good Luck.

Our soon to be 2nd daughter will be sharing a room with our first. We are lucky we have a dormer that fits the older one's bed, so there is more floor space. I am running out of room for all the clothes, though. The trials and tribulations of being a girl.

I thought my husband's head was going to pop off when I suggested switching the girls' and boy's room. It would have meant painting and the switching of ceiling fans. I don't think my son would have liked sleeping in a yellow and pink room with a pastel butterfly fan. I still think his room is bigger, at least the closet, but I am not going to push it.

Anonymous | 7:00 PM

Please tell how you'll get her to stay in her own crib! My 6 month old starts there every night...and as soon as we go to bed he ends up there with us..attached to the teet! BTW, loved to "duet while cosleeping."

Amanda | 7:22 PM

Echoing earlier comments, we moved our girls into one room. There are three of them and they have never slept better. All is as it was meant to be. And, in the after, there is sex. Furtive and quick, but dude, it's sex.

(It is in these moments that I loathe FriendFeed)

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 7:37 PM

The Gramophone DOES work. Not only that but I regularly play records on it. Especially after dinner parties when I'm tipsy. Every dinner party should have a gramophone. No lie.

bea | 7:47 PM

i'm crossing my fingers for you - having just moved house the thought of moving stuff again gives me the heebie jeebies.

lonek8 | 9:20 PM

my approach with moving is to let my husband and his friends do it while I take the kids to do something fun. this is a wonderful approach that greatly reduces my stress and participation in the heavy lifting and I highly recommend it. best of luck! by the way I'm actually kind of jealous that you are turning 28, which is weird because I've never felt old before (not that I am particularly old either- 31). Oh well. getting older is better than the alternative, right? Can't wait to see the pics of the new arrangements - and Fable- she is so beautiful!

Anonymous | 9:53 PM

Good luck with the transition! I've still got my eleven month old in bed with me, which is lovely, but also tiring. Actually, a book I read recently may come in handy for you, too: it's called Bed Timing, and it's all about the best times to change up a baby's sleep schedule according to their developmental stage. Eight to twelve months is apparantly a pretty sensitive time, so if Fable resists, that might be why. Not that that makes it any easier. Here's hoping she's happy to have her own space! -Chan

GingerB | 9:55 PM

We just moved the toddler to the big girl bed in a new room, and she has only fallen out once! Soon we move the baby out of the sidecar on our bed and my fingers and toes are crossed that she might (!?!) sleep better if she doesn't listen to me snore, because we surely could use more sleep. But I love having her close. I am such a sucker for the babies. I do, like other commenters, tend to worry overly much about things like this.

I love Fable. Just absolutely love to see her pictures. Nom.

amyinbc | 10:20 PM

All the best! Pain in the butt to move everything but change is good right?

We have 4 bedrooms in this house and hubby and I sleep in the smallest of them. Figure we just sleep (and sometimes fool around) in it. Space better utilized by the kids.

You have some gorgeous things! Love the old gramophone (?) and painting by your Gramma.. And your bedding.. don't get me started on your bedding..

Babe in Babeland | 11:36 PM

I know all about small spaces living in NYC. We live in a one-bedroom, which we're converting to a two-bedroom. Moved our bed out to our living room, and made our living room half our size so we have some sort of a bedroom. And Sojourner, of course, gets the big beautiful actual bedroom! We still have a long way to go til it works better (though it's working pretty damn well considering).

C | 6:25 AM

Forget the room change...WHERE DID YOU GET THE MONKEY HAT????

Sorry, that had to be asked in all caps.

Princess of Power | 8:26 AM

Love the Dwell bedding! Also, I just saw your pretty face in my latest Real Simple in a Turning Leaf ad - how cool!

Kristie | 9:44 AM

I was a reluctant co-sleeper w/ my now 3 1/2yr old daughter. I moved her to her crib at 18mths and she's done really well. Be prepared that even though you are ready for her to "move on up" that you will be a little sad. As uncomfortable as I had been for months, that first couple of nights was a little tough....then I got over it and LOVE having my bed back!
btw...I love your blog, though I'm probably one of your ancient readers (43, lol)

Maggie May | 12:32 PM

Fable has the coolest modernest wardrobe of any baby ever lived.

Anonymous | 4:30 PM

Uh, "loved to duet while cosleeping" - wow, that's pretty fucking disgusting! As for "hopefully there will be an after" - you are the parent, make the "after." I raised four wonderful kids, never had to spank or use the CIO method or cosleeping or any of that crap. They didn't dictate how my household ran, I did! Yeah, good luck. She'll be in your bed until she leaves for college.

Adrianne | 5:00 PM

Anonymous-
Uh, she will make the after. I'm pretty sure it was a joke. As in, "this is going to be a huge project switching the bedrooms- hope we all survive" type joke. It had nothing to do with letting her kids dictate how the household is run! Congrats on your four wonderful kids. Perhaps you should blog about all of your fabulous mothering secrets for the rest of us idiots who choose a different path than yours.

GGC,
Good luck with the move and enjoy having your bed back to yourselves!

P.S. The "We love you" picture on Archer's wall is adorable:)

Amber | 10:38 PM

I love the Beatrix Potter looking clock and the green book hutch...and the picture of Fable on your bed, I didn't even see her at first glance she's so tiny! Cute!

Erin | 5:01 AM

I LOVE the green armoir!!

candace | 10:21 AM

We just made the big move ourselves. After sharing a room with Emma for 8 months, she now has her own space, and yes WE HAD SEX IN OUR OWN BED! I love her having her own room.

Do I spy Isa Booties in that last picture? If so big shout out because I have these booties and I LOVE THEM. Sorry for all the caps!

mommymae | 6:47 PM

she looks like she's all, "you're gonna put we where?!?" in taht first picture. good luck with the switcheroo.

Anonymous | 1:16 PM

I just transitioned my kiddo into her crib last month (She is about a month older than Fable) It was totally less horrible than I thought it would be. I feel super great about it...like a little accomplishment. Good luck, hope its as smooth for you.

Loukia | 11:11 AM

Can't wait to see the 'after'!