This past week, my wife was ready. On Tuesday night, after dinner, she said it was time to move the crib into the baby’s room. The crib, you see, had been in our room since our second son was born in May 2015. For over a year, his room has doubled as the guest quarters and a catch-all space for everything from the ironing board to empty luggage.
The first night in his own room, he slept the entire night and was cheerful as ever by morning.
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Long before our son hit the one-year mark, I had made many subtle attempts to campaign for his move into his own room. I complained that we were wrecking our sleep habits with him still in our bedroom, adding that we were setting him up for bad sleeping habits when (and if) he ever went into his own room. I even resorted to sleeping in the soon-to-be baby’s room myself on nights when I needed to sleep, and couldn’t be disturbed by the little guy waking up every few hours for a refill from Mommy’s breast.
All of my actions and comments were silly protests based on the experience with our first son. By six months, he went to his own room per sleep training books and our pediatrician’s recommendation. But perhaps moving our first son into his own room at that age was too soon. Even now, at three-years-old, he needs steady reassurance after lights out, not to mention way more reading and singing to before we walk out. His baby brother? Can’t wait for you to turn off the light and walk out. The first night in his own room, he slept the entire night and was cheerful as ever by morning.
I realize now that all those months with the crib and babe at the foot of our bed were just a blip in time.
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Call it two different kids with two different appetites for bed time. Or maybe two different schools of thought on sleep training clashing once and for all. The books versus the instinct.
Whatever the case, I realize now that all those months with the crib and babe at the foot of our bed were just a blip in time. Now with baby in his own room, we kind of miss him. Though he’s still a baby, his last night in the nursery has come and gone. He’s off on his own now, and I shouldn’t have been rushing it. As with all things in these tot years, I should be savoring the very milliseconds.
Click here for Part I of When the Stars Align
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Photo credit: Robert Couse-Baker.