Eviction Day

The day finally arrived.

After a year of headache, mind crunching and agonizing about how, when and where she was going to go... our little one has been evicted from our bedroom.

I recall about 3 years ago, moving into this apartment originally intended for about 4 and wracking my brain as to how we would comfortably fit 8 of us. Somehow with a little creative use of space, DE-CLUTTERING and cooperation from the clan, we managed to make a comfortable living space for us- changing table and crib included. It was pretty okay.

Along the far wall of our bedroom we made room for baby. As dad assembled the little ones crib, I secretly loved that there was no other space in our home for this crib, giving me the perfect excuse to keep baby close at all hours. It was inevitable that somewhere along the line we'd be asking the question... How long are we keeping baby in the room for? Cause let's face it... once the kid reaches a certain age- things get awkward.

BUT... for as long as we lived in this apartment, I wouldn't have to face the dread of moving baby away from us where surely something HORRIFIC was waiting to grab a hold of our little bundle at night. Like a mosquito that snuck in when we took out the trash... Those carry all types of diseases. What if she rolls onto her belly in her sleep? What if she learns to climb up the bars and falls on her head in the dark? What if her blanket rolls off on a cold night? What if it covers her face on a warm night? What if she spits up in her sleep? What if she wakes up crying and I don't hear her so she has no choice but to drown in her sorrow all alone, at night, in the dark, sobbing into her pillow, wondering what she's done for life to be so cruel as to land her in the care of a pair of cold-hearted son-ova-bitches that would leave this helpless child all alone to fend for herself in a separate space, forever breaking our bond of trust which later on surfaces as issues with detachment and mistrust in people for the rest of her natural born life?! 

What about EL CUCO!? *The Boogie Man*

Fast forward 3 years later... Each of my two older kids has their own room with a set of bunk beds in each room. Aside for every other weekend... we have 2 out of 4 beds sitting empty. My excuse last year for not moving her was the age gap between my oldest girl and the little one. One was 12 years and the babe just 1. She still made full use of her changing table, she occasionally woke up to nurse so the thought of her little self toddling alone in the night across our living room over to our bedroom was a little scary and really... she was just so little. Even though it seemed like such a great waste of space, especially since at the time my preteen preferred to sleep on her brothers top bunk leaving this entire room EMPTY- I just couldn't pull the trigger.

As of yesterday- I ran out of excuses. My teen girl has her moments of genius where she'll fill the room with her odds and ends while flexing her creative muscles. For the most part though, she sits on her bed reading on her tablet, fiddling through Tumblr and occupying very little space in this room. Either way, toddler or no toddler asleep in the bottom bunk... the little ones toys and play kitchen take up a great chunk of floor space in this bedroom. What difference does it really make to my teen to add the sleeping toddler that goes along with all of it?

*This was me talking myself into this transition into toddler hood*

The little one being the most independent of all my kids, she was ready to take the leap and waiting on me to catch up to her lead. Like ripping off a band aid... quickly and quietly with no warning or signal to dad that I was finally ready to evict our nosey little tenant... I took apart the crib and changing table. I made space for big sis to store her toiletries out of reach to little hands and named the top bunk her sacred space free of little people. Privacy is a luxury in this joint, so it's great that this teen girl tends to live alone in her own head anyway. While our bedroom is still home for the little ones clothes and a few little belongings... all of our girls toys already had a home in the girls room... all the little one needed to take over to the big girls room was her pillow and her blanket. 

As sad it was to realize there was no going back to the crib once it's gone- it was about time David and I reclaimed some space. We need to be able to retreat away from everything KIDS some of the time and I needed a little corner that I can retreat to without being bumped into, tripped over, tugged at and squeezed by. Well, I'll be plenty tug still but ya know... I have a spot out of their peripheral vision.

I don't know how this new sleeping arrangement will work out. I predict the little one will end up between mommy and daddy every once in a blue moon in order to free up some space for the older girls to hang out with their nail polish and boy band CD's and it's totally okay. While our little baby may be a little too big for a permanent set up in mommy and daddy's room- she's just the PERFECT age and size for frequent cuddle time in mommy and daddy's bed.

Now if only we can get dad to bed in the big people's room...

*Update*

It's been almost one week since Eviction day. Big sister is learning to keep her belongings out of reach the hard way (since my yelling and lecturing about cleanliness wasn't enough) resulting in a much tidier room. We've received little to no complaints in regards to her new downstairs neighbor. I'm also very happy to say the little one is enjoying the new digs...

Without daddy.