Sleeping Arrangements

When the kids were babies, they shared a room - a sunroom off our bedroom in our old flat.  Only two cribs fit in that room, so Daniel and Caroline doubled-up and Max got a crib to himself because he was a little more active.  By the time they were growing out of that situation, we moved into a house with a room just big enough for three cribs.

A year ago, the sides came off those cribs and the children had instant mobility.  At some point, Daniel decided he preferred to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor of his bedroom and there have been many nights that the three have jockeyed for position in each other's beds.  At this point they also decided that when they wake up in the middle of the night, they should come into my bed.  I have not done my due diligence getting this under control, so I'm a little exhausted on a daily basis.

But this week, something new happened.  While I was washing dishes, the kids were setting up a "sleepover".  They decided they were going to have a boys sleepover in "the triplets room" and Caroline would have a girl night in the office.  She lugged ALL her toys, a stack of clothes, some books, her pillow, and four or five blankets in and set them up on the floor.  I went with it, and since it was Father's Day, Daddy read the boys a book and I read one to Caroline and then we settled in to sleep.

Then Daniel decided he didn't want to share a room.  He wanted to be "separated" too.  And so he dragged his sleeping bag, pillow, blanket, and toys into the hall.  As an added bonus, there's a nightlight there that helps with his night time darkness discomfort.

Daniel, night 1

The plan originally was for the boys to move to the office on Night 2, but they balked at that and so everyone stayed put in their original places.

Night 3, Daniel and Max decided to flip flop and Caroline wanted to leave the light on. All three of them took turns whining that they were scared and wanted me to come hug them.  The previous two nights, Max had fallen asleep almost instantly, so I was inclined to snuggle with him this time around.  But Daniel was whining in the hall and Caroline came in to the room and informed me, "If you don't come in my room, I'm going to yell at you."  When I told her to go lie down so I could turn off the light, she responded, "If you turn off the light, I'm going to kick you in your butt."

During all this, Daniel and Max decided they wanted to switch places, which included Daniel carrying all those toys into his room one by one.  Many trips.  Mommy growing more annoyed.  Finally they got settled.  All three were still whining and moaning and being generally annoying and then, within about three minutes, they were all fast asleep.

Max in the hallway, Caroline in the office with the light on

Daniel in the bedroom

I suspect this means it's time to seriously consider getting the boys' bedroom ready to be inhabited.  But I'm also fairly confident that the minute I do that they will all want to be together in one room.

And all I want to do is get ONE good night of sleep for myself...