They sleep

Good morning, everyone! It's Monday again! Or, at least, it will be soon, since I'm writing this Sunday night, just after having watched the premiere of True Blood (which required that we order HBO a few hours ago, which was totally worth it. I even convinced the cable representative on the other end of the phone to start reading the Sookie Stackhouse books, so it's a win-win).

But my point here is not to reflect on True Blood and my total weakness for good television. I'm here tonight/this morning to tell you that for the first time in history Alyce and Shira are sleeping/have slept in the same room. At the same time. Together.  It's been a long couple of years with us having to share a room with one of our children, some of the time Shira sleeping in her crib in our room, or Alyce on a mattress on our floor while Shira enjoys the girls' room all to herself (as we've done the last seven months at my mum's), or, sometimes, one of them in bed with us. I love sleeping close to my girls. But holy cow am I excited for some privacy again.

We will be moving in three weeks to a small apartment with only two bedrooms. This leaves us with no other choice than to put Alyce and Shira in the same room because we are not, I repeat, not interested in squeezing one of the children into what will be a very small parent bedroom. We've always known that they would eventually share a room (and we even tried combining them when Shira was eight months, with little success) and outside of practical necessities we think there are so many good reasons for siblings to share a room. We're both only children (mostly) and I know I've always dreamed of having a sister close to me, sharing a room and all the secrets that go along with it (please don't burst my sibling bubble. I'm enjoying it right now). I want that for Alyce and Shira, and though I know it might be a tough transition, it's ultimately for the good.

Since moving will require so many transitions for the girls, we thought we would start with the new sleeping arrangement now, giving them some time to work out their demands issues. So tonight we tucked Shira into bed first, gave her some time to fall asleep, and then threw Alyce in the room. Alyce has taken to the changes well, helped in part by the new heart-infested duvet cover she received today. She's excited, so I'm excited.

Here are a few things I'm looking forward to:

• Reading a book before bed by the light of a table lamp instead of the light of my iPhone
• Not stepping on seventeen dollies all lined up around my side of the bed, placed lovingly by Alyce before she finally fell asleep
• More alone time
• Yes, you know what I'm talking about, but since my mum reads this blog I just can't seem to bring myself to say sex. Crap. 

 Here are a few things I will miss:

• An easy bedtime routine (since we had things down to a science with them sleeping separately)
• Seeing Alyce's face asleep on the floor next to me 
• Waking up to Alyce's face first thing in the morning

I'm writing this post after only a few hours of room-sharing. Things could go badly still, I know, but whatever happens we'll figure it out. (That brings me to some advice I'd like to offer new parents, not that you're asking: when things are tough with your children, especially through transitions like weaning, sleeping, or toilet learning, it always feels like it will never end, that you will be suffering in that moment until the end of time. But you won't be. Eventually they adapt, they learn, or they move on to some other transition. When you're in the middle of it all it feels endless, but it won't be long, I promise).

So wish us luck and I'll report back later!

P.S. Do you have any advice for introducing siblings to sharing a room? Shira is still in a crib and I expect will be for another sixish months. Any suggestions?

P.P.S. Has anyone read the new Sookie Stackhouse, Deadlocked? I didn't even realize that it had come out.