Where Does Your Kid Nap?

Our house in Ramona has a huge master bedroom. It takes up the entire upstairs. Downstairs and around the corner and down the hall was the baby's room. Troy and I never wanted our child in our room. It can be argued extensively from both sides and I'm not here to judge but we didn't want to have to break the habit of a baby or toddler or thirteen year old who has always slept in bed with mom and dad. We were so panic stricken about having to break such a habit, we didn't even want the child to be in the same room as us. Additionally I worried that once we had children I would slide my husband to the back burner. I knew that a good way to prevent putting my kids on a pedestal higher than Troy was to keep our room sacred to our marriage.

But the second that I knew I was pregnant I knew that putting that bundle of joy and sweet innocence that far away from me was just not going to happen. Troy wholeheartedly agreed. So we decided that we'd put Garrett in the closet (we had two in our bedroom). That way he would have his own space that was not exactly in our room but he'd be close enough that I could hear him breathe. Let me explain that one of these closets was approximately the same size as a small bathroom and the other was big enough for Troy to take a nap in--but that's another story.

Our mothers were not so keen on this idea. They thought it was cruel, or something. We disagreed and I cleaned out the closet. And then, for a baby shower, I got the gift of Pack n Play. It was one of the large ones with the changing table and mobile built right in. It didn't fit in the closet. We mourned the loss of our unborn baby's perfect pint sized room. Our mothers rejoiced. We ended up making a corner of our room a little temporary nursery. When Garrett was born he slept in the pack n play for three months before we transitioned him to his own room. We have a magnificent video monitor, bestowed upon us by my dear friend, so we could always look in on him. All night. Whenever we felt like it. Whenever he made a peep. The first night he slept that far away from me was sheer torture. I timed how long I could sprint from my bed to his room. Using the railing on the staircase to take the steps three at a time I made it in six seconds. I felt satisfied with that. All of this is beside the point, however.

The point is that our moms did not like the closet idea. So they probably wouldn't be too thrilled to know that Garrett has been napping in the basement bathroom. Our house is boiling hot. Especially in Garrett's room. It doesn't matter if we run the air conditioning, for some reason his room remains a degree or two over sweltering. How did I put it to my friend, Michelle, today as our kiddos frolicked together at the park? Oh yes. I said that it was a suburb of hell in there. Three days ago I went to get him after his nap and his head was soaking wet. There was a puddle in the middle of his bed, where his cute noggin had been. The next day he woke up sobbing. I went to get him and he immediately started screeching, "Biss! Biss! Biss!" I got him a drink right away and he downed the entire cup. So yesterday Troy and I decided that the bathroom in the basement is cool, dark and very quiet. We never use it because we can choose from three others. (It is quite silly that there are four bathrooms for three people and one of those people isn't even toilet trained.) I think I have personally used that bathroom twice in the seven months that we have lived here. So it's perfectly clean and doesn't smell weird or anything. And the Pack n Play fits inside like it was made to be set up in the bathroom. We put our other baby monitor (our cheap, non video monitor) in there and then we propped the door open with a rock. It took him awhile to fall asleep but when he did he slept for over three hours, woke up cool to the touch, and wasn't screaming for juice.

Today, when I put him down in the same spot, he didn't make a peep. He just snuggled into his blanket and was out like a light. So yeah, my kid sleeps in the bathroom. If you have a problem with it, you come take a nap in his room, or as I like to call it, New Underworld. See how you like it. You'll be begging for the bathroom too.