So we finally took the big leap and moved Lucy down to Harper’s room. We somehow convinced Harper that sharing a room with her sister was the big prize for being a big girl and staying dry overnight. Man, three year olds are the best (but also the worst amiriiight?!).
They’ve been sharing for about six months and there has been some shuffling of sleeping arrangements, mostly due to the small size of the room and one wall being taken up by windows.
We started with the crib + toddler bed on the crib wall but it was pretty cramped. The girls didn’t seem to mind but I was definitely squeezing by the dresser to get to the other side of the room. There was just zero floor space to move around, let alone play.
We contemplated just bringing the second crib downstairs since we’re just fine having babies sleep in cribs waaay past their third birthdays. But we had already really hyped Harper up for being A Big Girl and it felt a little mean to put her back in the crib. So we came up with the crib trundle bed idea. I feel pretty smug about the whole thing (if not a little trashy, as one child is essentially sleeping on a mattress on the floor…but).
The Jenny Lind crib stayed on the same wall as it has been and we just shoved the second crib mattress right under it (the rug is no longer in the room either). We store Harper’s blankets in a little basket during the day when the mattress is stowed and it’s been working like a charm. We also bought the Dock-A-Tot Deluxe ($10 off with that link) which felt like a waste of $250 but I’ll be damned if she doesn’t love it. I also like that she isn’t just rolling off her mattress onto the floor.
So, for the logistics on how we get them all to sleep. It’s been pretty straight forward and knock on wood, wildly successful. Lucy goes to bed at 6:30 pm without a fight (holla for sleepy babies!). We do our usual book reading with Hudson and Harper on the couch until 7:00 pm. We tuck Harper in, turn on her salt nightlight (California hippie requirement) and crank the sound machine. That’s it. Harper will usually come out a time or two juuuust to make sure we really wanted her to go to bed. If one girl wakes up at night (usually Lucy) the other one never wakes up. It is insane, like does not even roll over. I’m sure as they get a bit older, and once Lucy is in a real bed, sharing rooms will be a bit trickier but we are grateful it’s working out for now.
**edited to add: Harper is being a bit of a drama queen lately. She has been ending up on our bedroom floor a few nights a week. Hudson went through a similar phase a few months ago. I’ve just resigned myself to waking up to someone sleeping on my floor for the next 18+ years or so. 😉
We also had the big kids share a room for a bit when we lived in our apartment. They were both younger (6 months and 2 years old, if I remember right). It also worked better than we expected. We put Hudson down first and then I would nurse Harper before tucking her in. Hudson was already asleep and they didn’t bother each other at all.
All this to say, if you’re worried about sibling room sharing, don’t be! The kids will be alright. I think I’ve shared a room with someone my whole life and there doesn’t seem to be any long term damage. 😉 I’m excited for the girls to share as they get older too, I think it’s just such a fun thing for them (although, ask me when they’re 12 and 14!).
More shared room inspiration here!
Hudson’s room/Lucy’s nursery nook/Harper’s nursery
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The arrival of a baby is certainly a cause for joy but sometimes it becomes a cause for concern for parents.Special when they have to share a room with a baby in one bedroom apartment. Thanks for sharing some nice tips for sharing room with a baby. It’s really helpful tips.