Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
by Kelli Bowen
We are about a week into being “town people” instead of “farm people” with pretty dang good success in the transition. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and we downsized quite a bit of our “stuff” so it’s been a lot of change all around. Weekend breakfasts, movie nights and decorating the Christmas tree are all traditions we have kept. Sometimes familiar things can be comforting and we could all use a little comfort.
When we moved, we let the girls both pick the kind of bed they wanted as long as it was a reasonable request and we could find one at a reasonable price. This is one of the only advantages of moving in November in North Dakota: Black Friday sales!
Miss E decided on a bunkbed with a futon underneath so her room is sleepover ready (obvi Mom). Miss A also chose a lofted bed, but hers has space underneath with shelves for toys and extra room for playing. Hubby and I thought these were both great choices and we went on the hunt for the beds. The first few days we were here, the girls just slept on mattresses on the floor in our spare room. Now the bedframes have arrived, have been assembled and are ready to be used for their intended purposes.
The first night of the new big kid bed went fine. Miss A was a little wimpery but was over it quickly because her bed arrived first so SHE got to sleep in her new room in her new bed before her big sister.
Night two: big sister’s bed was also assembled and in Miss E’s room next door. Everyone was cool. Everyone slept in their own beds in their own rooms. Easy peasy.
Night three: Miss A was more wimpery. She must not have gotten much sleep that night because the next morning Hubby almost needed a step ladder to scoop her out of bed for school.
Last night: Miss A was wimpering about wanting ‘Nuggles. With this lofted bed, she doesn’t have the option of someone laying with her for book time and snuggling. It isn’t feasible and honestly, Hubby and I aren’t small people, we’d be well over the weight capacity. I reassured Miss A that she’s a brave, big girl and she’d be fine. We gave lots of kisses, I rubbed her back and left the room when she was ready.
As I sat at the dining room table addressing Christmas cards, I get a text from Hubby: “Come downstairs please.” That’s curious. I go downstairs to find Miss A and Hubby entangled in a comforter and Miss A in weepy distress. I was handed the ball of blanket and five-year-old as Hubby went on a mission to find an Elsa nightlight.
It turns out Hubby had heard Miss A from upstairs and went to check on her, she was in a full-fledged “Mama! I want Mom!” bawling fit. Miss A melted into me and said she needed ‘Nuggles and can’t sleep up on that bed in the dark all by herself. I asked if she wanted to sleep on the couch tonight and she nodded. I wrapped her up until she almost had drifted off and asked if she was okay to sleep alone. She nodded.
Hubby is on his way to our old house tonight to retrieve Miss A’s old bed. There’s just enough room to have both old and new in Miss A’s room, at least for now. Besides being built to allow parent ‘Nuggles. It’s familiar. Sometimes familiar things can be comforting and we could all use a little comfort...and ‘Nuggles.
Kelli makes her home in Cass County with her husband, two daughters (8 and 5) and two dogs. She works for a regional seed company by day and tries to be an alright mom, wife, friend and writer by night.
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