Life Transitions

We’ve been living with my parents in New Jersey for three weeks now, but it could be three months. How can it feel like we’ve been here forever when we’ve accomplished so little since we arrived?

I’m not exaggerating when I say that we’ve been so busy we haven’t even finished unpacking. There are open boxes and overflowing bags taunting us in every room.

Life transitions

The transition has been more stressful than we anticipated. Levi’s been acting out — his new favorite expression is “I just don’t want to!” — and he fights us daily at nap time and bedtime. It’s been taking him over an hour on average to fall asleep after we tuck him in, and we just can’t seem to get him into bed as early as we did in Omaha. Three year olds should not be falling asleep at 9:30pm most nights.

Do his late nights mean he sleeps longer in the morning? Oh, hell no. But we’ve finally taught him not to start yelling for us until 7am, so I consider that a win.*

Asa has had his share of rough nights, too. His tears, however, have been related to teething and constipation (I think). He’s as agreeable as always during the day and has even been napping in his crib! You have no idea how many times we feel thankful he’s such an easy baby (most of the time).

Multigenerational living

A large part of the stress we’re all experiencing is due to the chaos of having four generations under one roof.

FOUR.

My grandmother had surgery almost two weeks ago and has also been staying at my parents’ house while she recovers. We’ve all been bouncing between watching the kids and helping out grandma, but my poor mom has taken the brunt of it. It’s amazing she hasn’t (totally) lost her shit yet.

Thankfully, Levi started preschool yesterday, so things should be a little bit calmer around here — at least between 9am and 1pm. And my grandmother will likely go back to her home within a week, at which point my mom will have more flexibility to help out with the boys.

Oh, and did I mention that JB is back in Omaha for his last week of work?

Priorities

I’m exhausted and out of focus. I can’t even find the time or energy to catch up with my girlfriends on the phone. As much as I want to start making plans to visit friends across the Tri-State area and redecorate every room in my parents’ house, these have to be my priorities:

* Finish unpacking

* Create morning and evening routines for the boys

* Commit to a work-from-home schedule

I’d actually love to know what your AM & PM routines look like. Got any advice for managing two different wake up and bed times? For multigenerational living? Please share!

PS – In case you missed it, here’s why we moved back into my childhood home with my parents, plus the pros and cons of living in New Jersey.

* This morning, however, I found him at 7:17am taking apart the mouse on my dad’s computer desk. Distracted by anger and my disbelief at his behavior, I laid him down on the floor to change his overnight diaper… before checking to see if there was any poop in it. Well, there was, and it got EVERYWHERE. On his clothing. On the carpet. All over his body. It was one of Levi’s top 3 messy diapers, for sure. Le sigh.