Establishing a New Routine

Little Bear does not like change. This move has been especially difficult for him. Before we left the Big Green House in Spokane we tossed his old, broken toddler bed. After getting plenty of use from three boys it just wasn’t safe for any child to sleep in. At this new house, The Big White House, Parrot has his own bedroom and Little Bear and Monkey share the bunk bed. Monkey was thrilled about being able to sleep on the top bunk. But this new change is not right in Bear’s mind.

Bear keeps reminding me that he is sleeping in Monkey’s bed and Monkey is in Parrot’s bed. Last week he said, “Mommy, this is Monkey’s bed. Where is my bed?” I told him that we gave it away because he is a big boy now.

“No I am not, I am little,” he pointed out. “We need to go to the store and get me a new bed.”

“Okay,” I replied. “When we go shopping we will look at beds.” Needless to say, I did not keep that promise. Chris told me that Little Bear will probably remind me that we need to look for a bed for him. I am hoping that he will just forget about his old bed and accept the new changes.

New, adjective, not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time. Everything here is new and like my Little Bear I don’t like change either. I still mourn the old that we left behind and am trying my best to embrace the new.

New or should I say different home. This house was built in 1989 and the home that we left was built in 2005. There are significant differences between the two homes. Older homes are usually labeled as “charming,” or “classic.” If you asked me to describe this house using adjectives I’d say it is an “inadequate, ramshackle,” but “practical.”

The Big White House

Leaving The Big Green House

As I unpack my boxes I am finding fewer and fewer places to put things. This is ironic because this home is much larger than the other one due to the extra bedroom and basement. The closets and pantry are very small and storage space is limited to the garage and basement.

I am having a difficult time finding room for my household items that I use every single day such as my vacuum cleaner, extra rolls of toilet paper, paper towels and broom and dustpan. I don’t want to have to go down to the basement to retrieve these things when I need them. At the same time, I don’t want them out in the open for my guests to see and my kids to get into. I miss my big storage closet. This is one change that I don’t think I will ever get used to.

However, this home does have benefits as well. We have a basement here so I am able to put all the toys downstairs and they are no longer cluttering the main living space. This home has a bonus bedroom on the main floor. I now have two boys sharing a bedroom instead of all three. The carpets are brown instead of white which masks the stains that my kids leave much better. We are within walking distance of the high-school and the elementary school. Shopping and church are just a short 5 to 10 minute drive away. I have already embraced these changes.

Routines are very important to me. I must have some sort of schedule in order to function properly. I wake at the same time every morning. Drink my coffee before I do anything else, go to bed at the same time every night and fit everything else properly in between.

Out in Spokane our kids were off on the bus to school by 7:30 am. I loved this because then I had
time to myself early in the morning. I would clean up the kitchen, take a shower and be ready to blog by 8:30. Some mornings I even got started blogging by 8am.

Here in Chicago the elementary school is only a mile away and the kids do not ride a bus. School doesn’t start until 8:45am but my boys always wake by 6. With this schedule I am losing an hour to myself which I find very annoying. I don’t know when or if I will get used to this change.

I am confident that eventually I will find my place here. I will feel comfortable in this new home, new neighborhood, grow to love the new schools and yes, establish a new routine.