I give up

About a year after we brought Abby and Emily home from the hospital we began to feel cramped in our home. This was unfortunate as we had just moved in to this particular home. We began what became a constant and pervasive quest to cram ourselves into a space that was clearly too small. Abby and Emily shared a room that could barely contain their two cribs and a rocking chair while Rach + H shared a reasonably sized bedroom.

We knew we were going to have to get creative to make the home conform to our family, but had no creative ideas to fill the void. So, one day we were in Costco and I noticed they brought in furniture. I love that about Costco. The regular stock is always there, but they throw in some new stuff every couple months to keep it from becoming drudgery. I took the bait and browsed, and to my delight I discovered the answer to at least one of our space issues: loft beds.

As a child I would have killed for a bed like this. What could be more fantastic? I really wanted to get those beds. In a fit of rationalization I concluded that loft beds are cheaper than an addition to the home and, just like that, we became the proud owners of some new furniture.

It actually turned out to be a great purchase. The kids adored the beds. They thought we were amazing; possibly even brilliant. It opened up enough space in their bedroom to allow the kids to cohabitate fairly seamlessly for the next four years. And then we moved. Once we stretched beyond the confines of the expensive California housing market we were able to give the kids their own bedrooms. And now the loft beds were up for grabs.

A significant amount of negotiation and bartering took place. When all was said and done Abby and Emily ended up with the beds. I felt good about the turn of events, and I was glad that all of the girls were going to have an opportunity to sleep in the "special" beds.

Except Abby and Emily don't even like use the beds anymore. They're sleeping underneath the loft beds. On the floor. I guess we could try to broker a bed swap amongst the sisters, but that would require the beds to be disassembled (to get them through the doorway) and then reassembled in the new room. I know better than to even raise the subject with my husband. And I'm certainly not going to do that. Even if I felt so inclined the likelihood that I'd incorrectly assemble them and maim one of the kids in the process is just too great a risk. Conversely, I could try to orchestrate a room swap. Talk about opening a can of worms! Noooo thank you.

They look comfy. Right?

And so it is that the beds that were once the envy of all the Belinski sisters have been shunned. There is no accounting for the logic of children. I give up. I actually helped them make nests under there so they'd be comfortable.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!