Who moved my cheese?

It all started here with realizing I had my work cut out for me to get ready for Derek to come home. I am happy to report that I tackled those tasks and got his side of the room in working order the very next day. Little did I know that it was only the beginning... Since last Tuesday, I (and by "I", I mean- "I, along with some very wonderful friends") have:

• folded, sorted, put away the mountain of clean laundry (I may or may not be working on my second mountain. where does that laundry all come from?!)
• organized Derek's dresser drawers (I was part responsible for the disorganization as I dug through to find a non-Nintendo t-shirt to wear).
• filled one lawn and leaf size bag plus an additional two regular trash sized bags of stuff to go to Salvation Army
• sorted through (finally) the boxes from when I cleaned out my car.
• cleaned out the hall closest of the construction debris (yes, we've been moved in for over a year now and this is just now getting done)
• cleaned off the kitchen counter, organized the pantry and some of the cabinets. 

It's possible that I disassembled my vacuum cleaner, ran the parts through the dishwasher, so that it wasn't quite so dirty either. Seriously, what is wrong with me?! In fact, I am fairly certain when my mom or dad reads this, that they will be very worried that an alien life form has taken over my body because this is totally not like me. At all.

I also did a major overhaul to Jackson's room. It started last Saturday when I was cleaning up toys in the family room, I decided to tackle relocate them all to Jackson's room. Which led to getting out every single toy he owns and sorting through a keep, save for baby, or a give away pile. Which led to cleaning out his closet. Which led to re-arranging and re-organizing his entire room. This was all in one evening. Jackson was hanging out with Derek's parents at the time and he went straight to bed when we got home.

It was Sunday afternoon that Jackson really started to be so incredibly cranky at times and lasted until about Tuesday-ish. And it was just so unlike him! He was getting up extra early, not napping well. Throwing unbelievable fits at the silliest little things and wanting to be held at every single moment throughout the day. I even told some friends and family that I suspected that he must have a little stomach bug and just wasn't feeling well. He just doesn't act that way!

A friend asked last night if I thought that maybe Jackson was sensing that things were about to change when Derek gets home on Saturday and I just don't think Jackson is even vaguely aware of Daddy coming home. But it got me thinking about the change in his room. His crankiness started the very next day.

And now I feel awful!! To me, I love to rearrange and make a room look fresh and new. It didn't even occur to me that changing his room around would be a big thing. But for a two-year-old, I can really understand how it could be stressful!
I moved his cheese! He is progressively getting less cranky. Not coincidentally, he isn't fighting sleep and is sleeping longer.

Maybe I shouldn't have changed is room the same week that Daddy is coming home. And just a few weeks before I thought we would introduce the toddler bed. The next few weeks will be full of cheese-moving experiences. Or the next couple of months actually. But at least I know that he really needs help adjusting when things do change. He does really well if we can just talk about it in normal conversation here and there. I will just need to do my part to be more diligent about preparing him for when things are going to be different. To offer more patience and one-on-one time when they are.

It really is so cool to learn more and more about Jackson's distinct little personality! Like how he is as stubborn as they come, but also loves to be the funny kid around! And it makes me eager to see what our little girl is going to be like! Parenting, though exhausting at times, is truly the coolest thing ever.