Raising a Condo Kid

This 30 square meter condo unit has been our home for the past three years. We bought this before we got married and decided to build our family here.

But our “seventh heaven,” as we call this home seven storeys high, seems to be just enough for us three. There’s truth in saying that two’s a company, three’s a crowd. What if we become four (either a helper will stay-in or another baby on board)?

Prior to buying this property, this was rented by a family of four – a mother and three boys who were half-Americans, so imagine how tall they were, and they fit! They had a double decked bed, a mattress, and the sofa. That’s where four people sleep. Add to that their dressers and other stuff. Wow!

And now we’re having space issues. See, our little princess has a lot of furnitures of her own – a crib, a walker, stroller, a small chair, two seaters (we’re selling these!), play gym, rubber mats, toy box, among others. Her clothes invaded what was once OUR clothes drawer, and her diaper changing and other paraphernalia is atop our filing cabinet. Her shoes on top of another cabinet. Did I mention she co-sleeps with us? We don’t have a bed frame so we’re sleeping on mattresses only. And the crib? That’s where we put her when we need to move around.

And the challenge remains: how do we keep her entertained in these four corners? It’s hard, really. She easily gets bored so she needs various activities at one time. And since she’s really on the move now, she’s restless so we keep on chasing after her just to avoid bumps and bruises. We usually bring her down to the lobby to be entertained by people passing by. Or to the poolside where other condo kids play and run around. Since she can’t walk alone yet, she’s carried or worn most of the time. Poor arms and backs.

As for sleeptime, this is harder especially with naptime. She is carried most of her naptime because she gets disturbed by car horns, construction noise outside, falling barbels from the gym two floors directly below us. She is sleep deprived during daytime so we want to give her as much sleep as she can, even if it means carrying her and not doing anything else, i.e. no eating, drinking, yes, no toilet visit either.

We’re not spoiling her by carrying her the whole day. Of course we let her crawl and walk but with her restlessness, she easily stumbles or hits her head. What more if she could walk independently? Add the fact that she’s babbling, screaming, and shrieking really loud and high. Her silencer is breastfeeding, nothing else.

We don’t want to go out everyday, either, to the mall or to friends, because it’s always a “grand production” when we’re going out: baby bag filled with diapers, changing stuff, clothes change, lotsa lampin, toys and food (we still bring our own baon maybe until one and a half). Not to mention stroller or sling. Good thing no bottles to pack, except when I’m at work and there’s always an emergency bottle of expressed milk. So we stay home instead, and figure out other ways to make the kid stay. We do go out on weekends though, but for most of the week, the farthest we could go is at the condo lobby.

How about you, condo dwellers, how do you do it? Would appreciate tips from you.

~ Touringkitty