Anonymous wrote:We have been known to put our DCs as infants in an open drawer. Is the baby still immobile?

Great multi-use of a drawer.

OP again, to answer a few of the questions -

No, we won't ask them to keep the baby in their room. They are still adjusting to being grandparents, and are not the type to offer that type of help. They also can't sleep without a loud tv on. No judgment call - that's just how they are.

If there is a room with a better layout, we can probably discuss it, but since we are coming mid week everyone else will be there first. It wouldn't be cool to try to displace them.

The other couple is an aunt an uncle. We know them, but see them once or twice a year and they are older and have no kids. I'm not sure they've ever spent 48 hours with 2 young kids.

I don't know the full layout of the house, but based on the size of the bedrooms, I'm guessing the closets aren't huge.

I suppose we may be able to take one twin bed out of the room to make room for the pack n play and then dh or I can sleep on the floor. Again, just not ideal after running around after 2 kids on the beach all day.

The drive may end up being well over 6 hours. It's not OBX - it's a more out of the way beach. We are used to driving 5-6 hours since that's how far family lives - not our favorite thing to do, but we're used to it.

Sending just DH and the preschooler isn't an option. They want to see the baby too, and if I don't go I'd be the one trying to keep her away from them, and it's probably not such a smart family move to make.

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Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!

Grandparents and other relatives aren't your night nanny, ya dummy!

Especially when they're paying for your accommodations. Hey, here's a free room at a beach house. How about you hand us your child at night so you can sleep well in the vacation house we're paying for you?

Are you serious with this request? I'm not a grandparent, but it's completely rude and selfish.

Guess that is the type of family you have. As for my folks AND my IL's they would likely be the ones suggesting that the kid(s) sleep with them.
But hey, they are not at all uptight or easily offended and certainly would not even blink at the idea of bunking with their own grand kids .
And if they did not want they have NO problem saying no. They are grownups.

Very strange. My parents are awesome grandparents. But it would be really strange for them to take our baby in their room for the night.

Maybe the Op's in-laws are itching to take on baby duty, so they came up with this cramped room scenario to make it happen? Grandparents are a nutty bunch, I wouldn't put it past them, lol. Op - does that seem likely?

It's more likely that they are simply practical people who see this as an opportunity to spend time with their family w/o breaking the bank for anyone. Seems reasonable. Op I hope you go and have fun.

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Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!

Grandparents and other relatives aren't your night nanny, ya dummy!

Especially when they're paying for your accommodations. Hey, here's a free room at a beach house. How about you hand us your child at night so you can sleep well in the vacation house we're paying for you?

Are you serious with this request? I'm not a grandparent, but it's completely rude and selfish.

Guess that is the type of family you have. As for my folks AND my IL's they would likely be the ones suggesting that the kid(s) sleep with them.
But hey, they are not at all uptight or easily offended and certainly would not even blink at the idea of bunking with their own grand kids .
And if they did not want they have NO problem saying no. They are grownups.

My parents and inlaws would be demanding that the kids be with them.


Still it would be unreasonable to take it for granted.

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Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Rude? It's the baby's grandparents! So much for 'it takes a village'. The baby's bed doesn't physically fit into the room. Perhaps my parents are unusual, but they actually offer up their bedroom as it is the biggest and they like their grandchildren near them.

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Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!

Grandparents and other relatives aren't your night nanny, ya dummy!

Especially when they're paying for your accommodations. Hey, here's a free room at a beach house. How about you hand us your child at night so you can sleep well in the vacation house we're paying for you?

Are you serious with this request? I'm not a grandparent, but it's completely rude and selfish.

Guess that is the type of family you have. As for my folks AND my IL's they would likely be the ones suggesting that the kid(s) sleep with them.
But hey, they are not at all uptight or easily offended and certainly would not even blink at the idea of bunking with their own grand kids .
And if they did not want they have NO problem saying no. They are grownups.

Very strange. My parents are awesome grandparents. But it would be really strange for them to take our baby in their room for the night.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!

Grandparents and other relatives aren't your night nanny, ya dummy!

Especially when they're paying for your accommodations. Hey, here's a free room at a beach house. How about you hand us your child at night so you can sleep well in the vacation house we're paying for you?

Are you serious with this request? I'm not a grandparent, but it's completely rude and selfish.

Guess that is the type of family you have. As for my folks AND my IL's they would likely be the ones suggesting that the kid(s) sleep with them.
But hey, they are not at all uptight or easily offended and certainly would not even blink at the idea of bunking with their own grand kids .
And if they did not want they have NO problem saying no. They are grownups.

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks all.

No, I'm not worried about twin beds or not sleeping with DH! I am indeed concerned about where any form of portable crib will go. Baby is getting very mobile and I can't just put her down on a twin bed, even with me in it. We're going to have to wing it. The ILs go to bed late (loud tv til midnightish) so the living room isn't a choice either. Baby is a light sleeper, but I'm well aware that that isn't anyone else's concern once we agree to share a house. We have done a shared hotel room with the 4 of us, and while space wasn't a problem we all went to bed ridiculously early, which isn't an option with a house full of people.

So we'll go to honor our commitment and give them time with the grandchildren, and next time DH might listen to me when I suggest that we get all the details before agreeing to anything!

Is the 6 hour drive in no traffic or could it stretch into 7-12? Is it worth it for 2 days? Is it 4 days for you with 2 devoted to driving? The house/room are fine but the drive for a short period stinks.

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks all.

No, I'm not worried about twin beds or not sleeping with DH! I am indeed concerned about where any form of portable crib will go. Baby is getting very mobile and I can't just put her down on a twin bed, even with me in it. We're going to have to wing it. The ILs go to bed late (loud tv til midnightish) so the living room isn't a choice either. Baby is a light sleeper, but I'm well aware that that isn't anyone else's concern once we agree to share a house. We have done a shared hotel room with the 4 of us, and while space wasn't a problem we all went to bed ridiculously early, which isn't an option with a house full of people.

So we'll go to honor our commitment and give them time with the grandchildren, and next time DH might listen to me when I suggest that we get all the details before agreeing to anything!

Get the baby outside in all of that fresh ocean air and sunshine (use shade/sunscreen!) and the baby will totally konk out at bedtime. You'll be fine.

I have To do something similar every time I go to my parents beach house 3 hours away. I get one bedroom, with a double bed. I have a 4 and 6 yr old. And a dog. It's doable, but not everyone in the same room.

I suggest, push the beds together. Put baby in a pack n play. Don't have one then borrow one. Put preschooler in a sleeping bad and/or on a feather bed and/or air mattress on the floor, but which floor is key. If not enough floor space on your bedroom, see about the closet with the door open, or in your ILs room. My 6 yr old usually does this in my parents room.

When I was a kid, my parents and my mothers family all co-owned a huge beach house. All adults got a bedroom. All kids either slept in sleeping bags or on cots in the hallways or the porch. We survived. Yours will too.

The killed for me for your scenario is the drive. Is this in the OBX? Because 6 hours is crazy long, and with traffic will probably be LONGER!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!

Grandparents and other relatives aren't your night nanny, ya dummy!

Especially when they're paying for your accommodations. Hey, here's a free room at a beach house. How about you hand us your child at night so you can sleep well in the vacation house we're paying for you?

Are you serious with this request? I'm not a grandparent, but it's completely rude and selfish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!

Grandparents and other relatives aren't your night nanny, ya dummy!

Anonymous wrote:6 hour drive for two nights with 1 bathroom for 6 adults and at least 2 kids? I'd say thank you, but our plans have changed, and we can't make it.

This was my thought, too. Just borrow a friend's tent and go camping overnight somewhere MUCH closer.

Anonymous wrote:I'll try to stick with facts, and avoid my side commentary on this...

IL's rented a beach house for a week, with one extra bedroom.
6 hour drive from us.
Invited us (me, dh, preschooler, baby) to join them for 2 nights.
We agree.
3 weeks before the trip they send us the details on the house (we had been asking for months).
The extra bedroom has 2 twin beds, with about 2 feet of floor space between them (remember we are a family of 4).
The other bedrooms in the house are no bigger.

But are the other rooms set up differently? Maybe there is more floor space in one of the others - at least enough for a playpen and a preschooler floormat.
You also mentioned 2 other people in the other bedroom. Are they family?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the baby go in with your ILs? Is the DC still waking and nursing? My parents always take our youngest in the pack and play in their room.

That would be pretty rude to ask someone else to have a baby in their room, in the house they're paying for, while you pay nothing.

Grandparents not strangers ya dummy!