Hi everyone! Thanks for commenting here. I wanted to say that we eventually moved the kids to two twin beds, carefully baby proofed the whole room and put a gate at the door. We did this around 24 months. Ese fell out a few times but then got the hang of it. The gate at the door was actually really comforting for the kids. They recognized that they have boundaries and really started to re-enter into a routine once we re-established bedtime (books, songs, sleep). We also got a sleep calendar with sticker incentives so that the kids could be proud of staying in their own beds all night. Ese will be 3 in June, so if you can make it past 2 years, it's smooth sailing, I promise.

kristin, thanks for your response. You are of course entitled to your opinion, but I want to clarify that my kids did not go through YEARS of struggle. It was a short but intense adjustment period and our whole family IS better for it. You've got to do what's right for your family, but I still stand by what I wrote and believe it to be true for my family.

Thanks for your response, Marta. I think you are right. Work-Life culture definitely changes from city to city and community to community. You are totally right. I still think though, that our generation (You are a millenial, by definition, whether you like it or not, just by virtue of being born in 1985!) is changing almost every area of life, whether we feel we are a part of these changes or not. How you relate to our generation might be influenced by your group of friends, the fact that you are married (statistically) early, etc. That you are employed in a stable (albeit unexpected) career path might insulate this experience for you too. Sometimes when we don't directly experience something we feel removed from it - I didn't participate in #occupy, so I don't feel like I relate to those who did, completely. I think these changes are going to become more apparent within the next five years, and they are going to start to permeate our home lives and how we imagine private/family life. I do think events like the Arab Spring, freelance revolution and #Occupy (and the general movement towards social innovation) indicate a very real cultural shift that is (for the most part) non-partisan. That change involves the re-imagination of how we live our day to day lives in our households, and even more importantly, the realization of the type of individual power we weild in self-actualization. We have voices that get heard, and we, ourselves, can make a difference, at home, online and in the streets. Thanks for thinking about this with me. You are a part of it, definitely. You work full time, you are a blogger and a mom, and as far as I know, your husband works too. We get to decide what our work-life looks like. We get to reimagine our roles and make lives that truly work for us.

Teresa. Thanks for commenting. I think we all say things we wish our children wouldn't hear from time to time. Our family is by no means perfect, and as a mother of small children, I feel that children very easily outrun our patience, even if our patience is nearly endless. I also think it's hard when parents have different ways of disciplining their kids. I know we've had a lot of conversations about how to approach teaching them right from wrong and what type of words we use to keep them safe. Thanks again for your comment. I think it's really valuable.

You are a biased Auntie, Auntie B.

My grandfather is so astounded that he has such a strong connection to my kids. It's an unbelievable bond, and I really hope that the boys remember him dearly for their whole lives. For now, we're just glad we have him nearby.

I know, Marta. It's the best thing about being back in Minnesota. Even though I spent most of my life in Quebec, my roots are so deep in this place. Thanks for still reading despite my long absence.

@perpetuallykate on twitter!

I've missed you too! "gut-wrenchingly amazing?" man. the thought that anyone could ever think that about something I've written...I don't even know what to say, except, thank you.

:)