Please help me adjust to apartment living in the city

[ged]

We just moved to an old apartment building in a foreign country. I moved from a single family home on a cul-de-sac in San Diego, and am now in Munich, Germany. I am having a hard time with noise issues, no yard, no parking, stairs, and more stairs. Is there a redeeming quality to living in an apt? I could post many things I do not like about the apt., but I don't want this to become a B**** post.

DD1 is 5.5 taking the noise issues OK. DD2 is 9 months, so the noise issues really annoy me, as they can affect her sleeping, but so far she is handling it ok. I know a white noise machine is an option, but does that make the kids super sensitive sleepers? Will they have to use white noise machines their whole lives? Excuse me for being a little dramatic , but I am serious.

On the flip side, I am also worried about DD2 crying too much. Back in SD, I would let her CIO occasionally. Here in the apt I feel so stressed when she cries at night. Have any of you ever let your baby CIO when living in an apt?

Oh the irony. The noise from upstairs wakes her up and then now I have to rush to quiet her down, so as not to disturb others. I find this very annoying and stressful.

The lack of garden/outdoor play area is also a drain, as I can't let DD1 play outside anymore. I need to lug us all out of the building to the local park. It was so easy before, when I could just stay in the house with DD2 and let DD1 play outside.

The neighborhood we are in is OK. It is not as close to city center as I would have liked, but it is still expensive. We are close to a busy busy road,and therefore subject to constant road noise (white noise is what DH likes to call it). We are on the 1st floor (second floor in the States). I can walk to stores and to school and to a U-Bahn station.

It's only been a week so I suspect in due time things will settle down. But still, I am so bummed and need some encouragement. Btw, moving is not an option for at least a year.

[crl]

I have used white noise with both my kids. Older ds no longer uses it. He didn't seem to need it anymore so at some point I just stopped. I don't even remember when, so obviously not traumatic.

I live in row housing essentially and I do let dd cry some at night. I wouldn't let her cry for hours anyway. The week I took away her midnight bottle and then she started teething was pretty bad. I bought the guys next door a six pack and some ear plugs and left them on their doorstep with an apology. I got back verbal and written assurances that it was no problem and thanks for the beer.

The good thing about this kind of density from my point of view is that we have a ton of kids nearby which means playmates. IME, it takes a certain density of kids to arrive at the level of having kids at the park, etc. And no yards means they will actually go to the park so you can meet them.

Hope things get better for you soon!
Catherine

[larig]

Catherine, that's a great idea to leave the beer and earplugs. I'd love to have you for a neighbor!