Suggestions for helping spirited toddler through a move!

[hokoonchi]

Hi parents of DS,

I have a very spirited two year-old (not good with transitions, very sensitive, persistent, intuitive, loves routines, stubborn, strong-willed, quick-tempered). My husband just got a job in Durham NC (yay!), and we'll be selling our house and moving next week 1/25. Since Christmas, the kiddo has been all over the place. He was at his grandparents' for the holidays with us, and then at his grandparents' again while we were looking for a house (a couple of nights), and then his dad was away for four days this week at the new job. He's obsessed with his grandparents, and normally he's okay with DH being away for a night or so at the time. But with all this going on at the same time, with boxes stacking up, and with all sorts of moving talk going on, he's understandably acting out.

He's been biting at day care (I posted about this before, and it had resolved about six months ago), and he never does this with us at home! (He only has three days left, so at least we won't get kicked out. I'll be at home with him most of the time after we move, and he'll be starting part-time pre school for 10 hours a week in mid-February.) And he's been refusing to eat and sleep (not altogether, but this is unusual for him).

I'm worried about the transition next week. Any tips?

So far we've bought a few books on moving, and we've shown him videos of the new place. We've talked to him a lot, and we give him tons of attention when we are together as a family. Any other ideas? I really want this to be as smooth as possible for the little man.

[Celeste]

Can you set up his new bedroom like his current one? Or as close to it as possible. Same paint color, furniture arrangement, etc.