Sleep...Or should I say lack of it, has inspired the coming together of this post...
19 years ago just before my first daughter was born, some wonderful, insightful, albeit random stranger, thrust a copy of a little book in my hand and declared that it was a must for every parent to read.
I remember waddling home as fast as my then odd shaped body would allow, plonking my self on the couch and reading it from cover to cover in a matter of hours.
This little book was called "Three in Bed" by Deborah Jackson and it totally changed my life!
The next day, my carefully constructed baby nursery was pulled apart with such force that from the outside I must have appeared like a woman possessed! The cot was gone, never to be seen again, along with all the other standard baby gear...
I had made my decision....the baby was to sleep with me.
19 years later...baby number three has arrived (now 14 months) and there is still three in my bed.
We have a king size bed, which theoretically should provide enough room for the three of us....well I did say theoretically!!
For some bizarre reason unknown to human kind, my daughter prefers to sleep across the bed rather than down the bed. This usually means that my hubby and I are clinging to the sides of the bed, whilst my little one blissfully sleeps on with her head wedged up as close to (her) boobie as she can get it and with her feet stuck firmly up her papa's nose!
It is rather like a comedy act at times and we often find ourselves in fits of laughter in the middle of the night.
There are as well moments of despair, when tiredness or should I say exhaustion kicks in...Irritability raises its ugly head and all I want to do is bury mine (my head that is), under my pillow and sleep for a month!
But then, its morning...(just)...and she wakes, she cuddles up to me so close, with so much warmth and love...she opens her eyes and looks at me...lifts herself up and kisses me good-morning.
She smiles her heart melting smile and any trace of irritability fades away.
Those morning moments...aahh I love them!
We do more of a bed dance here, but Z slept with us until he was 14 months old. Now, he goes to sleep on his bed (mattress on his floor - cozy & safe) and comes to get DH when he wakes - anywhere from 10 pm. on.. Once in blue moon I wake before they do, and catch them cuddled up, almost smiling. So glad we don't have a crib!
ReplyDeleteWe thought a king-size mattress would be plenty for us, too! It seemed sooooo wide when it was just the two of us, pregnant as I was at the time. Now my 2-year-old does the same head-to-boob, feet-in-his-father's-face move. Is it an instinct to protect what's theirs? ;) I sometimes marvel at how little space I end up having to sleep in, when really he's quite a wee little thing in comparison.
ReplyDeleteI get beaten up every night. Kicked in the ribs, head-butted in the face.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't move her out - like you, just love it (well, the good bits).
Love being able to check on her with just opening one eye. Love that she can hug me for comfort whenever she half wakes.
I do miss those days, even with the bruises and sleeplessness...all three of mine are in their own beds now, but I'd say every other night or so one of the three wanders back at some point for some reason or other, usually between 2 and 3am, and I do love waking to their warm little body snuggled against mine...
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and saying hi :). I'm a monkey too :).
ReplyDeleteAlas all my co sleeping for the past 5 years mostly hasn't involved husband - isn't that just so sad - but it really does work for us, it means husband gets to sleep, and we both know how these early childhood years go by so fast so we're going with it. *Could* be 3 in the bed soon though once 3rd little one is born, I just can't imagine not being in the bed with my 2 yr old daughter... however it may be a transition we have to make, I just wouldn't want the risk of new baby to be kicked!
Oh Ruth when my older two girls where babies they were only 17 months apart and sleeping with them both in bed was soooo delightful...If I wasn't verging on 42 I would consider having another...such a nice experience and yes it goes by so very fast...my older girls are now 19 and almost 18!!!
ReplyDeleteI thought we'd have Z in our bed much longer, but I wanted to say that it was actually more his decision than ours. We noticed that he slept really well during naps in his own room - and then began putting him to sleep in there. Sometimes he crawls in bed with us, but most of the time, he just wants DH to take him back to his room.
ReplyDeleteglobal mama - my cousin had her last (7th) child at 47!
thanks for stopping by my blog :) and congrats on starting your own. it's a neat world here in blogger land and i hope you have a wonderful experience.
ReplyDeleteas for your post, i can very much relate. though i hadn't planned on being a co-sleeper. but the dragon wouldn't have it any other way. i have never had the slightest interest in letting her "cry it out" and leaving her alone in her room. we gave away her barely used crib when she was one~ and she's an active sleeper too! :) i figure i'll get more sleep one day, until then, i just try to enjoy the closeness while she wants it! i know one day i'll probably just be her old mom~ :)