Last night was a restless night in our home. Oliver woke up multiple times during the night, which is so unlike him. In fact, there were points throughout the night that everyone woke. How might I know this?
In the early hours of the morning I woke up absolutely smothered between two little boys in flannel pajamas and toasty warm feet. My back was sore, and I couldn't roll over off my side, but I had only positively warm thoughts of my crowded bed - a little strange since I find the empty spacious bed to be SACRED.
Today I am thankful for a crowded bed.
I complain about my kids driving me crazy all of the time. When we first became parents I was terrified of co-sleeping and what it would progress into. Before I had kids I had firm boundaries and limitation. Before I had kids I knew an awful lot about what my life was going to look like after I had kids.
The "awful lot" I knew was all wrong.
It turns out letting your kids climb into bed with you is delicious, and letting them watch a little television during the week is divine. Toys don't stay in the toy box, not even after you put them in there five times that day - not even after they put them in there five times a day. "Cute" tennis shoes aren't easy for them to put on themselves, and sweatpants really are the most comfortable thing to wear on cold winter days. Combing their hair before shoving on a stocking cap is overrated, and there are times you won't notice the Nutella smeared across their face until they turn around to wave at you on their way in to school. I'm not above bribery and negotiation is my middle name. Kleenex is for wussies and pajamas don't have to match. Socks don't have to match. Entire outfits don't have to match.
So I didn't really know much about being a parent, except I did get one thing right....
I knew I would really love it.
And this morning lying in a crowded bed I remembered why.
In the early hours of the morning I woke up absolutely smothered between two little boys in flannel pajamas and toasty warm feet. My back was sore, and I couldn't roll over off my side, but I had only positively warm thoughts of my crowded bed - a little strange since I find the empty spacious bed to be SACRED.
Today I am thankful for a crowded bed.
I complain about my kids driving me crazy all of the time. When we first became parents I was terrified of co-sleeping and what it would progress into. Before I had kids I had firm boundaries and limitation. Before I had kids I knew an awful lot about what my life was going to look like after I had kids.
The "awful lot" I knew was all wrong.
It turns out letting your kids climb into bed with you is delicious, and letting them watch a little television during the week is divine. Toys don't stay in the toy box, not even after you put them in there five times that day - not even after they put them in there five times a day. "Cute" tennis shoes aren't easy for them to put on themselves, and sweatpants really are the most comfortable thing to wear on cold winter days. Combing their hair before shoving on a stocking cap is overrated, and there are times you won't notice the Nutella smeared across their face until they turn around to wave at you on their way in to school. I'm not above bribery and negotiation is my middle name. Kleenex is for wussies and pajamas don't have to match. Socks don't have to match. Entire outfits don't have to match.
So I didn't really know much about being a parent, except I did get one thing right....
I knew I would really love it.
And this morning lying in a crowded bed I remembered why.
0 comments:
Post a Comment