Cuddle Time

Oh I have lots of pictures and different things to post but I'm too lazy right now to download the pictures so I'll catch up on something else instead.

All of our kids have always come and slept with us at some time during the night. When Damen was little I was bound and determined to get him to sleep in his own bed thinking that was what good mothers do. But Steve couldn't handle the crying so we would always give in and let them come sleep with us. Eventually I would get used to having a kinked shoulder from having them sleep on it all night. The thing that finally convinced me that it was ok if they slept in our bed was a country song about how little kids grow up so fast and somewhere in the song it says, "let them be little, cause their only that way for a while..... let them wiggle, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle, oh let them be little." There was something about that sleeping in the middle part that got to me and I haven't made a big deal of it since. I guess I realized I wouldn't have it forever and I was starting to miss it even before they left our bed.

However, I figured it was quite the accomplishment when our boys finally started sleeping through the night in their own beds and even going to bed in their own beds. About 3 or 4 years ago Damen pretty much stopped coming in to sleep with us but we still get Seth every now and again. I'd say about 2-3 times a month he will work his way into our bed and cuddle up. He now knows to just go to Steve's side and he will let him right in me on the other hand -- I send him back to his bed after a hug, or even 5 minutes of cuddling.

Railey on the other hand just comes on in. See Steve and I have this thing, it worked with Damen and Seth and now we do it with Railey and Kenna. I am in charge of Kenna during the night and Steve is in charge of Railey. We really have got to the point that we only hear the child we are in charge of. But things have started to change Steve isn't getting up with Railey any more she just comes and climbs in our bed right between us and goes to sleep. Steve says he trained her that way so he wouldn't have to get up and get her. So Railey is in with us about 4-5 times during the week and Kenna comes in for a little boob and then I usually go lay her back down when she's done, she sleeps better in her own bed still.

I will say though there are times I would love to have one good nights sleep, maybe someday I will but then I'll be old and probably have to get up to use the bathroom. But I do know that one of my favorite times of the day is when our kids come and get in bed with us first thing in the morning. Pretty much every Saturday they all come and cuddle. I LOVE it! But there is one we have been noticing that has been holding back lately. I guess Damen thinks he's getting too old for all of this and he will sit on our chair and look on almost admiring his younger siblings. We tell him to come and join us but he says, "No I'm fine." It makes me sad! But I can't force him to come join us But the other morning he made my day. He was awake before all the other kids and came into our room and just stood by the edge of the bed almost waiting for and invitation. So I invited him and he jumped in and cuddled up with Steve. We had a Steve sandwich going on. We talked with him about all sorts of things and I will say it was so nice to just have that time with him. We did let him know he can come cuddle anytime he wants. We'll see. Oh why do they have to grow up so fast why can't they just stay little, and continue to sleep in the middle where everything is safe and warm?