On Happiness Being a Foot in the Face
Simon is my snuggler. He wants to hug and kiss and sit on my lap. If it had been possible, I swear that kid would have stayed in the womb for eternity.
Alli, on the other hand, likes the idea of snuggling, but not actually snuggling so much. She says "Mommy, can you snuggle with me? - But, you lay over there (2 feet away) and don't touch me." She really just wants me to lay down with her before bed, not to snuggle. Unlike her brother, Alli couldn't wait to get out into the world - she arrived 5 weeks early. Everything with Alli, is on her terms.
That's okay. My kids are different. I appreciate that about them and life would be boring if they were identical people.
I find it interesting though, that it is Alli that manages to find her way to my bed almost nightly. She starts off in hers, but about 2 or 3 AM, she's crawling into mine. And, she is no easy sleeper. She is frequently upside-down, moving all around, tearing covers off, and putting her feet in my face. All the while snoring like an old man five times her size.
Simon, conversely, sleeps completely still. Once he is asleep, he doesn't move. He is always cold, so he never feels the need to fling off his covers. And, he doesn't snore. But, he stays in his bed.
I encourage Alli to stay in her own bed all night, and I reward her when she does - I make a huge deal about it, so much so that I have even been known to give her cookies for breakfast. I don't, however, really mind losing sleep from a foot in the face.
As I start to get irritated that I cannot get back to sleep, I think about how easily I could have not had this - how easily she could have not had the option to sleep in my bed. If I hadn't recovered from my accident, I wouldn't be snuggling with Simon or dodging misplaced feet with Alli.
And, I know, too, that this will be gone in an instant. One day she'll stop needing to crawl into bed with me, and I will miss it. Trace Adkins hit the nail on the head with "You're Gonna Miss This".
One day, I am going to miss this. And for now, I'll remember how lucky I am not to have missed this.
Alli, on the other hand, likes the idea of snuggling, but not actually snuggling so much. She says "Mommy, can you snuggle with me? - But, you lay over there (2 feet away) and don't touch me." She really just wants me to lay down with her before bed, not to snuggle. Unlike her brother, Alli couldn't wait to get out into the world - she arrived 5 weeks early. Everything with Alli, is on her terms.
That's okay. My kids are different. I appreciate that about them and life would be boring if they were identical people.
I find it interesting though, that it is Alli that manages to find her way to my bed almost nightly. She starts off in hers, but about 2 or 3 AM, she's crawling into mine. And, she is no easy sleeper. She is frequently upside-down, moving all around, tearing covers off, and putting her feet in my face. All the while snoring like an old man five times her size.
This is a normal way to find Alli sleeping
Simon, conversely, sleeps completely still. Once he is asleep, he doesn't move. He is always cold, so he never feels the need to fling off his covers. And, he doesn't snore. But, he stays in his bed.
I encourage Alli to stay in her own bed all night, and I reward her when she does - I make a huge deal about it, so much so that I have even been known to give her cookies for breakfast. I don't, however, really mind losing sleep from a foot in the face.
As I start to get irritated that I cannot get back to sleep, I think about how easily I could have not had this - how easily she could have not had the option to sleep in my bed. If I hadn't recovered from my accident, I wouldn't be snuggling with Simon or dodging misplaced feet with Alli.
And, I know, too, that this will be gone in an instant. One day she'll stop needing to crawl into bed with me, and I will miss it. Trace Adkins hit the nail on the head with "You're Gonna Miss This".
One day, I am going to miss this. And for now, I'll remember how lucky I am not to have missed this.
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