Our Sleeping Arrangements

I never did any reading about parenting or parenting styles before the kids were born.  Actually, I never read any parenting books at all.  But apparently what is happening in our house right now is what is known as "attachment parenting".

It all started innocently enough.  When Katelyn was sick or on the nights Daddy was working, she would sleep in our bed.  It was a nice treat for both of us.  A little while ago, we set up the guest bedroom in the basement again (moved all the junk into my old office/work room) so that Mike would have somewhere quiet to sleep during the day when he was working nights.  Over time, it got to be that  Katelyn was sleeping in our bed even on nights when Daddy was home.  Then she brought her pillows onto our bed.  And moved her toothbrush into my bathroom.  She even asked for some closet space for her clothes, but I drew the line at that.

So for the last three months, it's been K and I sleeping in the same bed, Andrew in his little Cars bed on the other side of the bedroom.  I have to admit, as much as I miss cuddling with Mike, I love sleeping with both of my babies in the same room.  On many nights, I climb into bed with Katelyn (on nights she didn't have school the next day or weekends, she would stay up until 9:30).  On nights when she goes to bed at 8:00, I lay with her until she and Andrew are both asleep.

There's something so calming about watching another person fall asleep.  I stroke K's hair or rub her forehead until she's lights out.  Her eyes gently opening and closing, completely relaxed.  At the lake, Andrew gets that same treatment.  We sleep in a room with two twin beds.  Katelyn sleeps in one, Andrew and I in the other (until Andrew is asleep and then I move him into the playpen).

Some people might find it odd that Mike and I don't share a bed anymore.  But I know this isn't a forever thing…Katelyn will move back to her own bed and not need me to lay down with her to fall asleep.  Andrew will grow out of his toddler bed and move into his own bedroom and not sleep in our room anymore (he's slept there since the day he was born!). For now, I'll just enjoy having both of my babies close by.

And so it goes…

Her pillows, her bedding, her dream catcher, my teddy bear