Family Bed

Some of my happiest childhood memories are of my family piled in my parents' bed snuggling. My mom and dad had one of those big 80's style beds with a giant headboard attached that had a huge wall unit of mirror, shelves, drawers, etc. It was a mammoth in their bedroom. As often as I could, I would crawl in bed with my mom after my early rising father would get up. She and I would snuggle and love each other until eventually my sleepy head brother would come and join us. Inevitably, my dad would come in and sit on the edge of the bed with us and usually call up our collie, Chevy. Dad would make a big dramatic show of faking to hit one of us so that Chevy would get protective and bark (don't mess with his kids--that dog loved us!) and we would all break into peals of laughter.

When I became a mother, I dreamed of the day my children would start this with me.

Maggie has been crawling in bed with me for years. I don't like to sleep with Maggie because she is all over that bed. Not exactly comfortable to sleep with a foot in my face or an elbow in my ribs, but I LOVE our snuggles in the morning. But, it still wasn't exactly what I remembered. Something was missing.

What I have come to realize is that KATIE is what was missing.
Katie has been the best thing to happen to our family in such a long time. She completes us. In the past few weeks, I have found that joy--Katie and Maggie and peals of laughter in my bed. Andrew will sit on the edge or get up (once he's up he doesn't like to lie around much) and the girls snuggle and giggle at each other. Katie has found her feet recently and spends lots of time holding her toes. Maggie loves to entertain Katie. She sings, makes faces, and blows raspberries on her belly. I lie there and smile with my heart bursting with joy. I could spend hours in bed snuggling my girls and seeing their smiles. The only thing missing is Brandy, who was banished from getting on our bed after we got a new comforter, free of dog smell. I like having my good smelling comforter, but I do miss my dog in the bed sometimes.

I hope that one day my children will remember the love and the snuggles and our time all together as fondly and lovingly as I do.