Friday, July 9, 2010

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.

8 comments:

Mommarazzi said...

How sweet! I love snuggling my boys in our bed too.

Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry said...

They will most definitely remember.

LOVE THIS.

Anonymous said...

This brings back such wonderful memories, Jen. I cherish those memories of our morning snuggles and now I get to enjoy it with my beautiful granddaughters!

Love ya,
Mom

Myshel said...

morning snuggle time is also one of MY favorite times... as well as family movie night, where we all get jammies on and crawl into bed for a movie, then we carry the kids (pretending to be asleep) to their beds after the movie is over. The other family fav. we have is Highs and Lows at dinner. I pick someone to start, we say what was our highs and lows of the day, then you get to pick who goes next... Our 5 yr old has FINALLY figured out the difference between what a high and a low is.

Lisa L said...

This morning I snuggled in bed with my 20yo dtr on one side and hubby on the other watching the soccer finals..love it :)

Lyndsay said...

Morning snuggles are the BEST!
(and what is with husbands who need to get up right away?! Mine is the same.)

Ashley said...

This post brought an instant smile to my face. I love laying in bed with my kids - all 4 of them - for morning snuggles. There is nothing better on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

. said...

Another lover of morning snuggles... even though evenings are good too! We love snuggling so much, the kids sleep with us... elbow in the ribs and all! LOL
Laura