The Bubble

So.....sleep at our house has always been really, really important to Scott and to me. Especially me....I just don't function well on no sleep...ask anyone who had any contact with me Avery's first 7 months of life! She was up almost every hour usually wanting to nurse. When my the doctor said I should just sleep when she sleeps I kindly informed him I had a 2 and 3 year old who weren't real inclined to care for themselves throughout the day. Anyway that's a whole other post...but let's just say we got her to sleep through the night but she actually still isn't the best sleeper.

If things are crazy or we are travelling or even if someone is visiting it effects her sleep. There have been nights where she has been awake for 2-4 hours in the middle of the night. Yeh...doesn't bring out the loving mother in me let me tell you. Well add little Alex to the mix.....apparently he slept great in Haiti but we've only had a handful of nights where he's slept all night here. He wakes up a couple times crying, screaming, and bouncing around. We get him calmed down quickly but the interuption to sleep is so hard (on Scott and me...and Scott's usually the one to deal with it)!! You prayers out there...if you think about it could you pray for solid, consistent sleep around here? Thanks!

For the first 6 months he slept with us. He was the first child to have this privilege! Besides the first 2 months of life where we let our babies sleep with us (honestly it was easier to roll over and nurse than to get up, walk down a hall, find a chair, nurse, and then try and fall back to sleep.) But with everything we read and all that adoptive friends told us we knew co-sleeping would really help our attachment process with Alex. We had 3 years of snuggling to make up for!!

But after about 6 months I was done....needed some space. They don't nap so I am on duty from the time they get up until they go to bed. I really needed night time to be my and Scott time. Do any of you watch Parenthood? I LOVE it. In fact there's a little boy a lot like Avery on there...so much to the point that Scott and I have cried watching it! Last week though the issue of kids in bed was addressed and the mom explained to the little girl that mommies and daddies in love is like a bubble. The bubble is only so big and if a little person gets in the bubble too much it could pop. It was said better on the show but I loved the analogy and it made me feel better about standing firm on not letting kids in our bed.

Avery would LOVE to crawl in bed with us during the night when she wakes up but we haven't allowed it. With 4 kids they'd probably all want to if we let one and besides....we need a break at night! Just us...not judging you parents who co-sleep and can handle it!! Anyway one of our great solutions was figured out by Avery and Alex. They share a room but now on hard nights a bed! They seem to really like the safe, cozy feeling of being together and I love it because I get to cuddle just with Scott! In fact here's Avery's quote yesterday: "I like Alex as my brother. It's a good thing he is, because I was scared sleeping alone at night and now I have him. And Fishie, (the lizard) and my fishes too!" To which Alex responded, "I like Avery too. And I like bed. I am fast asleep." LOVE my twins!!!