A little, big girl bed

Three weeks now.  In your big girl bed.  Well, your little bed.  Which is what you insist on calling it.  Because Mama and Daddy have a big bed, and obviously your bed is not as big.  Hence, you’re so proud of sleeping in your little, big girl bed.

We take turns lying down with you each night, usually for 10 to 15 minutes.  I love it.  You’re giddy.  Like your very own slumber party every night.  You snuggle and pat my neck.  You talk to yourself, random thoughts and words and names.  I struggle to stifle a laugh.  You whisper, ‘hey mama’, in your giggle, sing-song voice, and reach out in the darkness trying to find my face where you cup my cheek with your hand.  

When I gently remind you that it’s time to go to sleep, you direct your attention to your unborn sibling.  You hug and kiss my belly, resting your head on the swell.  I once again have to intervene when you begin trying to tickle the baby, squealing, ‘tickletickletickle!’.  You don’t object.  You just settle back on your pillow, one more pat on my arm to confirm my presence, and I hear your breath become louder, heavier, slower.  I roll off the side and tiptoe out to the hallway, trying to avoid the squeakiest floor boards.

The first two weeks we would usually get a visit in the early morning hours.  A little hand reaching over the bed, a little voice asking, ‘mama, daddy, big bed, big bed?’  We take you back to your room for the remaining few hours.  Explaining that the moon is still out, which tells us it’s still time to sleep.  But even that no longer happens.  You are back to sleeping through the night.

 

I've become just as anxious for daylight as you are.  No more waking to cries for freedom and removal from your crib.  Just a pitter patter and a ‘hey mama!’ 

Not a bad way to wake.

*a special thanks to Nana for coming to help with the finger painting wall art and the stars on the wall, Lucy refers daily to Nana's stars :) * 

And just like that, another glance over our shoulders at our first baby and one more nod in the direction of this amazing little girl you're becoming.