Friday 27 April 2012

For me to sleep, I need you



 
It was 4.55am according to my smartphone, and breaking the sound of sleep was a little voice screaming "Mummy cuddles in da bed." It was said with force. This little hurricane meant business. No more sleeping could happen til cuddles happened {in the bed}. I heard it in her voice: For me to sleep, I need you.

So in my hazy half-awake state I called out for "cuddles in mummy's bed". And with a pitter-patter thump tug scramble jump thud little miss two landed in the middle of the bed bringing with her two dummies and a baby doll.

My sleepy eyes saw her little head rest on the pillow with a wide smile that closed quickly to keep dummy safe. Then a little arm was thrown around her daddy's neck as she drew him closer, nose-to-nose {because they're the best cuddles}. And then another little arm outstretched, and I felt a little hand close around and twist inside mine. And then a muffled whisper, "I'm happy, I sleep".

And just as I drifted back to sleep, I heard a gurgle, murmur, coo and stretch from the bassinet beside me. I begged sleep to draw me back in, and my baby to resettle herself. And then goo, ga, gurgle, sneeze, stretch. I lifted my head up from the pillow and looked eye-to-eye at a smiling tummy-lying bubba with a cheeky grin. Apparently {in sync with her big sister} cuddles in the bed were needed here too.

Twenty minutes later sleep did arrive, for all four of us {cuddling in the bed}.

This morning I fell back to sleep to the rhythm of two little girls breathing softly, to the touch of two little hands curled into mine, and to the warmth of the three people I love and adore most in the world.

Elisa xx

{Sometimes I get frustrated by the bed-time charade at our place, but this week I remembered there will come a time when my babies don't need me to cuddle them before sleep. So today I'm feeling extra grateful for cuddles in the bed, and two little girls who won't go to sleep without them.}

{Linking with Kidspot's 52 Weeks of Grateful, hosted by Maxabella Loves.}


What are you most grateful for this week?

11 comments:

  1. I have a middle of the night snuggler , it used to be his brother .
    I secretly don't mind it . I hope you get enough sleep while you cherish the sleepless cuddles.

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  2. I dance between resentment, full on adoration and despair that it will end all to soon with regards to the night time cuddle sneaks
    xx

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  3. @Trish - That's beautiful, and yes it sure is a fine balance between cherishing the cuddles and getting actual sleep :) xx

    @Ally - I know exactly what you mean xx

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  4. I probably love the midnight cuddles as much as my daughter does (my son has grown out of them and nothing can wake him up until the morning), but.. I think I'd love them much more if I could convince her to make her own way to our bed, instead of me going to her one.

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  5. Early this morning as my daughter slumbered beside me and I tried in vain to get back to sleep, she smiled and giggled in her sleep, it was so cute. Certainly a very precious time and something to be grateful for.

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  6. Early this morning as my daughter slumbered beside me and I tried in vain to get back to sleep, she smiled and giggled in her sleep, it was so cute. Certainly a very precious time and something to be grateful for.

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  7. I love this ... my miss 4 comes into our bed almost every night still for cuddles... I cherish these everyday, so soon they pass... Mr 8 is happy to stay in his bed now and read. Only sometimes do I get the call of "mummy..." in the middle of the night. Love it and remember it.

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  8. Oh! This makes me too, too clucky. I have just the one pair of little feet pitter pattering to our bed (although more often demanding a Mummy Crane to carry her!). To look up and see a tummy-lying cheeky baby grin would be a blessing. Maybe one day.

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  9. Oh Elisa, that's so gorgeous! Doesn't make me clucky though, the thought of little ones in MY bed {again} sends terror shocks to my brain. ;-) But I love reading about yours. Cheers

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  10. That was so lovely, Elisa.

    I am the same. As much as it pains me to admit it, I quite like it when my 'babies' are all the same room / bed with us. I sleep best when they're closest too. x

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  11. Thank you all! I do like that so many of us "secretly" love the midnight cuddles! xx

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Thank you for your words and support. I'm so glad you stopped by xx