Meghan is sleeping in my bed tonight. This is only remarkable because it used to be so unremarkable. Bedtime. PJ's? Check. Drink of water? Check. Semi-good TV show? Check. Middle of the night sneak attack by Meghan? Check.
After many years (you think I'm kidding, but I am not!) of behavior modification, bribing, and finally resorting to elbowing her off the bed onto the floor, we finally broke her of sleeping in our bed. And for years after that, whenever the Man of the House was away, I refused to let her sleep in our bed for fear of raising the specter of a tousled whining toddler pulling on my pajama sleeve at 1:29 a.m. for the next three weeks after granting such a privilege.
Meghan and her "Stay in the Bed" story.
And yet... I find myself nodding at the words my mother said about 6 years ago: "Don't rush it. You'll miss this." At the time, I said to myself, "Self, there is no way I will miss this. What I miss is sleeping through the night."
Meg with her Pooh Blanket, Baby Jill, and her Cuppy, ready to institute a sneak attack as soon as her exhausted parents are safely into REM sleep.
Well, I still don't miss those toddler years of crying, night terrors, and baby drool in my hair. I don't miss having fleece sleeper clad 2 year old with a core temperature of 110ยบ turning my bed into sauna. And I don't miss waking up smelling faintly of baby pee from a pull-up that didn't do its job.
But I do miss little hands patting my back. And the non-pee toddler smell combo of Neutrogena Rainbath, fruity detangler, and lavender cream. And seeing a sweet little face with violet-tinted eyelids and long eyelashes peacefully sleeping on my pillow.
So she's sleeping in the big comfy bed tonight. And even though she now smells like Pantene, nail polish, and some god-awful gingerbread tween bodyspray, when I wake up in the morning, I will see her and her mane of dandelion fluff. And I will have my toddler girl back for a few quiet moments.
Shh...
You're not supposed to make me cry at work! I love you, MegsPegs!
ReplyDelete:) I got a little teary, too, looking at tiny Megmacaroni...
ReplyDeleteIt's the last line that gets me the most. I still have my toddler girl and lament the idea that she's growing up. But she is and soon he will too. Let's try to keep them small forever, shall we?
ReplyDeleteI remember getting a little 3 year old up every night to pee so she wouldn't wet the bed,hair all tossled in her face and still fast asleep,holding her on the pot and saying "Come on Liss,pee in the pot." And her able to follow the direction all the while mumbling "I don't have to". Our little girls are still there in our hearts with all the memories of childhoods past. Exquisite.
ReplyDeleteNow, I AM crying!
ReplyDelete