Snuggle Naps

Nell is not the best snuggle napper. It bums me out. I LOVE curling a baby up on my shoulder while they sleep. So peaceful. But Nell just fusses, she prefers laying in the crib and sucking her thumb.

So imagine how thrilled I am when this happens.

Here's how it happens: they are both asleep in their own beds, and Nell starts fussing. I panic that she'll wake Reid up and run into her room to try and shush her. But ... the damage is already done and Reid is running full speed to his door. He finds us snuggling in the chair and quickly crawls onto my lap. We rock ourselves into a blissful sleep.

It is pure joy!

 The first time it happened was Thanksgiving 2012. I remember all the words to "Because I Have Been Given Much" just racing through my head as I pondered on the blessings of my overflowing cup. It was one of the most tender and spiritual moments of my motherhood days.

Thankfully this little blessing occurred about once a week from Thanksgiving to mid-January. But the moments stopped being so spiritual and tender when Nell would refuse to go back to sleep, or Reid would be snuggled up so close I'd get a kink in my neck, or (and I'm kind of proud of this) Nell would need to eat and I'd give her a full feeding while keeping Reid asleep. That last one happened several times -- motherhood is all about multi-tasking -- and offering your body like a sacrificial lamb.

As uncomfortable as some of our last few snuggle naps have been, I'm kind of bummed their days seem to be over. All good things come to an end.