Moved and Lovin' It!

The moving went fairly easy over the weekend. Actually I dreaded it so much that I was grumpy for the first few hours, but after our first major load was done and I could see progress, I perked up. Our new neighbors helped carry our things up all our stairs. They are an amazing family, a divorced mom and 3 kids. Very friendly, very compassionate and just great people to be around. So, all of our things are here and we are slowly getting unpacked and it feels so good. I managed to paint the kitchen and two bedrooms last week, which has definitely made the move much easier. Now the kitchen and the upstairs bathroom are unpacked, Sam's room is mostly there and we're getting closer on our bedroom. There just isn't enough nap time! I hosted a playgroup today, even though we're still swimming in boxes. It was great fun, but what a difference from playgroups back in Kansas. The moms came around 10 am and only 2 stayed for a while, but by noon, everyone was gone! Only 2 hours of playing! Man, back in KS we'd have day long playgroups and they were great!! I did enjoy myself and so did Sam. He took a great nap this afternoon and allowed me to unpack more. After nap time we played in the yard and I trimmed up some rose bushes and we went up and down all of our stairs. Sam loves the stairs and loves climbing...and he is quite good too. We finally went inside for a while and I was reading while he played. He brought his baby to me and I pretended to nurse the baby, asking him if it was okay if I shared the milk with the baby. He laughed and thought it was great to see me nursing his baby. I burped the baby and handed it back to him telling him that the baby was full and was ready to play. He handed the baby back to me and said in actual words, "Mama, baby want..." and then he signed "more" and then "milk"! I couldn't believe it! So I nursed the baby some more and we played this game for a while, going back and forth. He amazes me! Tomorrow I am taking the neighbors kids and Sam to the Farmer's Market and it should be great fun!

Small Hands

We co-slept with Sam until he was about 6 months, when we began putting him to sleep in his room on a futon mattress on the floor. At some point in the night he would move into our bed, often before midnight, but if it was a good night, not until 2 or 3 a.m. The hour at which he moved into our bed gradually grew later and later into the morning hours. Some nights were better than others and some night he was never been in his bed, or I was never in my bed. In the last month (since the teething has seized), Sam has been waking only once at night and often NEVER moving into our bed. He has recently even slept all night without waking. Last night Matt put Sam to bed (a new and much needed development in our night time parenting) at 9:30 p.m. and he slept until 12:30 a.m. when I nursed him back to sleep in his bed. I returned to my bed thinking that he may sleep until morning. At 6:45 a.m. he woke and I brought him into bed with me. Matt has been going to work very early at this new job and often after 5 a.m. I have the bed to myself, so Sam was more than welcome this morning. I nursed him and after he lay there with his back to me and his little arm twisted around so his small hands could stroke my face and arm...just as reassurance that I was still there as he fell asleep. I LOVE these mornings! I love his small hands playing with my hair and touching my arms and face. I know I these days are limited and he will grow and eventually he won't be in our bed in the early morning hours. I will haver fewer and fewer moments like those I had this morning. I think too, that had we not chosen to co-sleep I would have never had these moments. This is a thank you to those moms in Manhattan, KS who showed me that attachment parenting and co-sleeping are wonderful ways to live, to nurture and to love your children. Your support has been immeasurable. For a great article on Attachment Parenting visit: http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/ap-frame-of-mind.html