Sleep Wanderer

Teagan is my wandering sleeper. She doesn’t sleep walk but occasionally she will find another spot to sleep, other than her bed. I’ve found her under Kaitlyn’s bed. She likes to sleep in the recliner or on the couch. And once we found her down the hall in front of our bedroom door. This child has always had issues with a bed. As an infant on those really exhausting nights Hubby or I would lay with her in our bed and just pray she would fall asleep. Not once did she sleep in our bed. She would sleep with us if we were on the couch but I didn’t get much sleep as I was too afraid of rolling over on her or off the couch.

The other night Hubby and I were chatting a little in bed before turning out the lights. When I heard a bed squeak down the hallway. The squeaky bed is Teagan’s. This is a nice alarm system when little bear tries to sneak out of bed to play.

So after the squeak I hear little feet running straight for our room. Then a jump and in-between Hubby and I was the cutest little girl who was so excited to be up and in bed with us. She said a few nonconsensual things in a whisper followed by a soft giggle.

“Do you want to sleep with us?”

A huge smile lit her face and she nodded yes.

She put her head on my pillow and we all snuggled in to go to sleep.

At this moment of smelling her hair and holding her little body all burrowed in sheets I got sad.

Even though I look for a job every single day I am lucky to be a SAHM and enjoy watching my girls developing and turning into little people. Every day I am in amazement at their intelligence and exuberance. I marvel at how quickly they learn things and how fiercely independent they want to be.

Yet at that this moment I saw my little girl in the future as a teenager. Going off with her friends, being involved in sports and groups and having little time for her old Mom. This is what children do. They grow up, become independent and dance to their own tune.

So I squeezed her tighter and wished she would stay my Tea-Bear forever. As if foreshadowing in real life she mumbled something to me and got up and went to her own bed.

I have tried very hard to appreciate my girls everyday but realize that I will still miss this time and times to come. That’s why memories are sweet.