pillow talk

Someone got up extra early this morning and was off to work before my alarm clock could jar my back molars loose with its repulsive electronic beeping.  A few minutes before the clock would wake me from blissful slumber, I became aware that my air supply was being shared with another.  Just as I ever so slightly stirred, Gracie licked my nose, then licked my eye.  I groaned and reached to turn off the alarm.   Her tail thumped the bed.  She had been laying there patiently waiting to greet me.   Sweet dog.  How can I not adore this creature who is so devoted to me?

Gracie

 

When Sarah was a baby, we lived together in a one-bedroom apartment.  We had my bed and her crib in the same room.  By the time she was too big for a crib, we moved into a two-bedroom apartment.  Perhaps it was because she was used to having me in the same room, but she preferred to sleep in my bed with me.  I always tucked her into her bed, but oftentimes by morning, she was in my bed.  Waking up with Gracie in my face this morning reminded me of times I woke up seeing Sarah’s big eyes an inch from mine.  She was almost always awake first, just waiting for me to wake up.  Those were good days though, especially on weekends when I didn’t have to jump up and get ready for work.  We’d lay there and talk…and what did a young 30s person talk about with a toddler?  I can’t remember, but it was nice.

 

Sleeping with little children is not easy.  Sarah used to have night terrors.  That’s a rude awakening for any parent who knows what those are like.  She would wake me up with screams that made me think somebody was in our house killing her.  I’d run into her room and find her standing on the bed or facing the wall, completely frantic.  It was like she couldn’t hear or see me, so I just pushed/pulled her back into bed, covered her up, and patted her until she went back to sleep.  Then I would go back to bed and usually lay awake for awhile….it was disturbing to me when that happened.

 

Erin and Emily crawled into bed with Someone and I fairly often, but they always had each other to sleep with, so when they came it was always the two of them.  They had separate cribs but shared a room and bed until just before kindergarten.   I remember once Emily said that sleeping with Erin was like sleeping with a starfish.  I always thought sleeping with Erin was like sleeping with a fish out of water; she flopped around all night long.

 

Someone claims I have dangerous elbows in my sleep, but I’m sure it’s partly due to my need to keep ownership of a pillow.  Someone is the worst pillow-snatcher ever.  He sleeps with four pillows and still insists on stealing mine most nights.  Perhaps one morning I will wake up and find him suffocated in all his pillows.  Perhaps mine will be the one that does the job.