Dancing with Willow

I am finding mothering is a constant dance between two souls. Sometimes we trip on each other's toes, and sometimes it is a smooth flow. This week we have experienced a bit of both. Willow learned the sign for "nurse". It is amazing to have communication other than reading her body language. She is so proud too. She will sign "nurse", we will start nursing, she will stop and give me the sign again and a BIG smile. This is the flow; the easy step of seasoned dancers. Nighttime, however, has been one of those sloppy, toe stepping dances that two preteens perform at their first middle school dance. Willow has such staying power when it comes to falling asleep. She can stay organized in the face of some serious tiredness. For the past week she has not been able to fall asleep at night. Not that she struggles- she just nurses and nurses with her eyes open for a couple hours. As you know, we don't cry it out for all of the many well researched reasons (check some out here http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/cry-it-out-cio-is-it-harmful-or-helpful/) and I gratefully rock and nurse every night (and will until she grows into her next phase on her own). So I am left with the tools that I have in my mommy bag- my dance steps that Willow knows well. Nighttime sleep now comes by way of walking around the block while wearing Willow in the Mei Tai. She is no match for the Mei Tai- she is sleeping within minutes. It took me a couple weeks to realize that wearing her would be the way to achieve sleep, but this is the dance. Some dances are easily learned and others take much time to master. Therein lies the power of the partnership. Mothering is a partnership in which we both learn, we both grow, we both dance.

Diaper Hater

Willlow gets the most devious look on her face as she unzips the velcro of her diaper.

She much prefer to scoot around on her naked bottom.

This is Willow teasing me that she got her diaper off- VICTORY!! It is all good with me- until she is sitting in a puddle of pee:)

Family Fun at the Flame

Daddy hiked up and showed me the flame.

Looks like a good christmas card, huh?

Blessed Moment

One of those rare moments when you know all is right with life.

Fun in the Sun

Lovin' life in the hammock with Jolie!

I can climb my slide!

I try real hard to climb the slide.

I can go up the steps all by myself!

We Are Famous!!

Ok, so it is by means of a free magazine, but it is still cool. We were interviewed and photographed for an article on co-sleeping in WNY Family Magazine. You can get a copy for free at Wegmans or Tops. The article starts on page 18 and continues on page 66 (that is where our photo is). The author is a man who was a client of mine at the gym. We had discussed our kids many times and he emailed me a few weeks ago requesting an interview. I was more than excited to do it, as it makes me feel like an advocate for babies who want to be close to their mama and daddy.

So yes, we have a family bed. Willow safely sleeps next to me as she has since birth. There are many, many reasons why we co-sleep. First and foremost, my instinct tells me it is right. It is natural and comfortable. It has allowed us to respect Willow's natural sleep paterns and still meet our own sleep needs. Our family bed ensured Willow's biological rhythms were in check as an itty bitty baby. Research has shown that young infants who sleep near mom have less sleep apnea episodes and are more easily able to regulate heart patterns. Sleeping close to Willow also has made nursing at night a non-issue. When she needs to nurse, she does. Now that she is older I often do not even wake. Co-sleeping has helped us forge our bond and has been a big part of why we can so easily communicate. And seriously, who doesn't want to wake up next to a smiling, giggling baby every morning?

A bed is an intimate place, a place for love and trust, a place for family. Am I going to roll over on her? Well, I have never rolled over on the cat, David, or out of bed and with mama-radar I can say with 100% certainty that I will not. When will she move out? If I am lucky, never. But realistically, when she is ready. Each child is different, but when the tides of independence strike her she will find her way. What will happen when we have another baby? A California King- sized bed!