rules of the bedroom

i’ve been missing my bed so i decided to write about our room.  

as the title might allude this post isn’t promiscuous at all.  in fact, it’s more about the mundane rituals we follow behind closed doors and the rules that we follow to keep our bedroom a tranquil yet functional space.   in our home these things work and for my husband and i they have become second nature.

1)      be realistic.  sure i’d love to have designer threads and even more pillows but, at the end of the day they’d be ruined by drool, paw prints, and spills. 

2)      eat in bed, only occasionally.  we don’t make a habit of eating in bed but will occasionally enjoy a weekend breakfast or cup of coffee from our room.  it’s extremely restful and a great way to wake up.  

 3)      make the bed - everyday.  we make our bed every morning and have for as long as we’ve been together.  even when i’m out before he wakes up cody makes sure the bed gets made.  it sets the tone for the day and makes coming home a bit more pleasant. 

4)      keep a blanket close.  not just the comforter or duvet but a blanket that invites a quick afternoon nap or additional cover on a chilly night. we have one at the foot of the bed in our room and our guest bedroom.

5) tidy up daily. our room is always picked up.  i love that my husband helps with this on mornings that i just can’t seem to get out of the house at a decent time. coming home to a clean bedroom (clear of dog toys and now, baby things) is always calming after a busy day at work or running errands.

6)  respect your sleep routine.  this isn’t referring to your wake and sleep cycle but, more about the way in which you go to sleep.  in our home cody always sleeps on my right side, he always turns off the lamp, and we always start close and then move to the edges.  on the weeknights the curtains are open and on the weekend they are closed.  when these things happen i’m instantly put to ease knowing all is right in my world.

7)  and finally, make it a point to always kiss goodnight and good morning!!  

a first halloween

seeing everyone’s halloween pictures reminds me that i now actually have a little one to enjoy this spooky holiday.  holidays in the NICU can be hard for parents, especially those with other children (or fur babies) since people under the age of 18 (and pets) aren’t allowed in the unit.  but with these challenges comes some incredibly compassionate support from others who have either experienced life in the NICU or have been touched by the recovery and release of a loved one. 

now, when i was told that i was going to have carson before halloween i half-jokingly said to the nurse and doctor ‘well, shoot! we didn’t get a halloween costume for the little guy.’  i love halloween and have always found joy in dressing up and passing out candy.  turns out i didn’t need to worry about carson’s first costume and halloween memories.  carson was thor this halloween.

as luck would have it a few prior NICU moms and nurses created several hero costumes, enough for all babies in the NICU (approximately 50+).  they took pictures, edited them all and provided copies to all of the parents.  cody picked the costume from a host of ‘heros’ and the message below was provided with our picture CD:

[these] adorable costumes for our super heros in the NICU were made because we truly believe that they are the strongest and most determined super heros. 

i couldn’t agree more!  life outside the womb is tough for a little one!  these women helped make carson’s first halloween a memorable one and later mommy and her frankenstiened baby read Room on the Broom.  

allie and chubbs celebrated the day too! 

best halloween of my life so far!