Changing Rhythms

rose

garden

eggs

abandoned shoe

kitty

The beauty of life is that it is fluid, always changing and evolving. Each new season brings changes. Up until a month ago, Baya would find her way into our bed every night without fail. She’d happily start off in her own bed, but would come through some nights after an hour, some nights after five. I love co-sleeping. Nothing makes me happier than cuddling up to a little body in the early hours of the morning. At five, however, she’s getting too big to fit in the bed with us both comfortably. What is it about kiddos and sleeping like a starfish?! Papa and I would be clinging to the edges of the bed while she spread her limbs all over. Add that to the fact that she gets crazily hot in the night and would be kicking the duvet off while we were pulling it back up meant no-one got a good nights sleep.

The time had come to transition her out of sleeping with us, and into full nights in her own bed. Making space in our bed. Bar a couple of nights, she’s slept each night in her own bed for the past month. Occasionally she’ll come through in the middle of the night, where I’ll take her back and tuck her back in and press play on the audio book again.

The other side to having a child free bed seems to be early mornings! She’s been waking between six and six-thirty each morning and coming for a snuggle. Some days she brings the kitten up to play [what a great way to wake up with a kitten biting my toes!]. Other days, she’ll snuggle back down and go to sleep again, leaving me wide awake!

The first few weeks were tough. My body was in the habit of late nights reading and later mornings. I resisted for a while, but the past week I’ve been embracing these early mornings. Sneaking quietly out of bed, tip-toeing downstairs. Making tea and curling up on the sofa with a book for half an hour. Feeding animals, hanging washing out, and enjoying the early morning peace in my garden. In a house that’s always full of noise, children, games and laughter, this small pocket of time to myself first thing feels like heaven. I’m a happier Mama when I have this time to myself, when I get to wake up slowly before being met with a million demands.

And it also means that come ten o’clock I’m more than ready to collapse into my bed each night!

23 Comments

  1. Sarah Ebner

    June 18, 2014 at 12:34

    What a lovely blog post – and gorgeous pics. Very impressed you are embracing and using the early mornings. I’ve never found that easy to do!

  2. Mummy of Two

    June 18, 2014 at 15:09

    Lovely photos. It sounds like your daughter is adjusting to the new routine really well. It is always nice to be able to enjoy those early mornings too.

  3. Jen aka The Mad House

    June 18, 2014 at 16:10

    Lovely post and lovely to find someone who had a older child that still co sleeps. Mini turns eight next week and he still comes in with us, He always starts in his own bed. I make the most of every day.

    1. Polly

      June 18, 2014 at 16:48

      Thankyou Jen – some people find it really weird that I was happy for my five year old to sleep in my bed! I’ve had some funny looks and rude comments!

  4. The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover

    June 18, 2014 at 16:12

    It is nice to have a snuggle though isn’t it ;)

    Great photos

  5. You Baby Me Mummy

    June 18, 2014 at 17:29

    Baby never sleeps past 6.45am if we are lucky, sometimes she decides 5am is time for the day to start. Lovely pictures x

  6. Kate Thompson

    June 18, 2014 at 17:37

    Awwwww!!! That kitty photo is so gorgeous! :) We used to co-sleep when it suited us or them too.

  7. Victoria Mylittlel

    June 18, 2014 at 18:51

    great pictures, i guess i have all this to come

  8. Angela Spicer

    June 18, 2014 at 19:29

    I love that quiet time in the morning when no-one else is awake.

  9. LearnerMother

    June 18, 2014 at 19:54

    You’re right that each new stage brings with it its own loveliness! Glad the transition has been so easy – and hope you enjoy your early mornings – it’s such a lovely part of the day!

  10. Jess @ Along Came Cherry

    June 18, 2014 at 20:10

    I really wish I could appreciate nights when Cherry comes into our bed but it just means none of us get any sleep! She usually starts kicking us and talking to herself so we end up carting her back, I know I will miss it one day though! x

  11. Keri-Anne

    June 18, 2014 at 22:18

    We used to have the same with both the girls as we co-slept also. I wish i was a morning person and could get up early and get stuff done but i would be wanting to go back to bed come lunchtime! x

  12. Carolynne @ Mummy Endeavours

    June 19, 2014 at 00:13

    Ah lovely post. I love sleep and my bed. I love it when the OH has left early for work and one of my twins (or both) get into bed with me. I could stay there all day cuddling them! Can’t be dealing with co-sleeping anymore though, it’s just too damn hot and uncomfortable! Early morning peace sounds nice x

  13. Louisa

    June 19, 2014 at 18:05

    I really wish that I was a morning person. It would be lovely to be able to get up and great the day with a smile, not so for me, I am really grumpy! Fran still sleeps with us sometimes and she is like an octopus. The other night she slept with her feet across my neck. It didn’t make for a restful night x

  14. Fritha

    June 19, 2014 at 19:12

    I’m more of a morning person (which is lucky at Wilf is very much a morning person!) glad you’ve got your bed back though and can hopefully get a better nights sleep! x

  15. Laura

    June 20, 2014 at 01:42

    I know just what you mean about sleeping like a starfish – out little one comes in 3 out of 7 nights and takes up way more space than i do, but oh well I love the mornings when he is there.

    Laura x

  16. Adele @ Circus Queen

    June 20, 2014 at 13:50

    That time to ourselves makes such a difference, doesn’t it? I find myself getting so impatient when I’ve not had it. This post was such a lovely one to read I love the sound of your children, animals and washing! :)

  17. Lori

    June 20, 2014 at 16:55

    It’s so lovely to hear that you love to co-sleep, I have always had an up down relationship of co sleeping depending how tired I am, but there’s nothing like cuddling up to F when Paul is away. Good luck in getting Baya to have a lie in, we still haven’t quite cracked that one! X

  18. Becky Brown

    June 20, 2014 at 18:33

    I’m so rubbish in the mornings I wish I could get myself out of bed earlier. I love lazy mornings with the family and in September when both my boys go to school it will be wierd having mornings to myself. I should go to bed earlier to encourage an earlier start but it’s so hard with these long summer evenings!

  19. abigail

    June 21, 2014 at 08:13

    I always tell myself that I need to get up earlier and make the most of the peace, but it never quite happens! Like the new look of the blog too (sorry if I’m late in the game to notice!)

  20. Healthier Mummy

    June 21, 2014 at 18:27

    Lovely pics, and I totally agree with you about early mornings. I often use the time to work, but it’s great having that peace and quiet to get your head together before the mayhem of the day.

  21. Monika aka Mumonthebrink

    June 24, 2014 at 19:50

    Your morning sounds blissful. I’m woken by the light and then resist going down, tossing and turning in bed instead. I should probably take a leaf out of your book and do the same as you.

  22. Globalmouse

    June 28, 2014 at 16:48

    Love your photos. I love the idea of going to bed earlier and getting up early but I can never do it. For me it’s always late nights – much later than they should be – followed by bleary eyed mornings!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.