A Sleep Tight Basket

There is something so precious, so memorable, so comforting about waking up in the morning with little ones snuggled around you. We didn't set out to have our girls sleeping with us all the time, and they do actually sleep in their beds--some of the time anyway--but our little ones were ending up in our bed every night. Both of our girls have loved having Mommy nearby as they slept during their baby stages, and I have cherished that time dearly. And their daddy is an undeniable favorite for our oldest when it comes to snuggling, so with that being said, it was clear that our family was outgrowing our bed!

As much as we love their endearing snuggles, however, I do think it is important for children to learn to sleep by themselves, and I need some time with that sweet husband of mine too! Since our youngest is 15 months, she's still clinging close to Mommy at nighttime. But our oldest, who is 3, was calling for us halfway through each night. Sometimes she would seem visibly upset during the nighttime hours, and I just could not bear the thought of requiring her to stay in her bed if she was having night terrors. So we came up with a solution: The Sleep Tight Basket! As you can imagine, our Easter basket was still fresh, and plastic eggs were still gracing our pantry shortly after the Easter holiday, so they made for great surprises in the morning. I filled each egg with some sweet treats to be found when she wakes up, and if she can stay in her bed until the sun comes up, she is able to select an egg from the basket. She immediately took to this, and though we've had to refresh the idea a few times, it has still been successful. She has takent the initiative to carefully ensure that it is okay to come into our bed after the sun rises, lest she should lose out on a precious treat! And now it is surely a win-win: Daddy and Mommy get a restful night (most of the time!) while still getting to snuggle with our babies for a short while before getting up!

Music Corner

I love to start the day with something new and fun for the girls, so I was excited to set up a musical corner in our kitchen for a few days. Our new recorder was a definite hit, and the harmonica and kazoo from The Dollar Tree were also lots of fun. And I must pass on the information about this recorder because... are you ready? It came with several music books full of Disney music, including our beloved princess selections. And, of course, some of the more traditional musical selections were included as well. We're currently working on getting our fingers in the right placement for the tones. And on that note, thank you to my dear mom, who when I shared the news of our new recorder, reminded me of my early years, when she remembered attending my recorder concerts... now that's a great mom for you!