Is There Anything More Heart-Melting...

... than a sleeping child? Sweet dreams!

Bed Buddy

Oh, how we have been all girly and cuddly the last week when Daddy has been off on his little soccer-holiday! I am talking popcorn and Mickey Mouse on the TV, lunches out, cupcake-baking, hot chocolate for breakfast and last, but not least, the most snuggly lovely nights, where Nahla has been sleeping in Mummy's "big-bed" for the whole week!

And; for all you people so obsessed with either one end or the other of the "where does your baby sleep" debate, I just don't get it. Seriously. Nahla sleeps in her own cot-bed in her own room 9 nights of of 10. Has since we moved her cot in from our room when she was 1-ish. But some nights she is unsettled and I let her sleep in our bed. Other nights Nahla and Daddy have cuddle-time and Mummy sneaks off to the single bed in Nahla's room. Some nights she comes in to our bed and we lift her back again when she is asleep again.

I have never understood why it has to be one way or the other, why not just do whatever makes life easier - and what is best for your family? I LOVE sleeping next to my sleeping toddler - it is hands down the most lovely, amazing, bursting-with-love feeling in the world. And they are small for such a short short time, so I feel like it is the most precious thing. But I also love our freedom, our space in bed and her sleeping soundly in her own room.
When I fed Nahla myself until she was 7-8 months she mostly slept in our bed every night. It meant I could feed her easily without having to get out of bed, it was super-cosy and it meant that I NEVER had a single sleepless night since she was born - in fact, we have never had a sleepless night ever since having her. And partly I put that down to never stressing about anything. Because if it one thing I firmly believe, it is that stressed out parents makes for stressed out babies. So what if she sleeps in our bed one night? We just cherish it, because we know that 1: Tomorrow night she more than likely will be in her own bed again, and 2: In a couple of short little years she won't want to bunk in with Mummy and Daddy anymore.

I just have never gotten what all the stress is about when it comes to having babies. Like people fussing about traveling with kids. I have been on more than 150 flights with Nahla, mostly by myself, and sure my handbag is a little heavier with the extra little bits you need to bring, but so what? City-breaks with toddlers? Easy peasy. Beach-holidays? A bliss. Shopping trips into town? No worries. BF and I decided already when we were pregnant that we were not going to completely stop doing the things we love just because we now are going to be parents, and I think we have found a balance that works just right.

The amazing midwife who delivered Nahla told us to remember one thing the day we brought her home: That she had come in to our lives and should fit into it, not us trying to change ourselves to fit into hers. And so we did just that.

And as for Daddy arriving back home again tonight: I am excited about sharing a bed with just him again too!

Staying Up Late...

... is probably not too smart as we have an early start in the morning. But very excited tots are hard to get to bed, as all parents know! But 8.54 PM she was out for the count, and this mama could start the packing frenzy! Kisses!

Super Concentrated...

... and veery tired munchkin was allowed to snuggle up with Mummy for a bit and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in her PJ's before bedtime tonight. We HEART cuddle-before-bed-time!

Mickey Mouse...

... is just the best for lovely morning cuddles!

A Chai Latte...

... to kick-start me this morning was much needed. Nahla - who decided at 03.27 this morning that she really wanted to come into Mummy's bed and then have a little sing-song - had absolutely no symphaty that this mama had to get up at 07.05 to go to work. Result? Yawn.....

Scary Munchkin...

... was less scary and more in flying form when she got up at 9.17 this morning. Oh, those sacred lie-ins! It should be mentioned that she was so excited after our trip that she did not fall asleep till after 10.30 last night. But still, I might tolerate that every now and again if she sleeps in like that!

This Is What...

... a Mummy and Daughter snap shot looks like when it is way past baby's bedtime and Mummy has her face covered in Dermalogica Multi Vitamin Power Mask! Oh, the joys!

It's A Hard Knock Life

Little Nahla - having been up way before the rest of the world this morning - was in dire need of a very early nap - 08.59 A.M. to be precise. And as you can see; one bottle and she was out!

If I Just Play Quietly Here....

.... maybe Mummy will forget that it is after my bedtime now.... la-la-la, I'm being sooo quiet and good....

Tired Mummy

Last night was the first night SINCE NAHLA WAS BORN that we had a proper restless night. My little muffin tossed and turned and tossed some more. Cried a bit. Drank a bottle of milk. Came up into my bed in the hope that this would make her sleep properly. But she was like a worm, squirming her way under the pillows, over the pillows, she was on my head, under my head and in general just all over the bed. Until FINALLY, at 4.37 (I know because I checked my iPhone around 6 million times as I was worried it was approaching morning time and getting-up-for-work time!), she fell asleep. OH MY GOD. How do people do it who have babies that are up every night?! I - despite the fact that I generally can manage on 6 hours a night - would be more dead than alive. Like I am tonight. When all I can manage is Juicy bottoms, Clipper green tea, an Estée Lauder face mask (seriously, my skin needed a pick-me-up after such a debacle!) and an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Next in line; BED!

Every Night Before Bed...

... we spend a fair few minutes just messing in Mummy and Daddy's bed- just because it is so much fun!

When Nahla Doesn't Want To Go To Bed...

... she just tries to frighten Mummy off with some really scary faces! And then Mummy laughs so hard that bedtime is pushed back another few minutes. Nahla: 2, Mummy: 0!

Sweet Dreams, Lovelies

Some nights- I must admit- I sometimes stop by Nahla's cot on my way to bed, lift her up, all warm and sleeping and beautiful, and bring her with me to my bed. And going to sleep with my little precious baby girl all snuggled up next to me, I thank all my lucky stars for having been so incredibly blessed! Good night, my loves, and the sweetest of dreams!

It Was Way Past Her Bedtime...

... but Nahla seemed all too aware that it was Saturday night and looked at me as if to say "Mummy, let's stay up and watch a film and eat chocolate together!" Two hours it took, of cuddles, persuasion, running in and out of her room to re-press the musical sheep, more cuddles, me having a fit of the giggles when looking in at her and instead of sleeping she just sat bolt upright in her cot, staring out to see what was up, some singing, more sheep re-setting and then finally, sleep! My sneaky little munchkin, so cute she melts my heart!

Mummy Lesson Learned Today

Or crazy early this morning would probably be closer to the truth, to be honest as Nahla was wide awake and chatting away at 06.14 A.M. Last night, as an attempt to get her to sleep a little longer this morning, my little munchkin stayed up till a quarter past eight- a full 45 minutes later than her usual bedtime. Which- off course- backfired in a spectacular way, causing her not only to be up at the break of dawn this morning, but to also be awake at least twice during the night. I say twice as those were the times I tended to her, at which point I was so out of it that if she was awake more, BF must have taken care of business- in a very quiet way as well at that, bless him. Note to self: NOT A GOOD IDEA keeping baby up at night- they'll get their revenge in the most horrific way!

(Photo Credit from here)

Good Night...

... Sleep Tight, Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite. Night has fallen here in the North of Norway- despite the midnight sun making its best efforts to keep the sky bright. As princess is fast asleep in her (my old) bed, this very tired Mummy is going to find hers. Everyday Luxury? Bedlinens from Gant, at least four or five pillows, soft soft sheets and a stack of glossy magazines on my bedside table!

Heat Wave Go Away!

For someone who LOVES summer, this might seem like a rather odd statement indeed. And words I really never thought would come out of my mouth. I mean, stretched out on a beach in Thailand, with the temperature approaching 40 C, I though "this is the life" and curled my toes into the hot sand. In Greece in the month of July, as the air stood still and the sweat was running down my lovely tanned legs, I couldn't have been happier. Or more in my element. That was until I had a baby. And realized a few things. Like how babies really really do not like super-hot weather. How it makes them wingy, and clingy and just generally uncomfortable. And unable to sleep, eat properly and really; act like their normal happy selves. Poor little Nahla is not a happy camper in this current heat wave swiping southern Scandinavia. Even today, while out and about, she cannot seem to get comfortable enough to sleep, even though all she was wearing was a little short-sleeved babygro. And normally, she sleeps so well in her Bugaboo- loves the snug-ness and the motion and the fresh air. But not today. And this evening too, the heat in the apartment was bugging her. She tossed and turned in her cot, woke up several times, cried, tossed and turned some more. Got up again because she was then wide awake, then cried and cried and cried because really, all she wanted to do was sleep. My poor little cupcake. She finally fell asleep properly at around 10.30 P.M- utterly exhausted. And as a consequence, so am I. All I want to do is go to bed, and yet I find myself just trying to get things done around the house that needs doing. Laundry. Dishes, Dusting. Bills to be paid. Post sorted out. Toys tidied up. Lucky I bought that new make-up indeed- or this Mummy would have been more slummy than yummy in the morning!

The Upside...

... to princess going to bed late, is the joy of us both sleeping till 9 A.M... Bliss!

Being Scared

I know I am not alone in this. It is probably the one thing every new- and well seasoned- parent worry about the most. Cot Death. Or SIDS; Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It is like someone is knocking the air out of me just thinking about it. Or writing the words. I can not IMAGINE how all-consumingly awful and horrific having this happen to you must be. And my heart bleeds for every parent who have lost a child or children to this unexplanatory "disease". I mean; I am so out of this world, head over heels in love with my daughter, so consumed by her, that if anything was to ever happen to her, I really don't think I would survive it. I wonder how people do; it must be the most horrific scenario ever imaginable.

I remember the first night, when we had Nahla home from hospital, putting her in her little moses basket. I think I sat next to her just making sure her little chest was rising and falling until she eventually woke again. And this happened more often than not. I just could not tear myself away, found that the only way I was able to get some sleep myself, was having her next to me in bed. Somehow it made me feel safer, like she was protected, all tucked up next to her mummy. And while I know there is no explanation for cot death, I have read enough to know there are certain factors that might play a part, and have ensured every single one of those possible links have been eliminated.

1. Keep the room-temperature down, around 18 degrees C is ideal.
2. Don't smoke. Neither myself nor BF are smoker. so that one was a no brainer.
3. Placing the baby on her back. Done.
4. Placing the baby's feet at the bottom of the cot, and tucking the duvet in, so that she can not wiggle herself under it.
5. Breastfeeding

All experts on the topic of SIDS underline that these are just some POSSIBLE links, no research has determined that any of the above have played a major part in cases of SIDS, but they are easy to follow and so should always be.

And to ease my mummy-mind even more, I invested in one of these. The Angelcare Monitor combines a sound monitor and a movement monitor in one system, and whether baby is awake or sound asleep, the Angelcare under-the-mattress Sensor Pad will detect all movements. Meaning that if no movement is detected within the last 20 seconds, an alarm will sound.
I know this might seem a tad OTT for some, but both in the UK and Ireland, as well as in the US, monitors like these are quite common, and it makes me sleep more restful, makes me feel more secure and makes me feel I am doing everything in my power to make sure my princess is safe.