When I get in bed for the night, I often picture what my family looks like in the middle of the night. Three sardines lined up in bed, fast asleep and dreaming, sharing warmth and sharing sleep. And that image makes me love Todd and Seth all the more.

Long story short, Todd and I had been planning on Seth sleeping in a co-sleeper attached to the side of our bed. When we went down to CA to await Seth’s birth, however, it stayed home because it was heavy and bulky. Gale said Seth should sleep right next to me. I was a little apprehensive — wouldn’t I squish the teeny baby? That was our whole reasoning behind the co-sleeper; we wanted him close to us, but not dangerously close. But, barring his first night, spent on the warming tray in the hospital, Seth slept right next to me the rest of the time down in CA. And by the time we came back home, we couldn’t imagine him sleeping anywhere at night but between Todd and me. And not to say that he hasn’t been elbowed by us by accident, but that kid dishes it out tenfold.

Like when Todd and I got married: I quickly got so used to sleeping next to him, that when either of us was out late, or I went to a girl sleepover, I felt unsettled. It’s like that with Seth. These days one of us lies down with him to fall asleep, and we move him into his own space at the end of our bed. (We can finally consistently have T&B time! Yay!) After coming back in the bedroom, I drift off to sleep, but not without checking to make sure he’s okay. Then inevitably between 11pm and 2am, he’ll cry and even sometimes stand up. We move him into bed between us, and he (and we) falls back asleep instantly. And I’m really okay with this night after night.

Todd and I joke about Seth finally moving into his own bed when he’s forty, and I assure you, it will happen much, much sooner than that. Maybe that’s why I’m savoring it, because moving him into his own crib/bed is surely just around the corner. But in the meantime, sharing sleep with my two favorite people makes me one happy Mama.