Our Crowded Bed

I've created a monster. She's 2, she's cute, and really smart. But she will no longer sleep in her crib!

It started a few weeks ago. Jenna started waking up soon after falling asleep, and she seemed really frightened. I would go into her room and she would be shaking and seemed genuinely afraid of something. When I couldn't calm her down, I ended up letting her sleep in our bed a couple times. I was tired, and it was just easier. She felt comfortable and fell right asleep.

Then Jenna got pretty sick a few weeks ago, and remained sick until now. She was flat out refusing to go to sleep in her crib, screaming and crying and making her cough worse. I can't let my sick child cry when I know they're feeling so crummy. So I continued to let her sleep in our bed. She would get a smile on her face as soon as I placed her on our pillows. I felt better knowing she was nearby so I could watch over her.

But then the boys got sick and once again I started allowing the sickest ones into our bed at night. I worry a lot about them at night when they're sick, and we're all able to sleep better when they're near me. This was fine, except Jenna still wouldn't go back in her bed, even as she got better. And even though we have a King size bed, it's just not big enough for 5 people!

At one point the other night it was Adam on the edge, Jenna next to him, then me, and then Lucas on the other side next to the humidifier. Ryan came into our bed around 11pm and slept at the foot of the bed under our quilt. So I was sandwiched between two kids with my big belly, and I wasn't even able to stretch out my legs because Ryan was there.

Parenting would be a lot easier if kids would sleep through the night in their own beds!