let's cuddle

When Maddox started school full time, over two years ago, we made a new rule in our house that on school nights he has to fall asleep in his own bed and on weekends he can fall asleep with mommy in her bed. Maddox has always loved to be held while he falls asleep and so we compromised. This new routine has become easy. He knows the rules and rarely tries to break them anymore. This summer, though, between first and second grade Maddox found a loop hole and melted this mama's heart once again. Just as summer was beginning, in late May, Maddox went to play at his friend Seth's house and when they came home Seth's mom, Jill, told me something that Maddox had said to her. Maddox had went into Jill's kitchen to get a drink and she happened to be in there. I'm not sure what prompted him to tell her this but he did. He said "Guess what Jill? It's summer now and since there's no school I get to sleep with my mom EVERY night!" I just couldn't stand it! I got goose bumps! My little man was actually excited to fall asleep cuddled up with me for the next three months! I didn't think about addressing a full summer of no "school nights" when we made the sleep-in-your-own-bed rule but Maddox clearly noticed.

Maddox and I spent the entire summer cuddling at bedtime until he drifted off to sleep. Brandon would then move him to his own bed with Maddox none the wiser. As much as it can be a chore to actually stop what I'm doing and put my baby boy to sleep each night, it's something I wouldn't trade for the world! The whole entire world! This picture was taken the last summer night before Maddox's first day of second grade. Our last night of cuddling before we go back to our more strict bedtime routine. I honestly hope, pray and wish that when next summer rolls around he still wants to cuddle with mommy. When he grows out of this I truly believe a little piece of me will cease right along with our tradition.