Zzzzzzzzzz

So we've been trying to get everyone to bed earlier because school starts in less than 3 weeks (bummer!!) This got me thinking about every one's quirky sleepisms.

When Kayden was a baby, he had 2 favorite blankets. They both had a ruffle and he would find one of the corners, grab the ruffle with one hand, put his thumb from his other hand in his mouth, and fan the ruffle across his face. He'd be out in seconds! He was the easiest of all my babies to put to sleep. Now that he's older he likes to sleep right next to the wall. Also, he's always been in a better mood when he gets to bed early, and wakes up early. He hasn't slept past 8:30 all summer, and is usually up before 8.


Since the ruffle blankets worked so well for Kayden, I made a couple for Malia too... only she didn't like them. She loved ALL THINGS SILKY!! When she got big enough, she would reach her hand into my drawer, feel around until she found something silky, and then carry that around. After a few embarrassing situations, I made her a pink satin tricot quilt. This did the trick for the whole month that she had it.... she lost it and then went right back to my unmentionables drawer. It was SO nice when she outgrew this!! Here's Kayden with his blanket, and Malia with a silky something she got out of my drawer.

(I don't have many pictures of Malia and her "blankies"... imagine that!)

Malia was a night owl when she was little, and it doesn't seem to matter when she gets to bed or how much sleep she gets, she's always pretty happy and perky. Now though, she likes her room cold, and a million heavy blankets on top of her.

Taisha didn't get attached to anything when she was little, and she also didn't sleep through the night until well into her third year (coincidence??), and even then, she woke up several times a week. Rik and I used to take turns sleeping in her bed with her. I think Rik and I were her "blankies." She just wanted to sleep near us. She has had the most sore legs and ears at night. Even now, when she's tired, everything hurts on her.... her eye, pinky toe, elbow... whatever! She does better when she gets to bed early, and wakes up after a full night of sleep. She also likes the really soft microfleece-type blankets.


When McKay was a toddler he got attached to two blankets. Both are made from t-shirt fabric, and have a similar feel. When he was a baby he liked to sleep with these blankets on his head. I was always worried he would suffocate, but somehow he found air in there! Even now he sleeps with his head wrapped up in his blanket, and his feet sticking out the bottom. He still has his two favorite blankets. He told me he likes it when I put them by his wall so they get cold. He likes to stay up late and sleep in late, and is SO grumpy if he doesn't get enough sleep!

(One of his blankets has a permanent pin 'cause it doubles as a cape.)

When I was pregnant with Anaya my mom was going through old boxes in my grandma's basement, and came across a box with some old children's fabric. My mom took some and made them into large burp cloths. I had such pretty blankets when Anaya was born, but she got attached to the large burp cloth made from the old fabric! She has to sleep with it and Barry, her stuffed dog. The blanket it so thin, and stained, and has holes and snags all through it. It's so small I can wad it up and the whole thing fits in my hand. A really nice thing about Anaya, is when she is tired, she puts herself to bed.

Rik is able to sleep anywhere and through anything... like kids screaming, puking in the bed next to him, me changing the sheets with him in it...etc. The other night at about 11:45 I text Kayden to remind him to get home by midnight (this same text gets sent out just about every night, cause when you're 16, you forget that), and then I went in the bathroom to wash my face. Rik had just fallen asleep, and so I closed the bathroom door and turned on the fan. Kayden's friend brought him home, and he tried the front door, but it was locked so he repeatedly rang the doorbell and knocked. I didn't hear it.... Rik didn't hear it. He then used the keypad and came through the garage door, but the house door was locked. He knocked and knocked. I didn't hear him, and Rik still didn't hear him. Kayden ran around the house, and pounded on the locked sliding doors.... no one heard anything. Just after that I came out of the bathroom and noticed that it was 12:04 and Kayden wasn't home yet, so I started texting him angry texts informing him that it was 12:04 and that he better get home or else. Right then Malia came upstairs, all shook up because Kayden had pounded on her window to have her let him in. So I opened the front door and Kayden came stomping in yelling all sorts of nice things! Rik slept through that too. *sigh* Rik is the only person in our family who sleeps with socks on though.

When Rik and I got engaged, his grandma, an accomplished quilter, started asking me what kind of quilt we wanted her to make for us. She had made some of the most beautiful and complicated temple quilts. She probably died when I brought her my hunter green and white striped fabric for her to quilt in straight lines. This is my blanket though. It's been on my bed ever since we got married. I've had lots and lots of comforters on top, but every night the comforters get put on the floor, and we sleep with the same hunter green quilt. It is the perfect weight and has just the right feel for me. I don't know what I'm going to do when it starts looking like Anaya's blankie!