Children Hurt
The girls slept a little late today (7:40AM!), and when they woke, I gathered them all into my bed. They love to snuggle me in the morning. Sweetpea is my most dedicated snuggler, flopping into position somewhere on my body and sticking that thumb in her mouth. Ah, contentment. PoppySeed is fifteen months old and has no interest in cuddling, preferring instead to use me a stepladder to whatever she finds interesting above the bed.
We lie there like a mother dog with a heap of puppies and I enjoy it in brief moments. The moments are only brief because morning snuggles hurt. This morning I had one bony four-year-old elbow ground into my arm, several three-year-old kicks to my stomach, and a nineteen-pound toddler tried to stand on my neck.
Parenting is dangerous.
I know it’s worth it. I know there will come a day when they will not want to snuggle Mama in the morning, and a few bruises will seem a small price to pay for all that missed closeness. I try to enjoy the snuggles now, knowing that they are in limited supply.
That’s what I tell myself anyway. It’s hard to feel entirely appreciative with a black eye.
My new post is up at 5 Minutes for Parenting. I wrote about a parenting issue I do well. Take a minute to stop by and brag on yourself by telling me about a parenting thing you know you do right.
suburbancorrespondent
Yes, the snuggles go away. My three-year-old will climb all over me as I lie on the couch. I call it “the poor man’s massage.”
Octamom
I think we have some of the most ‘full-contact cage-fighting’ snugglers on the planet–you’re right, it is worth it, but I have walked away with some pretty good bruises from time to time!
Off to see your post at 5MFP
Blessings!
Kelly @ Love Well
“AMEN!” shouts the Mommy who’s still wincing from this morning’s cuddle session with a four-year-old boy pretending to be a falling tree (”Timber!”), a seven-year-old who wants to hold the baby and a six-month-old who believes Mom is a jungle gym.
Did I mention I was also engorged on one side? Oy.
Mama Hen
As my kids get bigger, the snuggles get fewer and farther between. Last night while I was making dinner my six year old hugged me so hard from behind it took my breath away. It’s those unexpected lovies that I look for now. Still, sometimes on the weekends they crawl into bed and I hold them close, wanting to stay like that forever.
Kimberly
My almost two year old son expresses his affection for me by head-butting. And the more affectionate he is, the harder the head-butt. Usually someplace that causes stars to swim in front of my eyes. And his version of snuggling is to mash his nose straight into mine, as hard as he can, with his little hands grasping my face.
Pretty weird to have to learn self-defense against a two year old.
Dawn
What a beautiful post. I love every second of cuddles that I can get from our 20 month old twin boys. But most of the time you nailed it, I’m a step ladder! Covered in bruises from head to toe, usually because we were having fun.
T with Honey
It amazes my that I have to teach my daughter how to snuggle without giving me a contusion or a concussion. But after 3 years it is getting better. Now I just have to deal with an occasional kick or two. No more punches or head butts.
Melanie @ BeanPaste
I hear you. In the past four years I have suffered more blows to the head, nose, teeth, and larynx than I care to count.
We suffer for our art.
Mozi Esme's Mommy
Awww! Keep that positive self-talk going!
And I loved your post on 5 Minutes for Parenting. I forwarded it to someone else to share . . .
Erin
My attempts to snuggle with my children go exactly the same, except both of my boys are over forty pounds now. YEOW!
bon
i only have one to snuggle with and i still sometimes fear for my bones…but it’s a sweet pain, that incredibly intimate torture.
Steph
This post cracked me up! My sweetpea sounds like your poppyseed, almost the same age and climbing on everything! Yesterday I got a pretty good headbutt and earlier in the week an elbow to the mouth I thought for sure drew blood!
I know I will miss it though, and for all the pain I love it!