Co-sleeping...Yes please!

When mothers or people in general ask me, "so what is John's nightly sleep routine?"  I always reply shyly and embarrassingly with..."he co-sleeps with us". From there I pretty much get silence or weird looks. Dont get me wrong...I thought that co-sleeping was a strange practice when I first heard of it years ago, but mothers and parents in general have strong convictions of how we want to personally raise our children...and Nick and I believe firmly in bed-sharing and co-sleeping. We have a family bed...and I am no longer going to be shy or embarrassed about that. Why should I be? It's what we believe and how we want to raise John and hopefully our future children.

I don't know if you are familiar with Doctor Sears? He is a wonderful Christian Pediatrician.  He and his wife have 8 children and they have all co-slept with their children. He has written many books and  wonderful articles on attachment parenting, co-sleeping and bonding. When I read his article, it was so encouraging and comforting to know that we are not the only ones who believe so strongly in this. You can check out his article on the scientific benefits of co-sleeping and how to co-sleep SAFELY on his website www.askdrsears.com. Definitely check it out...his research on co-sleeping and attachment parenting is amazing...how co-sleeping actually encourages so many positive behaviors in children and into their adult life.

So does John ever sleep in his crib? Well...yes....he does take naps throughout the day in his crib...but when bed time calls he gets in bed with us. I have had mothers tell me...."what if you roll over on top of him"  and the infamous, "you know that increases SIDS?" Although, I appreciate their concern, I am not willing to submit to their scare tactics. I have even had family members that disagree with us..."oh, he is going to be spoiled", "he will never sleep in his own bed now", "what about your sex life?" Well personally, I have never met a 16 year old boy that still sleeps in bed with his parents and our sex life is just that....OUR SEX LIFE. lol.  Sorry, to sound so harsh. But, why does everyone feel the need to give their two cents on how you should raise your children? Like I said before..you have to do what is right for YOU and your family. I believe if you pray for discernment and guidance on any issue in raising your children...God will point you in the right direction!

 Co-Sleeping is, "nothing new under the sun". Parents all over the world and in other countries have been practicing co-sleeping/family bed-sharing for thousands upon thousands of years! There are also two places in the Bible where it actually references co-sleeping...one in a positive light and one in a negative one....Luke 11:7, and 1 Kings 3:17-19. The second one, being the negative, is a story of a woman rolling over on top of her infant and causing death....(which I have also gotten this response from some of my friends hence above statements)...but the first one is in reference to family bed-sharing, which displays co-sleeping in a positive light. So biblically speaking their are both good and bad references to co-sleeping.

I love our family bed and co-sleeping with John.. Especially when in the middle of the night I open my eyes and can see my two precious men next to me sleeping so soundly. To hear their little snores and Johns faint cries next to me brings me great joy. When Nick gets up in the morning for work he is greeted by John and I as I am feeding him. Nick enjoys waking up to us and having a family morning. It truly does open up so much bonding for us both with John and I love it!  Of course we will transition John to his bed in the future, but, for now...we love it....we believe in it and it brings us great joy. So I'm gonna not be shy or embarrassed about John sleeping with us and I'm just gonna let people give their two cents about the issue and let it roll off my shoulders. I am sure along the path of raising John and our other future children we will have many instances of where our raising them might be differently than what some other parents do...and that is OK because it is right for us!

One of a Solider....

This week is exactly 9 years ago that I waved goodbye to ole Charlotte at 18 years old...loaded up on a bus with $20 bucks to my name, a toothbrush, 1 change of clothes and started my journey as a Veteran...and a Solider of the United States Air Force. I still can't believe it today. Seriously....Corey did that?! Sometimes...when I am somewhere today and someone says "if you are a U.S Veteran please rise or please stand up", or whatever the occasion calls for, I am still in shock sometimes that I am one of the ones that are standing. I am a Veteran....once a solider. Wow....craziness!
Looking back on it now...I can't believe I did that. I left home so young....I thought I was invisible... indestructible....ready to take on the world. It amazes me now to think that if I was that same girl today...18 years old I don't think I could just go and do what I did. I was so brave....fearless...bold then. I had so much courage...I was stationed over in a different country for a whole year...with no phone...no car...no internet access. Knew zero persons. Boarded a plane...flew 14 hours...flew over Mt. Fiji to get to my destination....ask me to do that today and I don't think I could. It's crazy how your desires...views...wants...passions and just life changes you in general over time.

So since that day....much has happened in my life. I have ALMOST obtained a college degree. I have married such a special man...and became a wife. I am a proud home owner and a dog owner for the first time. I became a rededicated believer in Christ...and I have also became a mother to the most sweet spirited boy ever. God has truly blessed me way beyond my comprehension. I have so much to be thankful for...and shame on me for ever doubting His plans for me or ever coveting another persons life or blessings. I am alive and well....and...my husband, my son and family members are alive and well. What more could one ask for?

It's sort of funny to me when I think about it...what started out as me being a solider in the Air Force has now turned into being a solider in my husbands army...a solider in the army of motherhood...and a solider for Christ. My life is pretty much a battlefield...when I think about it. How much strength God has given me through tough times... when I felt like giving up or giving in. During darkest hours...I have had to rise up like a Solider in whatever the situation or circumstance has called for...only by God's strength have I prevailed and won those battles...of course I have had my fair share of loosing some...but we never really loose battles when God is our victory.

So 9 years ago this week I remember and reflect and think about all the areas of my life that God has called me to be a solider.  I also pause and just take in everything God has done and blessed me with in those 9 years since raising my right hand and taking that Oath of Enlistment. What an amazing journey I have had so far...one of a solider.