We are a co-sleeper family. We co-slept with Will for all or part of the night until he was 2. Currently, Kate is so-sleeping with us. We’ve started to let her sleep in her crib for a few hours each evening, bringing her in with us when we go to sleep. The kids are sharing a room, so we figure this is a test in Will’s ability to deep-sleep. If he passes, maybe we can re-start hosting those wild parties we were so famous for before he was born.
Until then, we’re sticking with co-sleeping. As a breastfeeding mom, I love co-sleeping because it means I barely have to wake up to comfort my hungry child and I never have to wake up to the sound of a baby crying. It also means I sleep incredibly lightly and rarely ever have deep sleep. Of course, my light sleep isn’t only because of sleeping with a baby. I now know that part of being a mother means you always sleep with one eye open, no matter what. And people wonder why we mothers are so easily pushed over the edge.
I’ve also realized that I don’t sleep soundly because everyone in our family makes horrible bed partners. Paul snores. Will sleeps side-ways. Kate is a bedtime rock star. Although I’d like to believe I’m the perfect bed partner, I imagine that I’m no great fun, either. Since we’re all incapable of sharing, perhaps one day our family bed will turn into four separate beds. Maybe the Brady parents were on to something with the twin beds in the Master Bedroom.
For now, we’re going with the low-on-sleep, high-on-cuddle family bed arrangement. Even with the kicks, punches, feet-in-face, snoring, farting, rock star nights… the mornings (as seen in these pictures) are really fun.
Matt | 23-Jul-06 at 7:44 pm | Permalink
Nice pics. They look like available light or well diffused/bounced flash.
How’d ya do it?
Violet | 25-Jul-06 at 6:24 am | Permalink
Sigh. I miss those days.
Holly | 26-Jul-06 at 7:39 pm | Permalink
I sped up the ISO speed a little… at least, I think I did. 🙂 I used the standard “no flash” setting, which is my favorite in situations where the others settings go automatically to flash.
I did try some difused flash stuff, but found it too difficult when I’m holding the camera and talking to the kids at the same time. I’d like to play around more with this, but under circumstances where I have more control. Usually, I’m trying to capture a spontaneous moment… sort of at-home photo journalism!
Thanks again, Matt, for your VERY helpful comments!!!! I love the feedback and advice.
Violet: anytime you want to borrow my kids for an overnight, just let me know. 🙂 I didn’t realize how quickly Will has grown up until having Kate. Now I can much better appreciate the passage of time and how fleeting these mornings are…!