For the last year I dreamt of a space to document life aside from my photography website. I've been successfully running my photo business for a little over five years, and I didn't really know what it looked like to create something like this: my own little corner of the Internet where I could simply share my words + pictures. Enter this new blog, launched in January, full of letters and memoirs to my children, my husband and myself. One post went viral (six days after launching, yes, THAT blew my socks off!) and others probably get swept under the rug. But, I'm fulfilling one of my greatest dreams and that is to not only capture, but to remember.
Here is something I will never forget: my baby girl, my last baby, saying good-bye to her sweet and beautiful white crib, so that she can welcome her new full-sized bed of plush pillows and horse printed sheets. She picked out the bedding last night at Target (okay I may have influenced the purple Mare sheets...) and was so distraught when we couldn't race home to take down her crib. So all day today, she recited over and over, "After my nap, I get my big girl bed!"
I am teaching the next two weeks of our school's June summer session, and I was SO happy to get home this afternoon in time for the kids' naps. I didn't realize then, that Reese's rocking chair wouldn't fit in her room after the transition, so I am super glad that I was able to rock her and sing a few songs before putting her down. She slept like a rock (as she usually does) and I honestly wasn't super eager to wake her up because my heart has been SO torn over this huge change!
Let's be real: We have it made with our kids and their sleep habits/patterns. They are totally scheduled, Babywise babes, and on their 'worst' night, it's just really not bad. (I say this now, as I'm in all sentimental Mom Mode... You know I'll think my life is miserable in a few hours when I stumble out of bed!) BECAUSE, Pierson definitely started getting up WAY more, especially in the last year or so. He will get out of bed 2+ times a night (recently I seriously think it was six...) and just needs to be tucked back in. Not a huge deal, but he didn't ever 'need' us in the middle of the night when he was in his crib, which is exactly how she's been! Soooooo selfishly, I'm NOT really looking forward to now having TWO kids with free reign of their bedrooms and starting at square one teaching her to 'stay in bed,' or that 'we'll come get her,' etc.
So here we are! It's almost midnight, and my baby girl is sleeping like a champ in her big bed. She needed us a few times after I tucked her in, but she hasn't cried once and knock on wood, she's stayed in bed! When she saw her bed, she literally squealed, "OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS, I LOVE IT!!!!" And even Pierson thanked us (because he's the sweetest soul alive) for giving her such a pretty bed and said he really wants to sleep in it with her! (I will die of happiness when this day comes, stay tuned.)
Don't worry. I totally know this is going to be challenging. Or it won't. Because raising kids is a crapshoot and there's absolutely no way to predict how great (or terrible) of a sleeper she'll now be. But I'm coming to terms with the fact that she's a super tall lady and was very deserving of having some room to sprawl, whether my heart feels ready for this or not. Pierson will turn FOUR tomorrow (at 11:11am) and my baby girl will turn three in September.
Today was a pretty darn good day. And I am so thankful to my husband for helping me capture it so that I can document it here. Because come next January when I think, "What did I DO in this space on this little site called Ashley Glass?" I want to be reminded of THIS and keep pressing on, even and especially when things get tough!
Mama loves you, Reesie Beth! I am SO proud of you and how are brave you are! I also cannot WAIT for the first sleep over I get to have with you here!