I've heard many stories from many parents about some serious moments they have experienced with their children. Last week, Lisa and I had our first such experience. We had arrived at my Aunt's house in Indiana around 3pm on Thursday and had enjoyed the evening catching up with my family. I put Lainey to bed in the pack-n-play without any real issue and headed upstairs after I knew she was settled in.
About a half hour later, I checked back on her to find her screaming. It's hard to know if she had been crying for a long time or for only a minute, but I am guessing she had been crying for a few minutes, as she had tears streaming down her face and was sobbing pretty hard. I picked her up, gave her the paci and rocked her and sang to her. She settled down after a couple of minutes and eventually fell asleep. As I was leaving I noticed that she sounded a little raspy in her breathing, but I chalked that up to her screaming episode.
Blessings at Bedtime
Yesterday, Lydia took a nap that extended well past the 3 hour mark. When we finally awakened her, she wasn't really that hungry for dinner. By the time she finished dinner and played in the living room for 20 minutes or so, Lainey was getting tired. Lisa told Lydia that Lainey was tired and was going to go to bed and just casually asked Lydia if she was ready to go to bed. We were both shocked when Lydia grabbed her blanket and said "Yes". Lydia went down very easily and was very quiet in her room for quite some time. Then, we began to periodically hear her talking. She stayed in her bed, in her room in the dark until after 9:15, when Lisa was getting ready to go to bed.
I went in to Lydia's room and asked her if she wanted to fall in sleep in bed with mommy. (We have never let her do this, except for one time when she was quite ill.) She quickly agreed and made her way into our bed. Lydia lay on my side of the bed, snuggled up under the blankets, while Lisa cozied up next to her. I kissed them both goodnight and shut the door behind me as I left.
As I walked through our kitchen, God firmly impressed it upon me exactly how blessed I am. I have a house over my head, food in my belly, a beautiful bride and 2 wonderful children.
I'd like to say that I will never forget how I felt the first time I got to carry my eldest daughter from our bed to her bed for the first time, but I know that I just might forget that moment. So this is for me: In that moment, I felt like God must feel every time he makes the sun rise: His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). I got to help my daughter fall asleep in one place and awake in another. She was happy. My wife was happy. I was happy. And in the morning, we were all ready to live another day.
I hope to carry her many more times under the same circumstances.
I went in to Lydia's room and asked her if she wanted to fall in sleep in bed with mommy. (We have never let her do this, except for one time when she was quite ill.) She quickly agreed and made her way into our bed. Lydia lay on my side of the bed, snuggled up under the blankets, while Lisa cozied up next to her. I kissed them both goodnight and shut the door behind me as I left.
As I walked through our kitchen, God firmly impressed it upon me exactly how blessed I am. I have a house over my head, food in my belly, a beautiful bride and 2 wonderful children.
I'd like to say that I will never forget how I felt the first time I got to carry my eldest daughter from our bed to her bed for the first time, but I know that I just might forget that moment. So this is for me: In that moment, I felt like God must feel every time he makes the sun rise: His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). I got to help my daughter fall asleep in one place and awake in another. She was happy. My wife was happy. I was happy. And in the morning, we were all ready to live another day.
I hope to carry her many more times under the same circumstances.
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