why i am not surprised we are a bed sharing family

ok

we bed share

there 

i said it

and 

yes i know what some of you are thinking

"she will NEVER get out of your bed"

um 

tell me what 13 year old still asks to sleep with their mom/dad

then there is the

"well it takes away from your marriage"

are you talking about sex?

(sorry dad if you are reading this)

my response is

"um you don't have to be in bed to have sex"

and 

then i feel bad for you if that is the only place you do have sex

be creative people

again sorry dad

looking back i  said the infamous

"we will NEVER bed share"

yep

i was that parent to be

then 

i became a parent

and

we did what worked

and 

what we feel comfortable with

but

i shouldn't be surprised

you see

we 

(my husband and i)

don't like to sleep alone

we never have

before kids

when we worked opposite shifts

we let our dogs sleep with us

during deployments

i cuddled with four paws

instead of my hubby

so 

we like to bed to be a place of comfort

it doesn't even make sense 

looking back

to ask our daughter

to sleep alone

we don't

and never have

i write this blog

only out of frustration 

over the past few weeks

possibly months

we have come under

well 

i have come under 

some scrutiny 

for my parenting styles

and 

i am fed up

for parents with grown children 

you had your chance to screw up your kid

now 

let me screw up mine

i am usually open to advice

but 

advice is different than criticism

and

i have tried advice from other parents

some has worked

and some hasn't

but 

i have worked hard in the 16 months i've been called mom

i don't need criticism

no mom does

they need love

support 

and 

reassurance they are doing things right

being a parent is so hard

harder than i ever imagined

i joke that i am going to write a parenting book with 4 pages

first page

feed your baby

second page

clean your baby

third page

make sure baby sleeps

fourth page

(and most important)

love your baby

so

whether you co sleep

bed share

or your baby sleeps in a crib across the house

you are doing a good job

we are all in this together 

as parents

we are all sleepy

tired and exhausted at times

we are just trying to make it

but

you are doing the best you can

and 

your baby loves you for it.

love love from aviano