Karter 1, Mom 0

Karter has been a serial sleep stalker for the past few years. I can't really pin point when this started, but it has gone on way too long. He'll come and get into our bed numerous times throughout the night even though we take him and put back in his bed. We actually have counted, and between the two us we have put him back in his bed up to 5 times in one night.

This is very frustrating.

He grinds his teeth. He throws his legs over my head. He pins me to the bed by rolling over on my hair.

Did I say this is very frustrating?

The other night we had this conversation when he crawled into our bed:

Me: "What are you doing?"

Karter: "I want to sleep in your bed."

Me: "No. You need to sleep in your own bed."

Karter: no reply. He just continues to crawl into my bed.

Suddenly, I get a bright idea.

Me: "Karter, you're going to be 7 soon and you can't sleep with your mom and dad when you're 7.

Score!

He gathers his pillow and starts to go into his room.

Yes! Victory is sweet!

But wait... He stops and turns...

Karter: "Mama?"

Me: "Yes?"

Karter: "Can I just sleep in here tonight? For the last time?"

Blam!! Straight to the heart!

The last time? The last time?

Suddenly his life flashes before my eyes. The day he was born; getting his first tooth; loosing his first tooth; his first day of school; learning to ride his bike.

These past seven years have flown by.

Where did they go?

I now see vision of his future: singing in the youth choir; getting his drivers license; graduating from high school; driving off into the sunset with his red headed girlfriend and forgetting about his poor momma who grew him in her womb.

Me: "Ok, you can sleep with us."

Me: "But you have to cuddle with me. And grind your teeth. And throw your legs across my head. But don't pin me to the bed by my hair. That is really frustrating."