SNUGGLES

I just love the word "Snuggle".  There is so much comfort in the word.  Just like the physical act of a snuggle, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy even when I think of the word or let it roll off my tongue!

When I was a baby, I was 2 months premature, I was constantly swaddled in a blanket and a sweet old lady in the nursery would snuggle me and rock me during my 2 month stay. Then when I got home, my Mom was constantly snuggling with me because I needed to eat all the time since I would only take a few ounces at a time.  It was the comfort of the snuggle that made me "wig out" when my Mom attempted to get up from the chair to put me in my crib.  Then when I was a little bit older, my sister would steal me out of the crib and snuggle with me in her bed.  I remember when I use to wake up in the middle of the night from a bad dream or bad ear ache, my Mom would hold me close to her in a tight and comforting snuggle.  It was the healing powers of the snuggle that made me feel all better.

I now have two kids of my own, each night I have two kids begging to be snuggled by Mommy.  Some nights I get annoyed because I am so tired, but then I think - someday, they won't want to snuggle with me anymore so I better enjoy them while I can.  So I give each child a few minutes of Mommy and Child Snuggle Time - and that seems to make the day complete and they can rest soundly. 

My son has been in the hospital 9 days now.  My family is in sort of a constant flux, which is to be expected when one of its members is ill and hospitalized.  When I'm at the hospital, my son will say "Mommy snuggle with me?"  And I will hop into the skinny hospital bed and lay with him - he typically falls asleep or becomes much more relaxed.  My daughter has been at home and having to share Mommy and Daddy time with her brother.  My husband and I share the "hospital night duty", every other night I'm at the hospital, the other night I am at home with my daughter.  The nights I am at home, I let my daughter sleep with me in my bed so we can snuggle.  Not only does it make her feel better, but I feel that much better too! 

SNUGGLES - are just the best!