Maddie was the snuggliest baby. I know as her mom, I am biased, but I remember her favorite NICU nurse telling me the same thing. When you consider how many babies she’s snuggled because of her job, I’d say that’s a pretty big compliment coming from a baby expert.

I was worried she’d outgrow snuggling, but she never did.

snuggling with gramma
with gramma

cuddling her favorite person
with Daddy

Maddie, Bampa, Rigby, napping
with Bampa

We never planned on being co-sleepers, but it ended up that way. She DID sleep in her crib, but once she started moving in her sleep I was way too paranoid to leave her alone on the random nights she needed oxygen. So we put the oxygen rocket next to our bed, and she slept in between us. Whenever she’d roll over, I’d adjust her nasal cannula so it wasn’t wrapped around her body. Of course, she wasn’t on oxygen all that much, but we still slept with her in our bed. Mike and I would talk about moving her back to her crib, but we kept putting it off. We liked having that little warm snuggle bug in bed with us.

Last December, I was under the weather. I felt bad enough that I knew I needed some help with Maddie during the day, so we trekked to my parents’ house. I laid down on the floor (sometimes the floor is the most comfortable place), and the most wonderful thing happened. Maddie crawled over to me, pressed her little body against mine, and snuggled in for a nap. It was one of the greatest moments, my heart swelled to at least five times its normal size.

sleeping mommy and Maddie

I miss waking up with my little girl sleeping next to me. I want to roll over and pull her into me, spooning her growing body. I yearn to cup her feet in my hand, feeling her toes wiggle at her dreams.