A Few ZZZ's and a Bag of Chips.

I do not think I am alone when I say I love to snuggle with my kids. I love the way they smell as the back of their head is at my nose. I love the way their little bodies fit snuggly within my bent body. I love that they love to snuggle with their mommy.

Of course, loving this has altered my proper parental judgment and has me lying next to them at bedtime when I should be making lunches. Or, worse, opening my arms and blanket to a sleepy boy in the middle of the night. I know I shouldn't. I know I should take them, any of them, all of them, back to their rooms teaching them that their own beds is where they belong. But, I don't! Not often anyway.  I'd like to say that sharing a bed with them is all snuggles and warmth.  A cozy family bed of bonding and love.  But, it's not.  And, yet, I let them in anyway.

No, with Chase, what starts out as a snuggle ends up with an elbow to the forehead and a fight for the blanket.  But, yes, I still love snuggling with him.  Who needs to sleep well?

Ryder, is another whole story.  Ryder is an awesome snuggler and in many ways I want to sleep the night with my son in my arms. But, I can't.  It is just not possible.

He grinds his teeth terribly.  His mouth is amped, it must be, because the awful sounds of enamel scraping enamel is louder than anything I have ever heard.  The other night I am pretty sure the Richboro Fire Department went into action.

I can be sleeping soundly, comfortably and dreaming of wildflowers dancing softly in the wind.   Or, more likely, my recurring dream of being unprepared, yet again, for the big exam.  Whatever dream it is, I will be rudely awakened by a picnic in the bed.  A picnic of potato chips.  BIG.  STALE.  Very, very stale potato chips being chomped on in my ear.  My startle reflex has me jumping wondered if I ordered a bag of chips with my zzz's, only to realize it's Ryder and the teeth he is slowly widdling away to nothing.

Just for the record: We have been to the dentist who says teeth grinding is normal in children, (I can assure this is not normal, not at this volume), and that his teeth really are ok.  For now!

Unfortunately, Turner seems to have the same nasty habit.  He only has four teeth in his mouth yet I can hear it.  All too well.