It's Going Home that Hurts
We arrived back in Pittsburgh about an hour ago and already the pain is unbearable. Alexis collected so much candy over the past few days that my teeth hurt just looking at it. My brain is stressed from the thoughts of figuring out what to do with the Chinese toy factory vomit in the living room. My hands are all cut up from the wires and ties that held all the toys in their package so firmly that I'm pretty sure the CIA uses the exact same technology to protect the nation's biggest secrets. But it's the knowledge that I'll be sleeping in my own bed tonight that hurts the most.
You read that right. I miss my bed at the hotel.
When we go to Indianapolis to visit family, we usually stay at a hotel. It turns out that it's way easier to have fun with your family when you have the option to leave at the end of the night, plus Mom's Inn is pretty crowded these days. An additional two adults, Toddler, and two dogs just might be enough for the Health Department to launch an investigation. This time we stayed at my preferred hotel, a Residence Inn. I like it because it's nice to have a full kitchen available just in case I get the sudden urge to cook a seven course meal. Plus, the rooms are a lot bigger.
When we got to our room, we noticed a bit of a problem. Instead of the usual King or Queen-sized bed, there was a full bed. I thought about going back to the front desk and asking for a different room, but we were located at the very end of the hall right next to the door. When you have two dogs that turn into complete idiots anytime they are in a public location, that is pretty much the ideal location to get. So we figured we would just fold out the couch and let Alexis sleep by herself in a hide-a-bed for her first time. With any luck, one or two dogs might join her.
Mr. Husband folded out the bed and I threw the bedding on it whilst Alexis slept soundly on the other bed. Did you ever notice that fold-out-couches look an awful lot like Toddler-sized mouse traps? Me neither, at least not until I thought about moving her over. All I could see where ways that she could get herself stuck in the sides, fall under the mattress, or manage to fold herself into the thing. So I made the executive decision to leave her where she was.
Right smack on Daddy's side of the bed. There was room for me to get in on my assigned side (assigned by my husband, not me--I couldn't care less which side I sleep on but he has a heart attack about it), but no room for him. So guess who slept on the hide-a-bed? Oh, but a beautiful thing happened--not only did Daddy sleep on it, so did the dogs. I haven't been able to sprawl out on the bed like that since the days when I travelled for work and stayed in hotels all the time. Sure, I had to share with the Toddler, but she's like sleeping with a soft little stuffed Teddy Bear as compared to my husband, a big ol' Grizzly Bear. Once you add in the dogs, I'm usually confined to a four-inch wide space on the very edge of the bed. I have literally awoke to find myself with one foot on the ground and my head propped on the nightstand while everybody else had plenty of space.
The arrangement to have the dogs and Daddy sleep on the hide-a-bed worked out so well that we stuck to it for the remainder of our stay. But now we're home. The Toddler is tucked away in her crib, probably happily dreaming of her Chinese toy factory vomit. I have to return to sharing my bed with two rude dogs and a bed-hog of a husband.
I wonder if there's a room available at the Hilton.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Reader Comments (19)
What a long way to drive for such a short trip! But I'm glad you were able to get some much-needed rest. Maybe you need to invest in a hideabed for the dogs. Would they sleep there without a human pillow?
I love when kids sleep like that -with their bum up in the air! Maybe it is really comfortable, and we would all love it.
Yesterday, at my employers, I saw first hand what can happen to a home where toys are allowed to take over, and wow, it was not a pretty sight. They haven't gotten rid of a toy since they were infants!
Love the sleeping toddler pictures!! Cracks me up when Morgan sleeps like that!!
My dog use to take over my bed. Unfortunately, he's too old to jump onto it now :(
I weeded out a ton of toys a couple of weeks ago and Christmas Eve I packed a bunch more up to make room for the new stuff. Christmas night, I did it AGAIN. But, in a couple of months when she's bored with the new stuff, I'll swap it with the old and tea-la...she'll think she got new toys.
Or something :)
Can I have some advice on how to fit the Chinese toy factory vomit into my SUV for the trip back to Jersey? How did you do that???
That is my favorite when kids sleep like that - too cute...
I'm in the 'burgh for two more days - I think I'll go to the mall today to look for a Dora sandal wearin' toddler!
OMG! She's butt up. I miss the days when my kids slept like that.
That is totally cute.
O.M.G! My daughter is in the same exact position for her nap right now :)
I share your love for the Residence Inn. They're very time-share-ish...fully stocked with cutlery :)
I hope you get better rest tonight..
Oh, I love LOVE the way she sleeps! She's just cute as a bug!
Chinese toy factory vomit came to our house too. Baaaa! I get rid of toys when the kids are at school sometimes. As long as I donate it before they get home or use black trash bags I can usually get away with it.
P.S. The tree in the picture on my blog IS in front of the door. We don't actually use that door though. Everyone uses the side door at our house. The only time we ever used that door was to get the front room furniture in. :)
I just realized what was on her 'jammies. At first glance I thought they were reindeer. I LOVE them. I'm pretty sure Micah could use a pair of those.
Oh yeah, sharing with Amy, I had heaps more room than sharing with Nat.
*sigh*
I almost miss it.
Karen--The dogs will only sleep with people. Usually only me, actually, but for some reason they were loving my husband over the weekend. No more . . . this morning I had a bulldog butt in my face when I opened my eyes. It was lovely. (The jammies are from Gymboree.)
Jen--Y'know, she has slept like that for months now and almost never changes position. It still seems strange to me as she HATED being on her belly for the first 8 or 9 months of her life.
The toys haven't taken over just yet, the bigger problem is that we have such a small house. I'm pretty good about packing things away so it helps keep the mess under control.
Kellie--I'm sorry your pup can't sleep with you anymore. I guess I need to be grateful that ours can still scale our way-too-high bed. Even if I would rather that they didn't.
Luckysevn--We got rid of all of the packaging and stuffed it all into trash bags/suitcases.
Which mall? Inquiring minds want to know where to stalk you.
Tootsie Farklepants--It is cute, isn't it. Snug as a bug.
All Adither--Thanks!
Sandy C--I love that they have cutlery, too! Not that we ever use it when we are there as a family, but you know, someday we might!
Cecily R--I just did a huge toy run to a local women's shelter.
We have a door like that which we don't use. It's the garage door. It's never used because there is so much junk in our garage that I refuse to look in there.
Veronica--The little ones are better for cuddling, too. IMHO, at least.
I love sleeping with my toddler. My hubby works nights so it's nice not to have to sleep alone.
I love the kiss-my-ass in the air baby! She's in that adorable baby sleep mode. AWW.
I could not agree with you more about having the hubby & dog getting the Ivory 99.44 % of the bed. But, I'm so glad to be back for the sheer sleep number 35 of it.
Confirmation that there is not anything cuter than a sleeping child. I think I better get out the camera tonight and clutch the boys pictures tight to my mommy bossom for reference in difficult moments...good luck with the sleep thing tonight.
She is such a cutie!! And I am so glad you got some wonderful, comfortable REST!!
so cute...tushie in the air!!!
glad you had fun!
adorable.
I have the same bed issues...two dogs and the hubby take up WAY more than 3/4 of a Queen bed.
I'm still laughing at the Chinese toy factory vomit and the image of you with your head on the night stand and foot on the floor! Funny stuff! you know, because it isn't me!
Sorry you are home then, I guess! Your Alexia looks like an angel sleeping like that! i love the butt in the air pose...of course, not s cute if you're an adult or gasey dog!