When NikkiZ transitioned to her big-girl bed, we started introducing some new nighttime rituals to get her interested or excited in going to bed. One of those things was to encourage her to pick out a friend to sleep with. (Hopefully she won’t follow this policy in college.) Since she didn’t sleep with any animals in her crib, this new development was very effective.
Of course, if I had thought this through, we may have tried to limit the selection to one animal. Especially since, as a kid, I often felt guilty for neglecting any of my stuffed animals. I remember trying to rotate who would get to visit my Mom’s house with me every other weekend so no one would get their feelings hurt. I should have known she’d have similar tendencies as she now has to sleep with every animal she owns. It’s the challenge every night to find room for her amidst the colony of plush.
I finally thought to take a picture of this trend this morning. For you to enjoy. And for her friends to laugh at later when they stumble upon this blog.
Awww…poor Nikki (disturbed by the flash). My dad loved to take pics of me and all my other bros and sisters when we were sleeping. They’re fun to look back upon 🙂
Besides the very PO’d look on her face that looks amazingly comfy….
It’s very hard to spot the baby in this photo 🙂
At one pint I think I had 13 dolls and soft toys line ina row on my bed. I used to rescue unwanted toys from jumble sales.
“One of those things was to encourage her to pick out a friend to sleep with. (Hopefully she won’t follow this policy in college.) ”
Laughed at those lines. Now my co-workers think I’m crazy. I hope she more selective by college too. LOL
My 11 year old son still has a bed full of “friends”: SpongeBob and Gary, dragons, lots of cats, etc.
I used to line up my stuffed friends in bed with me every single night. I stopped. Uh, eventually.
Also this — (Hopefully she won’t follow this policy in college.) — cracked me up.
Did you pack up all your favorites when there was a tornado watch/warning? I did. They were going to the church basement with me!
And even though I’ve never mentioned that to my girl, she does the same when there’s a storm: gathers her babies and makes sure I know to bring them if we have to go to the closet.
Love NikkiZ’s bed o’ friends. 🙂
The college line was awesome. You’re so funny 🙂
(Oh and I loved the do not use quotations for emphasis thing. So funny!)
it looks like elmo had too much to drink last night…
I used to surround myself in much the same way… and when I woke up in the morning EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL would be on the floor.
I used to rotate which ones got to sleep next to me so they didn’t feel left out. No surprise I grew up to be a social worker.
“Hopefully she won’t follow this policy in college.”
*Sigh. If only that weren’t true…;-)
I was exactly the same way.
This was totally me as a kid. And I gave them my pillow and slept crammed down into the bed.
My 6 y/o daughter sleeps with no less than 20 of her favorite stuffed animals-replacing/adding some only when she gets a new webkinz….If my daughter has a dollar to spend she will find the tiniest stuffed animal to spend that dollart on, oh and they have to be arranged in a very specific order, yeah bedtime is a blast in my house.
That’s a soft little nest she’s made for herself.
I often tell my daughter there is no room for my grandaughter in her bed! She insists on books as well as her 2 blankets and I do not know how many dolls and stuffed animals. But if it helps keep them in bed, who am I to question it?
That’s adorable. I was the same way. I would cry if I couldn’t find the “right” animal to sleep with because I was CERTAIN that s/he was devastated at missing the chance to sleep next to me.
Please. That is nothing.
My two boys have eleventy-bajillion stuffed animals that they HAVE to sleep with. Every. Night.
Wanna guess who loves it when she makes their bed?!
She looks so cute.
HA! That college line made me laugh so hard, I snorted. And just like Shelly up above, my coworkers now think I’m nuts!
Alliclaus does this, except with books. There are literally a dozen or more books in her little toddler bed with her. I have a picture of it. I’ll have to make sure it’s on my flickr, because it seriously is ridiculous.
I am so glad to know that I’m not the only who thought my stuffed animals would be sad if they didn’t get to sleep with me. I remember being SO pained as I would choose who got to sleep with me, near me, etc …
My 2-year-old daughter does this two. But with books. She has to have them arranged around her bed, propped up so she can see the covers. They don’t stay like that. She wakes up with papercuts in very weird places. I am sure child services will be coming.
I can’t believe you woke her up JUST for the purpose of a photo.
It was worth it though.
Hey is that Elmo! What is he doing over there? He is supposed to be in my daughter’s crib.
I have tried the limiting to one animal/friend. And, each night she needed a new friend.
My mom thinks she will suffocate so every weekend, when my mom comes to watch the kids she hides a few friends/animals. But, my daughter and I always uncover them.
Each morning now, my daughter has to hand me the ones that she wants w/ her that day. Somedays, we are talking 7 or 8 friends.
How cute!
I suffered from the stuffed animal guilt too. I even kept track of which ones got to go downstairs with me on Christmas morning so that the next year, some of the others would have a chance.