Loved to Death

My youngest child is a lover. He simply cannot get (or give) enough hugs, kisses, lap time or 'nuggles (as he calls them). He recently coined the term "Rumble, Rumble," which means "group hug," and he frequently calls everyone in for some of that special love. He needs physical touch like the rest of need oxygen, and he goes out of his way to give and receive it. Like, way out of his way.

Several times a week, he makes a middle-of-the-night trek to our bedroom and crawls into our bed sometime between midnight and 5:00 am (usually around 3), for the sole purpose of 'nuggling. I mean, he doesn't just want to be in our bed, he wants to be touching us--both of us--so, he will turn himself sideways between us in order to maximize surface contact. Sometimes, I find fingers entwined in my hair or hands under or on top of me, while a little head nuzzles under my chin. Other times, it's little feet in the ribs or back or stomach, while Jeff receives attention from the other extremities. It's all very sweet, but, frankly, all this love (and lack of sleep) is killing me! Taking him back to his room only works occasionally, and sometimes, I just don't even have the wherewithal at that time of the day to put one foot in front of the other to relocate him. And, then the next day, I'm dragging, and he's cranky and exhausted, which sometimes leads to adorable-but-regretable scenes like this:

I'm all about the love. Really, I am. But, I just wish we could get all our loving in during the more civilized times of the day.