Sweet Moments and Sleeping Children

I am a neurotic normal mom.

I feel the need to check on my children before I go to bed at night, to make sure they are still breathing, pet their sleeping faces and whisper sweet nothings, knowing they cannot hear. I tell them I love them, and they get little flickers of smiles dancing across their soft faces, and then return to whatever dreams of candy and puppies have captured them that time.

I love this time, when all is dark and the kids are quiet. Last night I started my normal routine. Emma first, pull the blanket up and kiss her soft cheek. Smooth her hair and tell her quietly that I love her. Tuck her favorite buddy a little closer so she can find it if she wakes in the night. Slowly walk out of the room, feeling that she is indeed a gift, and shutting the door behind me.

My cup runneth over.

I went into the twins' room. Grant curled up, hugging his Ted close. Even in sleep, they are great buds. Run my fingers through his hair and stroke his plump, still baby-like cheek. I love the stage that Grant is in right now. Stuck halfway between baby and big boy, loving to cuddle him mommy as well as talk about cars, trucks, and tractors. I love my little man.

I turned to Ben, and saw him there, in the sleep position that is so Ben, sprawled as wide as he can get, his spread-eagle body attesting to the fact that he was comfy.

And he was naked.

Not like the typical, I-got-hot-so-I-took-off-my-jammies type of naked, but the I-need-to-let-the-boy-parts-air-out-from-time-to-time type of naked. His diaper was next to him in the crib, and the tape that was supposed to be keeping the diaper in place was on the floor.

My Ben, sound asleep, spread eagle and naked.

I tried to contain my laughter for fear of waking him, but looking at his sweet innocent face and all his business hanging out, and then recognizing that if he did pee in his sleep, he was lined up just so that he would spray himself in the face, I had to leave the room.

Did I take a picture? Of course! What type of photographer would I be if I did not capture this moment for future blackmail for the sweet memory? Did I call Marty in to see, and make sure to be in the room first so I could see the look on his face when he noticed the obvious nakedness? Oh, yes! Am I thinking that if I post the picture on my blog it might scar Ben for life/get me arrested for child p0rn0graphy? Yup, indeed!

So the picture will remain in the Stauffer family, not to be shared amongst the whole world. But it's funny, let me tell you.

I will leave you with a picture, though, since I can now upload them and I have a lot of pictures to put here for the past posts. Here's my tire from Tuesday:

Purdy, ain't it?

I'll be back later today for Thursday's with Tiffani!