"Where's the baby?!?" Moments

Being a mother is one of the most rewarding experiences ever.  To look at my baby girl and get the biggest grin is an awesome feeling.  I don't know if it is typical for seven-week-old babies to consciously smile and do so consistently, but this one does and I love it.  It's reassuring to think that she's happy, that we must be doing something right.

But enough gush-iness, it's different having a another body in the house, especially one that is so little and delicate.  We've had to take many precautions to make sure that we don't hurt the little one, like holding her head and making sure her face isn't covered so she can breathe.  Many child-rearing experts look down on allowing your child to sleep in the bed with you and it only makes sense, right?  I mean, it's hard enough to get used to another body in the house, much less in the bed when you're sleeping.  Some people are okay with the co-sleeping concept though, arguing that it encourages bonding and makes the baby feel safe.  Well, Chandler and I are not okay with co-sleeping with Waverly; however, there have been times when we have let her sleep on one of our chests while we laid in bed, taking every caution to not fall asleep and put her in her own bed when she's calm.  But that still doesn't stop us from our "Where's the baby?" moments, as we have dubbed them.  It's those times when I've woken up in a panic as the baby disappeared from my arms while laying in bed with us, even though she's been in her bed all night.  I remember the first time it happened, we had been home for just a couple of weeks.  I sat straight up in bed in a panic, asking, "Where's the baby?!"  Chandler's reply, "Right here," as he taps his bare chest.  Haha!  Guess that's what happens when you haven't had any sleep.  And it definitely wasn't the last time that happened; in fact, I had one of those moments just the other night when I thought Chandler's arm was the baby and freaked out that she was being suffocated between us.  Co-sleeping is definitely not for the Snyder family haha.