Musical Beds

is a not-so-fun game we play at our house once in awhile in the middle of the night.

Everyone starts off in their own beds and falls asleep soundly, enveloped in their own sweet dreams. Usually the game begins when one of the kids wakes up crying or calls us into their rooms. But they like to change it up a bit and every now and again they'll just stumble into our room and sneak into bed with us.

Half asleep, I'll walk down the hall and climb into bed with the initiator and make the first move of the game. Once the first move has been made, a second move is inevitable. Something will make me stir and I'll realize I'm not in my own bed and return to my own bed next to my soundly sleeping husband.

As sure as the sky is blue, the game will continue when I'm beckoned into the other kids room. I lie down and rub their back, trying to keep my eyes open so not to end up sleeping in this bed either. Once I'm convinced they are fast asleep, I tip toe once again back to my bed, where my husband is still sound sleep.

Now that neither child is in a deep sleep, they eventually notice that I have escaped from their beds and it's time for them to make their moves. One at a time, they make their way into our bed. Snuggling deep under the covers, right along side me. They quickly resume sleep, as if it was never disturbed.

To seal the deal our 70 pound Golden Retriever wants to play the game too, abandons her bed and finds a cozy spot between my legs. I try to hang on to the idea of sleep, while one leg is dangling off the bed and my covers are now a luxury I no longer possess. The crowded bed becomes too much for my husband when his slumber is finally disturbed. So he makes the last move of the game, retreating to one of the kids empty bed. He lies down smack dab in the middle, stretches his entire body out and pulls the abundance of covers up to his chin. When I hear the rhythmic sound of his snoring I know the game is over and that he has won!