i woke up in a fright last night
it must have been about 3 am
daddy says it's more like 4 am
i woke up suddenly looking for you
i didn't feel you next to me
you weren't sleeping between daddy and me
i was afraid we had smothered you or something
but you weren't there
you weren't in our bed

then my sleepy haze cleared
and i remembered
we put you in your crib last night
and we never took you out of it
you hadn't woken up to be brought to our bed
you hadn't cried out at night to be near your mother
and your daddy
you had slept soundly
you had slept through the night
and you were still asleep
i touched your chest to feel your breathing
i touched your cheek to see your lips move
you stayed sound asleep

you were fine

i crawled back to bed and snuggled close to your daddy
i wanted to feel the warmth again
knowing that very soon
you would be sleeping in your own bed
in your own room
away from us

and that soon after that
you would be sleeping in your own bed
in your own room
in your own home
away from us

so i told your daddy to go get you
you stirred now
at 4 in the morning
my touch must have sent you the same message
your daddy understood
and went to get you before you cried out
and brought you to our family bed
our big boy
all 22 pounds of you
giant baby boy
beautiful baby boy
for one more night of sleep with you
before it all disappears into memory