I don’t even remember the first night it happened or what was different about that night, but I do know that the habit started while my husband was out of town. I just recall that one night I heard my little dude run down the hall and was barely awake as he stood next to the bed and asked if he could cuddle with me. Clearly at this point I had two options: 1) get out of my warm bed, walk him back to his and tell him to go to sleep or 2) pick him up, cuddle his sweet little self and go back to sleep. I don’t think I have to tell you what I did.

He’s returned to my bedside every night since.

I have to admit that the nights when my husband is out of town I actually kind of look forward to waking to the sound of my son running down the hall to my room. (And his does run – who has that kind of energy at 3 am?)  But, I know it’s a habit that we need to break. At some point.

One of these days I’ll get out my trusty and worn copy of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child to see what good the good ol’ sleep doctor recommends. Until then, I’ll enjoy the mid-slumber cuddles and know hope that my son outgrows it on his own and I don’t have to deal with what I imagine will be a struggle to break the habit.

Do you (or did you) have a little bed invader in your home? What do you think about a child going to sleep in his own bed but spending part of the night with parents? If you had to break the habit, how did you do it?

Congrats to Sarah G, the winner of the Zoolu! $100 Shopping Spree!

To thank The Shopping Mama readers for the awesome support and giveaway response, Zoolu! is offering an exclusive discount! Use the code TSM2010 for 10% off your entire purchase. But, hurry, the code expires Sunday, March 14. So, head over to www.ShopZoolu.com and get shopping.

About CurlyQ Cuties

Design A Moggin

I have to tell you that designing your monster is half the fun of CurlyQ Cuties . We designed a Custom Moggin and got to select 10 attributes including body shape, body color, face position, eye shape, eye color, nose shape, nose color, mouth shape, belly shape, and belly color. Yes, all of that! My son asked to do it over and over and over again and refers to the CurlyQ Cuties website as “the monster game”. We designed his Moggin, and then we designed a Moggin for his sister, and then he designed a Moggin for me… I think you get the idea. It’s really quite fun and extremely easy to do.

I let Preschool Boy have full creative control so he literally picked every detail of his Moggin. Isn’t it hysterical? I love that he picked the “Diva” eye for his monster. I think the Diva eye has a different meaning to a 3 year old because he just says his Moggin is “sweepy.”

Quality Plush Monster

We didn’t have to wait long to see my son’s creation, and, indeed, all monsters arrive within 10 days of being ordered. When the Moggin arrived it looked exactly like the image we created on the computer and the quality is top notch. Like all CurlyQ Cuties, our Moggin is made of anti-pill fleece and each embellishment is made of fleece and felt which are affixed and embroidered onto the monster. Preschool Boy loves his Moggin because he designed it and I love it because it truly is great quality and it’s certainly not your ordinary stuffed animal.

As you can see from the pictures, the Moggin is the perfect size for the kids. He’s great for taking on walks, cuddling and sleeping.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… CurlyQ Cuties are a great buy. The Basic Monster starts at just $25 – a terrific price for the ability to completely design your own, high quality plush toy. I think it’s a great option for a birthday gift and you can give a gift certificate so the recipient has the fun of designing their own.

Or Not to Buy… It’s hard to find fault with CurlyQ Cuties. The process is fun and the product exceeds expectations.

Shop! CurlyQ Cuties offer custom made to order monsters, Moggins, and adorable tooth fairy pillows. The Basic Moggin is $30, for more customization options the Deluxe Moggin is $40 and you can create a Double-Sided Moggin for $50. Use the code FRIEND for 5% off until March 31.

Disclosure: Thank you to CurlyQ Cuties for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. The opinions are my own and others may have a different experience.

Alphabet Crafts has an easy craft for every letter of the alphabet and includes 5 exclusive crafts. Like on her blog, Allie gives easy to follow step by step instructions, pictures and tips for a successful (and fun!) experience with your child. The book also has suggested materials and alphabet book suggestions.

All that alphabet learning for only $8. Yay!

Happy shopping.