Ode to the NICU recliner

Oh big blue
How I miss you
The End.

Just kidding!

Nights like tonight I wish we had a recliner like old blue from the NICU. It wouldn't match anything in the house, isn't our style but it would be fabulous. The cushioned back was perfect for stuffing IV lines, leads and O2 tubes between the cushion and frame. The plastic/pleather "fabric" allowed you to use tape if your stuffing job wasn't adequate. Can't use tape on real fabric time after time, sticky. While we don't have lines or tubes I could see value in being able to tuck a blankie up around our shoulders. The fake fabric is also perfect for spit up and vomit, just wipe and go. No scrubbing upholstery and then hoping it dries before the chair is called into action once again. A pleather recliner can survive days of the stomach flu; soft, cushy fabric chair, not so much. And if it only rocked then it could be replaced by a regular rocking chair. But the magic in the recliner was after swaying front to back over and over which usually put the babies to sleep Mama could reach over the side, pull this fantastic wood lever and Ta-da! mini bed. While baby sleeps Mama might get some shut eye too. Can't sleep in a rocking chair and there are times you don't want to chance whether you'll make it to the couch to lay down without waking the sleeping child you worked so hard to comfort back to sleep. Plus the not-all-the-way flat angle would make winter so much better since our kids are little phlegm balls until Summer. Nights when they can't breathe through all the junk in their chest/nose and the pillow under the mattress or crib propped up isn't enough, they could sleep elevated in the recliner on Mom or Dad's chest.

Ah yes, I miss old blue. I don't mind comforting the kids back to sleep but often times wish I could be comforted as well. If only I could pull a lever and get some rest while the babes sleep soundly in my arms.