paisley. part two

I can remember, as a small child, asking my dad to sit on my feet for a few minutes before he finished tucking me into bed. The weight of him on my feet making me instantly sleepy.

I can remember, as a child, trying to settle my unsettled feet and legs so I could be comfortable enough to get to sleep. I would lie on my belly and shove my foot between my bed and the wall. If it wasn't tight enough I would get out of bed and push the bed closer to the wall so the foot squeeze would be tighter.

I remember this being my most favourite position to fall asleep in. Getting married has taken that away. Marriage beds don't usually get shoved up against a wall.

I love winter time because we can pull out the big heavy duvet and add it to our bed. The weight of that downy darling lulling me into dreamland. Summer comes and it's too hot. The duvet goes back into hiding in the closet.

I never sleep well in the summer.

Yesterday I talked about my foray into insomniaville. And some of the things I have tried to conquer it. I alluded to Paisley.

The birth of Paisley goes a little something like this. Once upon a time I went to a dinner with some Calgary bloggers. The hostess was Leslie. She was quiet and observant and perfectly lovely. She lives very close to me and I will admit here that she has served me well in many aspects of life over the last few months. I am pleased to call her a friend.

At this particular dinner at her house she was telling us about her new business. She was going to be making weighted blankets and vests and other such weighty things. She explained their use from a rehabilitation stand point. She used to work with kids with autism spectrum disorder. They used weighted vests and blankets to help in their therapy.

Like a big giant hippo hug.

I asked to see a blanket. She brought out the Spiderman prototype. She handed it to me and I nearly dropped it. Heaviest blanket ever.



I laid it across my legs and the first thought I had was that I'd love to sleep with something that heavy on me. I craved it. I asked her if she thought a weighted blanket might help one sleep better.

"Oh definitely," she responded.

"Hmmmmmmm," I fell into deep contemplation.

I asked her to price one out for me and then I put it on my wish list.

A few weeks later, I was whining, via facebook, about not sleeping again. Which is so weird because I hardly ever whine.

Ummmmmm.......

Anyway, Leslie offered up her Spiderman blanket to me for a trial run.

Excuse me?? Me and Spiderman? In bed together? YES PLEASE!

I mean....yes, please.

So I started sleeping with the one and only Spiderman blankey and wow......how do you say in love?

Me sleeping, still, quiet, stone-like, through the night. That's how.

After a couple of weeks I decided it wasn't right to hog this special blanket and so I returned him and ordered my own. I wanted it bigger, heavier. I wanted it to come right up to the hairs on my chinny chin chin. I went over to see Leslie and pick out material for my very own blanket.

Love.




And beautiful to boot.

I had to wait 12 nights to get her and not a night went by that I didn't curse getting into my bed. I missed the weight of Spiderman and the man heard about it nightly, much to his chagrin. When Leslie brought Paisley over to me it wasn't even supper time yet but I ordered everyone to bed so I could go to sleep.

They weren't buying it. I think they hate me. So I had to settle for a snuggle on the couch with it instead.

This is Holden demonstrating what I looked like when I curled up with Paisley for the first time.



He's probably not far off.

The timing has be serendipitous. I have PMS and nights are restless and unsettled. But with that 15 pound beauty holding me down I sleep hard, my legs still, and if I lay the blanket just so, with the edge of it falling over the side of the bed, I can cram my foot down there and......

gonzo. I'm out.

Sometimes, it's hard for me not to believe that people are put in your life for a reason. And if they aren't then I choose to believe that everyone we meet can better us in some way or another.

Leslie is a clever, talented and gracious woman and I know I will be forever grateful for this little nugget of sleep perfection she has been a part of. Created even.

Will this blanket cure insomnia for me or for anyone else? I doubt cure is the right word. But I do know, because I am living it, that this blanket brings me much comfort, both physically and emotionally. I know that this blanket has given me many happy nights and I am a much more rested person because of it.

If you, or anyone you know, suffers from poor sleeping, or restless leg syndrome or anything else that this product might "help" with then I encourage you to look into Leslie's products and really find out if she can help you in any way.

Thank you Leslie. You are my favourite.

http://www.hippohug.ca/

And please, do me a favour, because you love me so, go over here and like her Facebook page and see all the great things she's making for adults and children everywhere.

Amelia, trying to carry it for as long as she can. "It's soooo heavy!"




Go check it out. Go. Now.