The Chaise

Six years ago Nick and I bought a couch that was too big for our living room. We had our reasons. It was a three piece sectional sofa, it was the right material, the right look, the right price. The two long pieces fit together perfectly in our current living room to make the L-shaped sectional we were searching for. The third piece, the chaise lounge chair, didn't fit, but it didn't really matter. The couch functioned as it should without the third piece, and if you didn't know the chaise was an option you would have no idea it was missing. We knew we were moving in a couple of years, and could then put our couch together with the chaise lounge chair included, but for now, we just had an extra piece of furniture that didn't fit in the living room.

The chaise got put in the office. An extra chair to lay on and relax while talking to someone who was on the computer. A place to pile papers and books. A place to hypothetically sit and read or study. A comfortable, but rarely used chair in our little home. The plan to move "in a couple years" changed to "someday" and the chaise stayed in it's office home, almost forgotten. Then we found out we were pregnant. The office was finally turning into the nursery we waited so long for. The floor plan was made, and it was decided the chaise would stay. We really had nowhere else for it to go, and it seemed as good as any other chair for a nursery.

After our baby showers it was covered in all our baby supplies. Once Henry came home it was commonly covered in tiny baby clothes, little blue hats and tiny onsies. It was a catch all for everything baby related, but for his first year it was rarely sat on. Except by Sammie. Sammie loved to sleep on the chaise in Henry's room. But it was once again a mostly unused and forgotten piece of furniture in our little home.

But after all this time, the chaise has finally found it's purpose. We have recently started putting Henry to sleep in his own room rather than in the living room. One of those things we should have done long ago, but never thought of. Now, after his bath, after his snack and his milk, after his three books and lots of kisses from which ever parent is not putting him to sleep that night, we make our way to his bedroom. We turn out the lights and turn on his night light, which shoots the night starts onto the ceiling, and we curl up on the chaise with our sweet boy. And it's a perfect fit. Laying down with our baby boy in our arms, watching him drift off to sleep by the light of the artificial stars. Knowing that he feels safe and secure here in his own room. On this chaise that was an extra and unused piece of furniture. This chaise that now holds our sweet Henry as he drifts off to sleep each night. What a wonderful purchase, that couch that was too big for our living room six years ago.