Wednesday, February 27, 2008

You could call me Goldilocks, except that I'm not blonde


So...back to the bed story...

When the girls and I arrived home on Friday afternoon and walked into my room, the bed seemed strangely different.

If you missed the first part of this tale, a quick re-cap.
I had suffered and travailed through
six long years with a sle*p number bed.
I suppose this would be a good bed for couples that never want to get near each other with a 3-foot pole, and therefore, that less than subtle line that divides the bed from "fairly firm" on one side....to
"mushy valley hole" on the other...serves a good purpose.

But although -like any married couple- we do have our moments of disagreement...basically, we like being near each other once in awhile. Which was one of the reasons we got married.

And also, if you've ever rolled over in your sleep and found that your right side of your body was ten times lower than your left side (and the next morning, felt like Quasimodo) well, then you might understand my true sleep woes.
I don't know how this could have happened to you, though, unless
a) you have owned a sl*ep number bed now or sometime in your past or
b) you roughed it and slept out in the wilderness on some rocky, sloping hill

So, Friday as I further examined my bed, I realized that it wasn't my bed anymore...but a new bed! I looked everywhere for those wires and buttons to pump it up or deflate it....but gone were these instruments of torture.

Instead, was this simple...yet very thick mattress beneath the sheets.

I tentatively sat on it.

At first, it was very firm...but then...I started to sink.
This was a little discouraging.

And I quickly discovered this was the bed that I had mentioned to my husband that I thought might be the answer for us...
The memory foam mattress.

When my dear husband came home that evening, you can bet it was one of the first topics of conversation!
It seems he went ahead and put our old mattress on c*aigslist, got a buyer while I was gone...and then at the very same time, this foam mattress went on sale big time. So he thought he'd just surprise me!

Actually, I honestly thought this was very sweet...I was beginning to give up hope that we would ever get rid of that bed. So, really, the thought behind this was wonderful.
And because of that, I kept to myself the fact that when I had mentioned the memory foam bed, I kind of thought I would be checking it out first...you know...lying down on it in some store...
seeing how it feels...
pushing at it...
kicking it.

Well, I'm sorry to report that the first night didn't go so well... but I immediately realized that perhaps it was because we still had the "topper" foam mattress on top of it!
(Yes, we had even tried a topper foam mattress over the old bed in hopes of evening it out a bit. Didn't work.)
With this extra foam topper over the new foam bed, I would start to lie down in firmness...then sink...sink...sink...down as if it were some marshmallow quicksand.

It was just simply memory foam overload.

So the next night I removed the topper...and I have to admit, it was much better!

OK, I do find I still start to slowly sink after a few seconds...but then after a moment I realize I'm actually pretty comfortable. There's still a firmness around me. A soft firmness, mind you...but it's there.

Yet, as a gal who likes her mattress nice and firm, with not too much give (my husband might say, "read: anything just a little softer than floor board)...this whole concept of your body sort of melting into the foam is just... different.

But each night I think I seem to like it just a wee bit more.

They say you have to test out a mattress a good week at the very least before making a permanent decision. So I'm keeping an open mind for the next week or two...and I will keep you posted.

It goes without saying that it's at least better than the old system. (But then again, I can't think of too many things that wouldn't be.)

But I know my sweet husband wanted so much to compromise with our sleeping issues...plus wanting to surprise me and all.
So I'm kind of routing for this bed for these reasons alone.

But you know, I really think part of pre-marital counseling should include revealing your sleep number.

What about you? What kind of bed do you have, and are you happy with it?

27 comments:

Heather said...

Oh that is so very sweet!!!!

We are on our third hand me down bed. The first we bought at an antique shop in a college town (very well used). The second was given to us when friends moved. The third is a size smaller and was given to us by my dad when they got a bigger bed. IT is the newest we have ever had and much more comfortable but too small (it is a full) and we like our space. My poor husband hits either the top or the bottom when he lies down--he just doesn't have enough room. However, it is not at the top of our "must get" list so who knows when we will get a new one ourselves.

Susan said...

This is such a fun post, Tammy, and makes me smile!!!
Susan

someone else said...

Well, this was fun to read! I hope you adjust to the new mattress and then wonder how you ever got along without it.

One of our daughters got a new mattress for their bed (don't know what kind) and it took her about a week to adjust to it. So there's hope for you.

Jana said...

This made me laugh!

We have two single air mattresses in a king size waterbed frame. This was a "temporary" arrangement when we moved, because we were planning on finishing off the new master bedroom and getting a new waterbed mattress. This was four years ago. I often roll over into a hole, so I know exactly what you mean! Amazingly, our room is almost done now - only the flooring remains and then we will be able to ditch the air mattresses - hooray!

Thanks for the chuckle!

gail@more than a song said...

Six years is a long time to struggle with one that felt like it was sloping! I hope you get adjusted to the new one soon.
I think ours is a pillowtop firm mattress, like sealy posturpedic or serta. Have had it almost 6 years and it's pretty good.

Anonymous said...

i have a free bed, so yeah i'm happy with it....

Susie said...

I'll be anxious to hear how you rate this type of mattress. We have a very firm mattress that we are considering replacing. (we've slept on those pillow top mattresses in hotels and found them very comfortable)
Keep us posted!
xo

Anonymous said...

How sweet of him to do that! I hope it will work out well.

My hubby and I both like firm mattresses, so that works well!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tammy. What a funny story! And thanks for the inside info on the sleep number bed. I've often wondered about them, since Garrison Keillor advertises them on a Prairie Home Companion. But we're not in the market for a new bed. We have a Simmons BeautyRest and it's firm. It's been ours for 10 years (just one year short of our anniversary--we slept on an air mattress for the first year of marriage).

Thanks for stopping by! I'm making yet another batch of yogurt!
XO

ruth said...

I have a firm queen mattress that I bought used with a foam pad which I later bought to put on top. Although it is a queen size pad, it is not as wide as my queen size matress but works fine for me. I share it with the cute soft Snow man you got me for Christmas, & a couple of stuffed animal friends (I don't like to sleep alone) They have their side & I have mine

Sharon said...

Right now we are staying in a motel while traveling through Fl. The bed is comfortable and I am sleeping quite well......not m,y own b3d but it sure seems to be working.....good night now..

Barb said...

I have a Sealy Posturepedic and I'm thinking I'm glad. I know for sure I'm glad I don't have a sleep number bed, after reading this story! LOL

I finally, finally finished answering all the questions I was asked and yours is one of the last lot I answered today. I'm embarrassed it took me a month to answer all of them, but I finally finished them. Whew!

After this nightmare story, I sincerely hope you're having sweet dreams now. :-)

Carole Burant said...

Awwww Tammy, what a sweet hubby you have, wanting to surprise you by getting rid of that number bed and getting that new one...but I agree with you, I would have liked to be consulted on that first! lol I've seen the ads for those memory foam mattresses but have never tried one. I've got a firm mattress bed and if it wasn't for insomnia, I'd sleep very well in it! lol xoxo

Denise said...

We bought a brand new bed last fall it is a pillowtop reversable.... and it is wonderful..... we both sleep so good...... well worth the money..It was our fist new bed since we married in 1999........ yipeeeeeeeee.. and I think that was so special that your hubby did that......... we just smile and say thanks dear....... there are a lot of hubbies out there that would not even think to do that..........

Karen said...

You have such a thoughtful hubby! Mine likes to surprise me like this, too.
We slept on a Memory foam mattress at my aunt's lake house this past week-end, and I loved it! My sweetie did not. So, I'm thinking I'll get one of those memory foam mattress pad thingies for my side.
I've never tried the sleep number bed, so I'm glad to hear your story with yours. I'll leave that one off my list. ;o)
Have a great day!

Corrie said...

You are so funny! I don't think I would like a sleep number bed either. Loved the Quasimodo reference!
Have a great day!

Jill said...

We have your basic Simmons firm queen mattress. I had it before we got married and we've recently discussed getting a new one. I've known a few people who have the sl**p number and don't really rave about it. I've often wondered how the memory foam beds felt. At least you have the trial period and can return it, right? How sweet of your husband to think of this, though!

Justabeachkat said...

Mattresses are soooo important...sure hope your new one is good once you get used to it. How sweet of your hubby to surprise you.

Hugs!
Kat

Dawn said...

Mattresses are really hard to be happy with, I've found. Our last one was causing me to get backaches. Now ours is so thick that I had to get all new sheets, and as tall as I am and as long as my legs are, I have to jump to get up onto it! Believe it. I'm not crazy about it either, but we paid a fortune for it.

DC would have liked the memorhy foam one, but it seemed heat-producing to me, and I was in the throes of hot flashes and didn't need any help in that department!

Nadine said...

Too funny. We have a Tempurpedic bed. It's great. We both love it and have had it for years.

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

"memory foam overload" cracks me up! I'm watching this process with a hawk's eye. I've always wondered about these two beds. also, It was Jason Yeager who sang that song on AI, and he was one who was sent packing last night. Am I to infer that you are being sucked into the vortex that is American Idol?

Sandy said...

Hi Tammy - we have the same bed since we got married. That's about 17 yrs. old and we did buy one of those Temp. Mattresses to put on top (not sure spelling). Love it!
Happy Weekend.

Melanie @ This Ain't New York said...

Memory foam overload. Love it!

Dragonstar said...

We bought a king-size bed to fit two different 2'6" mattresses (I like firm with a padded top, OH likes soft to the point of squidgy) Couple of years ago we bought a king-size firm mattress. Too heavy to turn over, and I'm finding ridges.
I do hope your memory foam goes well - I'm very interested.

Pamela said...

a Lady Englander with a pillow top. For some reason I've never been sold on it... and I prefer our guest bed.

groovyoldlady said...

Sorry. sick. Behind. Here now.

Saggy Air Spring mattress. Calling today about that warranty!

Anonymous said...

I suffer from a lot of back pain due to a car accident when I was a child. When it happened I was in pain for a while but after I healed I had very little trouble until I was 15 and my muscles started to develop, I started getting a lot of lower back pain and have suffered with it ever since. That is until recently when I stumbled across memory foam mattresses. They adjust to the shape and weight of my body to support my back perfectly and let me sleep soundly. I can’t even imagine being able to sleep without my memory foam mattress anymore!