Sleeping]
K says: I tell the kids that since Daddy is staying in town, they can (for once) sleep in Mommy’s bed. They are SO excited. We can barely eat dinner. We can barely make it through bath. After bath, Stella climbs into the bed and is so worried she might have to leave it that she initially refuses to let me put on her pajamas. We read stories. Then we get read for bed.
Me: Okay Oliver, you sleep on the outside here, Stella in the middle, and me over here.
O: Why? I want you to be in the middle
Me: I don't want Stella to fall out of bed.
O: Why?
Me: Because it would hurt.
O: What about me? What if I fall out of bed? Don't you care if I fall out of bed?
Me: Of course. But you are a big boy who already sleeps in a big boy bed, so know how to not fall out of it.
O: Oh.
I turn out the light. My devious plan: They will be so happy to be in mommy's bed, I will make them be quiet and they will fall asleep quickly. Then I can get up and watch TV until it is time for me to go to bed.
Twenty minutes later:
Me: Oliver, stop talking
Oliver: I'm not talking. I'm whispering. It isn’t the same thing.
Me: Stop whispering.
Oliver: Why?
Me: It is time to go to sleep. Stop.
Silence for about twenty seconds
Oliver: Hey Mom! I stopped talking.
Me: You just talked.
Oliver: Oh, yeah.
Stella: Stop talking Oh-ber!! Can't seep! Be quiet!
Oliver: Mom, Stella is talking too.
Forty minutes later:
Stella: Stop touching me, Oh-ber
Oliver: I'm not!
Stella: You ARE. Mommy, Oh-ber touching me. Can't seep.
Oliver: This is why you need to be in the middle, Mom.
I get in the middle.
One hour later:
Oliver is giggling. Stella is giggling. They are poking each others bellybuttons. I inform the kids there is a change of plans. They will go to sleep in their own beds, and I will move them to mine when I come to sleep, so they can wake up with Mom in Mom’s bed. Promise. They are okay with this. they go to their beds and go to sleep. I watch TV. I come to bed and dutifully drag them, asleep, to mine. I turn out the lights.
1:30 am.
Stella: Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all way!! Jingle bell, jingle bells. Hey!
Oliver: Snore. Loud snoring.
Me: Stella, go to sleep. No singing.
Stella put her finger up my nose. Giggles.
Me: Serious, Stella. If you don’t be quiet, I'm going to put you in your own room.
Stella: Okay!
Me: You want to go to your room?
Stella: Yes! PLEASE!
Me: Why?
Stella: Oh-ber is SNORING. Can't SEEP. And you taking up WHOLE BED!!
Me: Fine.
I take Stella to her bed. She goes to sleep.
6:30:
I wake up to huge Oliver face right above mine.
O: MOM!! MOM!! WE LOST STELLA!!! SHE IS NOT IN THE BED!! I LOOKED AND SHE IS NOT DOWN UNDER THE COVERS AND SHE IS NOT UNDER THE BED!! WE LOST HER!! OH DEAR! OH NO! DADDY WILL BE SO MAD! HE LIKES STELLA!
Comments
Daddy should get out more often, it seems. (But not in the Woodsian sense, of course)
Whereas Oliver is ever-so slightly amused by the idea of being an only child once again... until it's squashed by finding Stella sound asleep in her room ;)