Monday, June 29, 2009

Fighting the good fight

Go ahead and judge me, but my kids do not go to bed on their own. Mr. Dog and I take turns sitting in their bedroom until they fall asleep. As hard as this routine can be, and as much as I sometimes wish they would just go to bed unassisted, I also know these moments will end at some point. The boys will no longer need me in this way, and I'll be left longing for the closeness of their dark bedroom and the last whispered words of our day.

Big Dog will fall asleep on his own pretty quickly once he is in bed as long as he knows we are nearby, but Little Dog fights sleep as though his life depends on constant sleep deprivation. He can be so cute and charming in his struggle to stay awake, it is a chore to really be a hard ass. Many nights he ends up in my lap on the rocking chair. Many nights he pulls random stuff out of his brain to discuss in these pre-sleep moments. Anything to prolong his wakefulness. Usually I just keep repeating "It's sleeping time, no more talking."

Last night he was in fine form.
Cuddled in my lap, stroking my cheek with his soft little hand, "Mama, I love you."
"Shhh, sleeping time, no more talking."
"I need lots of kisses, mama."
A couple of quick quiet kisses later, I repeat, "Sleeping time, no more talking."
"Mama, I love you."
No response.
"Mama," little hand stroking my hair, "I love your hair."
"Sleeping time, no more talking."
Still stroking my hair, looking up at me with heavy eye lids, the beginnings of sleep upon him, "But mama, I love your hair. It's so.....cool."
A silence, a few long blinks that almost keep his eyes closed for the sleep he so dearly needs. Then open, looking up at me once again bright, his struggle to stay awake renewed.
"You're like a rock star!"

Not entirely sure where that came from, but this kid sure knows how to work his mama.

3 comments:

Corina said...

I thought I was the only one who stayed in the room with my 2 year old son. Did the same with my daughter. I needed that quiet, down time with her, and I need it with him (he is crazy active).

The crazy things that kids come up with. So cute.

Summer said...

Awww, how sweet!

Mrs. F said...

What a cutie. i would have given the kid some ice cream, right then and there...

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