Ben is a very energetic little fella. He is, and has always been, a reliable, constant source of entertainment and adventure for us. This entertainment does not end when he goes to sleep. Even while sleeping, he can entertain:
This is Ben after an exhausting day of church, including two whole hours of nursery!! All the coloring and singing, singing and coloring. I can't even imagine! When we got home, he slept on the bench all through getting lunch ready and all through our actual eating of lunch. He was one tuckered-out little guy.
I LOVE this picture!!Ben is 2 1/2 and getting to where he can mostly make it through the day in one piece without a nap. I'm another story. :) On days that Ben doesn't take a nap, he goes peacefully to bed at about 7:00. Beautiful!! On the days he does take a nap, we can plan on "adventure" till, oh, 11:00 on some nights. The worst is when he has not taken a nap at the usual noonish time, and at around 5:00, while I'm making dinner, I look at the couch and see him . . . sleeping on it!! "NO!" I cry, and try desperately to wake him up. Nothin' doin'! He is out for the count, and I must resign myself to the long bedtime battle that awaits me. (I say "me" because Gary is usually still working at the boy's bedtime, so I must face this challenge all by my lonesome.)
Lately, on the days he has taken a nap, I "sneak" Ben out of the boys' room after the bedtime routine so he doesn't keep the older boys awake. We go downstairs and hang out, where he cuddles with me on the couch. It's a much less stressful situation than trying to make a non-sleepy two-year-old go to sleep and it lets Andrew and Ryan go to bed at a decent time. . . unless, of course, they decide they're going to make nests out of their blankets and get all their toys on their bed and pretend they're birds and that all their toys are their eggs and/or baby birds. And no matter what they're pretending, hot lava is always involved- not to be confused with cold lava! :)
And though it's probably "healthier" for Ben to not stay up with Mom, I love it! He sits on my lap and makes very clever comments about whatever we're watching. He plays with my hair and says, "Mom, you're my friend." I tell him he's my friend, too. Then, two seconds later, he's magically asleep and I carry him up to bed. After all, he's gotta get a good night's rest for all of the adventure the next day will hold for a little boy!
Lately, on the days he has taken a nap, I "sneak" Ben out of the boys' room after the bedtime routine so he doesn't keep the older boys awake. We go downstairs and hang out, where he cuddles with me on the couch. It's a much less stressful situation than trying to make a non-sleepy two-year-old go to sleep and it lets Andrew and Ryan go to bed at a decent time. . . unless, of course, they decide they're going to make nests out of their blankets and get all their toys on their bed and pretend they're birds and that all their toys are their eggs and/or baby birds. And no matter what they're pretending, hot lava is always involved- not to be confused with cold lava! :)
And though it's probably "healthier" for Ben to not stay up with Mom, I love it! He sits on my lap and makes very clever comments about whatever we're watching. He plays with my hair and says, "Mom, you're my friend." I tell him he's my friend, too. Then, two seconds later, he's magically asleep and I carry him up to bed. After all, he's gotta get a good night's rest for all of the adventure the next day will hold for a little boy!
7 comments:
So cute!
Oh boy! I miss living there and seeing that funny, cute, crazy stuff happening every night and hearing it in the morning. I'm not being sarcastic. I truly miss that.
Love the pictures. And the hot lava comment. YOU are finding joy in the journey and being a great example of "come what may and love it." Way to make a happy memory with just you and little Ben instead of stressing yourself and him out with a forced bedtime (which would be my natural inclination). Thanks for your example.
Ditto on what Heather said. I need to be better at enjoying the journey. You are a great example!
I have a love hate relationship with sleep - I love it, but I hate falling asleep and waking up. I wish I could fall asleep anywhere! Oh...to be a kid again!
Oh, that reminds me of our Gentry. They are pretty close in age and by the way you describe Ben, pretty much in the same stage. So cute!
We always played hot lava! Except we had a burnt orange color carpet, so it was more realistic. :)
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