My kids are tricky little jokesters. As they get older, their personalities come out even more, and they really are funny little people. We woke up Taylor around 11pm to see if she needed to use the bathroom before we went to bed. People think we are crazy, but this works well for us, and she usually goes right back to bed. I’ve learned to go less on opinion and more based on what works for my own family. She said she didn’t need to go. As Todd and I got into bed, relieved that we were done for the night, we hear T’s door crack open. She tip toes down the hall and runs into our room saying “I tricked you! I really tricked you guys! I do need to pee tonight!” After a bathroom break, a sip of milk, and checking to see what episode of FRIENDS was on, she went back to her room. She requested a pajama change because she was “too sweaty” tonight and wanted to wear her mermaid nightgown. We compromised (added pants underneath because it’s cold here!) and she went back to bed.

Done! Right? Wrong.

Fast forward a few hours later. It’s now 1 AM, as in asscrack of the morning. Everyone has been sleeping for quite some time, but Mom can’t turn off her brain and is still awake. No surprise there. I hear cries for Mama coming from the boys room. I ignore them at first to see if it’s just someone talking in their sleep (Jackson does that often) but he keeps crying that he needs me. He was half asleep when I went in, but I scooped him up and held him against me for a nice long cuddle. How many more times will I get to do this before he’s “too big,” before he turns me away? Before it’s no longer appropriate to inhale the sweet scent of the baby shampoo in his long hair? I cherish the moments even though I’m exhausted. I noticed that he had begun to rip his duck tape off (yes, we still need to tape them at naps and night because since they are learning letters and numbers, they will write their names and social security numbers on the walls – and we don’t allow writing utensils in their room… Anyway, I asked him why he removed his tape and half of his pants and in his half-sleep stupor, he informed me that he was too cold in these pajamas (he chose footless ones) and that he wanted to be so warm instead. He said “I need to be warm and have pajamas on my feet in case I go outside.” I told him it was 1 am and we had no plans of going outside just yet and he said “It’s okay, Mama. I go outside maybe later and my feet be warm.” After changing him into pajamas of his choice, singing the Paw Patrol theme song while doing so, I double checked that the doors were locked, alarm and sensors were on, and gates were up. He’s not going outside to play on my watch, even if his little feet are warm. I tucked him back into his bed (brother’s bed actually) and went back to my room when I heard him screaming “Joseph! Joseph! My feet are warm. Wake up and play outside now!” I ran back in there and encouraged him to leave his sleeping brother alone but that didn’t work out so well. For now, I’m hanging out with two little men, trying to get them to fall back asleep so they don’t wake everyone else up or destruct the house for hours tonight. Here’s to another round of Paw Patrol and a few blanket tents being built. Maybe I’ll be able to sleep in tomorrow… ha!