Sunday night was a rough one at the Wilson house. Gracie has been going to bed a little earlier each week as we work back towards school time sleeping hours. She has been less than enthused by this endeavor. She had gotten used to going to bed late, between 9 and 10:30 and not having a nap most days meant she was exhausted and just dropped. Well, in changing this arrangement, she is not stumbling to bed, therefore she must not be ready to sleep yet, right? Well, not being nearly unconscious before hitting the sack has left her with time to think (and scheme) before going to sleep. One of the unfortunate results of this is that she has started claiming to be to scared to sleep, or at least to sleep in her own bed. She has refused to sleep at all until one of us goes to bed and even then, she wants to crawl in with us before she is willing to be done.
The reason she gives...........BAD DREAMS.
Well, all kids have bad dreams once in a while. This is normal. We have a full arsenal of defenses against bad dreams. We have Monster B Gone spray (which is really a bottle of nice smelling Febreze, you know monsters don't like fresh flowery smells and Gracie's' do) We have the quiet loving talks to assure her that there is nothing to be afraid of. We have "go to sleep before I spank you and poke out my own eyes" talk. When things get really really bad, we call on the Divine to intervene.
Sunday was really really bad, so Angie and I prayed over Gracie in her bed and asked Jesus to watch over her and asked God to send some Angels to stay at her bedside to keep any bad dreams from coming to her as she slept. This usually works because now she feels like she is not alone anymore, and usually she calms down and sleeps. This night however, was not the normal night. In order for this to work, she must calm down and then sleep. She calmed down, but she didn't go to sleep. The Angels cant keep bad dreams from coming while your awake little Miss Gracie, but sleep was not in the cards just yet.
I pulled a new card out of the pile to try this night. I went in her room and took a pillow off her bed and crashed down in the floor. My hope was that I could crash there and talk with her a while until she faded off to sleep, and then turn her over to the Divine sword wielding protectors and go back to my bed to catch what at this point would be too few Z's.
Again, my plan was thwarted because Gracie was calm and willing to talk, but not willing to sleep. So, we talked, and talked, and talked some more. She was painfully logical in her reasoning, as most kids can be.
Daddy, if I cant sleep in your bed, why do Bo and Fritz, ( the two blind Bichons in the house) get to sleep in your bed?
Well, sweetheart, there are some differences between you and them. First, they cant see. Bo keeps falling down the stairs so we keep him squished up between the pillows so he knows where we are and doesn't wonder around looking for us at night. Fritz sleeps pretty much wherever he wants to, he is on the couch right now and will end up in the bedroom floor later, he doesn't fall down the stairs like Bo does. And, in case you forgot, Bo and Fritz are dogs, your a little girl. Its not appropriate for little girls to sleep in the bed with their parents. You have your own room, with your own bed, and your own stuff. Okay? ( Now I knew better than to say okay, but I did it anyway)
Daddy, why cant I just sleep wherever I want like Fritz does then.
Because honey, Fritz is a dog.
I wish I were a puppy, don't you wish you were a puppy too daddy, puppies are so lucky, they get to do whatever they want, and everybody is always loving on them and petting them, nobody ever pets me?
No, if we were puppies, we would have to eat that stinky food, all we would ever get to drink is water. We would have to pee outside......
In the rain, in the snow, and when its cold outside?
Yes sugar, in the rain, snow, sleet, smog, and wind, with no shoes on even. And your mom and dad love on you all the time.
Yes, daddy, but you only pet my hair sometimes, mommy only pets my back sometimes.
I will start petting your back too boogs', Okay? (dang, asked it again?)
Don't you wish you didn't have to go to work daddy? Don't you wish you could just stay home and play all the time with me?
Well, yes and no. I do wish I didn't have to work, but I need to so I can pay for the stuff that you need.
Like my bed, our house, and stuff, so we don't have to live in a box and eat dirt?
Yes Shug, so we don't have to live in a box and eat dirt...
( the don't you wish game has started)
Don't you wish you where a fish?
No, then I would live in a bowl and just watch everybody pass by.
Don't you wish you where a booger, a booger in a tiara who married a tree? (not so muffled giggles)
Okay, Gracie, enough of the silliness. Its late, I have to get up in a few hours now and go to work, please be quiet and go to sleep.
Okay daddy... brief pause..... Don't you wish you where a pastor like Pastor Tim, then you would only have to work on Sunday's...
( I snorted)
It doesn't work that way Gracie. Look, I need some sleep before I go to work. I am already past the point that I will be grumpy tomorrow.
Your gonna be a grumpy hippopotamus?
Yes, a very grumpy hippo.
At this point (3:30 AM) I go to bed (again) for about an hour give or take. Gracie comes in and gives me a hug at 4 AM. Then again at 4:30. At 4:45 I get up. She crawls in our bed, I get dressed and leave for work. She is the Victor (hail to the victor, hail hail hail)
Tomorrow night, I have a plan. No sleep for daddy, no playing for Gracie........
Ya, know, the most annoying part of the whole thing was the catalyst. I asked Gracie, what was it that she was dreaming about, scared of or whatever. It was the talking picture of the Mona Lisa she saw on a cartoon that morning. The Mona Lisa kept me (and her) up all night.
My attitude towards the French just got a little worse me thinketh.........
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