Sleepy Preschooler Apology

     We're at that phase with Ball where she doesn't wear diapers at night anymore, but we have to remember to take her potty before we go to sleep or I'm doing a lot of extra laundry. (My memory isn't great so I've been doing a lot of extra laundry.) 

     When we went through this with my older two children, they were zombies, but Ball is sweet when woken in the middle of the night.  She handles being forcibly removed from bed, stripped, being sat in a lighted room, and getting dumped back in bed with ease and grace.  Ball gives sleepy smiles, she'll blow me kisses when I tuck her back into bed, and she often says "thanks Momma" or "I love you" after our nightly excursion.

     Last night before bed Ball was not listening, moving really slow, laying on the floor and not doing anything; you know, acting like a child.  I gave her a couple warnings that she was going to loose books if she couldn't move fast enough and get everything done.  This was met with more rolling around on the floor and doing nothing. Finally I picked her up, laid her in bed, tucked her in, kissed her on the head and said good night; no story time, cuddles, or songs good night.

     Later I went in for our nightly potty ritual.  I picked her up, set her on the throne, held her upright, and waited.  As she was sitting there she said "Mommy, I'm sorry I didn't move fast enough tonight."  When I looked up her eyes were still closed and she was half asleep.  This morning I had to ask her 3 times to get dressed for school and we are battling about her putting on shoes and socks.  She apparently doesn't remember the lesson that prompted her sleepy time apology.  But I do and I'm not cutting her any slack, even if she is sweet.

The "Tuck and Roll"

     Your house is cold and dark when you climb under your thick warm blankets.   You snuggle in as the heat spreads through your body and begins to pull you into a peaceful slumber.   And then it happens.   The freezing cold cuts you like a knife forcefully removing you from your happy place.

     The person you have chosen to share your bed with is a nocturnal predator.   In his (or her) own attempt to enter dreamland he has snugly wrapped himself up in your shared blankets.   He brings the blankets up to his chin and squeezes them tight to his body - the tuck.  Unconscious of the fact that there is another person in his bed, he turns over, taking the tightly wrapped blankets with him, leaving his partner in the cold - the roll.  You are an unfortunate victim of the "tuck and roll".

     If you are the 6'2", 180 pound person in this scenario, copying this action and reclaiming what is rightfully yours is a viable option.  If you are the smaller person, no amount of tucking or rolling will help you exact retribution.  Your only real option is to find another (probably inferior) blanket and cling to that one for dear life while fighting away nightmares about being a penguin in South America.

     You are not alone.  In the cold winter months ahead the number of victims will skyrocket.  Unfortunately, my only advice is; buy a superior back-up blanket and hang on tight (and maybe kick your partner if he tries to roll away with that one too).  Sleep well!