That Silly Tornado E: Or how to keep a child in bed

Tornado E has decided that he is ready for a later bedtime.  He has been trying to push his bedtime from 8:30 to 9:30 or later.  Yes, we tried earlier naps and shorter naps.  I sat in the hallway outside his door putting him back every time like Supernanny suggests.  During the evening, I’ve started taking him for walks and playing hide ‘n’ go seek to get him tired out.  I’ve given him the water and snacks he’s asked for, and I have ignored the requests.  My husband takes turns at times to see if he has success.  No go.  It wouldn’t worry me so much if he didn’t wake up every morning at 6.  I just don’t think he’s getting enough sleep.

 

I usually keep the master bedroom door closed because Tornado E will sneak in there and hide.  If he went to sleep in there, like he does sometimes at naptime, I wouldn’t mind, but I usually find him jumping on the bed.  Last night my husband decided he needed to go to bed early to get well faster.  (There’s a concept.)  While I did keep an ear out for Tornado E, I assumed if he snuck into our room he would just snuggle up with Daddy and I would transfer Tornado E when I went to bed.  Instead I heard little feet pitter into the master bedroom and patter out again.  I was naturally curious.

 

Upon entering Tornado E’s room, I found Tornado E laying on his pillow and the little throw pillow that he uses in our room. 

 

Tornado E: Look, Mommy!  I have both my pillows!

 

With a hush, I tucked Tornado E into his bed and kissed him goodnight.

 

As I finished the dishes, I heard the pitter of little feet running towards the master bedroom and the patter of little feet running away again.  I again went to check out the new development.

 

This time I found that Tornado E had confiscated my pillow as well and had all three pillows stacked under his head.  He, of course, was beaming from ear to ear.

 

Tornado E: Look, Mommy!  I have your bed in mine!  So I can sleep on it!  That silly Tornado E!

 

Since he had crept out of bed, I couldn’t smile, but I tucked him in again.  After I left the room, I shook my head and chuckled, hoping this would keep him in bed.  And it did.

There’s Something about Tornado S

Tornado S’s learning to sing.  He’s following Tornado E’s example.  But instead of singing words, he sings notes, in loud Ah’s.  He runs from one side of the room to the other shouting “ah!”  When he is done, he starts to clap, encouraging us to clap with him.  Just like Tornado E.

 

 

This morning Tornado S waved goodbye to his Daddy, saying his usual ‘bye with a somewhat Southern accent.  (Yeah, don’t know where he got that.)  But today he said, “ ‘bye, Dad, ‘bye” as he waved the cute little fist wave.  Shocked, I smiled at my husband pointing at Tornado S.

 

 

As we rolled into the Target parking lot, I realized it was the Christmas season as there were double the amount of cars that are usually there at that time on a weekday morning.  Never a true shopper, I began to sing, “Tis the season to be shopping, falalala lalalala.”  From the back seat, Tornado S piped out, “falalalala lalalala.” 

Daddy’s Song! or Is it morning al -f-ing-ready?

I won’t let anyone watch TV during dinner.  I’m not sure where I learned it because my family always leaves the TV on, even when they are eating in the dining room and have no visual access to the TV.  But because I find it a little weird to eat in silence (My husband often comes home after dinner, and the boys aren’t great dining conversationalist yet; other than “I don’t like it!  Can I go now? Can I have cookies?” or “Peeeease!  Juice!”), I have started playing my iPod during dinner.  It only took a month before I decided I couldn’t endure another meal with kiddie music, so now we play a shuffle now.

 

Last night as we ate “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies came on the iPod, and Evan straightened up in his seat.

 

Evan: That’s Daddy’s song!  It plays on the radio in Mommy and Daddy’s room!  Then Daddy shuts it off in the dark and goes back to sleep!  Ah-shoo.  Ah-shoo.  Ah-shoo.  Then he starts making daddy noises!  That’s what daddies do!

 

Shall I explain?  We own a CD alarm, and every morning “One Week” plays to wake us up.  It is actually “Mommy’s song” because Mommy CANNOT stand that stupid, irritating beeping sound that just makes me want to walk into the office of the jerk who thought that was a great noise to wake up to and beat him to death with a mallet.  My husband does not care as he’s a snoozer, and I find that terribly annoying too.  It is only due to my inability to spring into action for anything, but a child’s cry, in the morning that has kept my husband alive for so many years.  As for “One Week,” it is the only song that we could agree on.  He would rather wake up to AC/DC, and I have always preferred Hole as a morning wake up call. 

 

As for daddy noises, my husband snores . . . LOUDLY.  As in hibernating bear loudly.  As in the neighbors who live two houses down can hear it loudly.  As in a dozen chainsaws running loudly.  As in a six on the Richter scale loudly.  Luckily I am a heavy sleep, except during pregnancy, which might explain why we spend nearly nine months arguing on why we’re still married and crazy enough to have a child.

 

How does Evan know this?  God, with his infinite wisdom and sense of humor, gave two night owls two early birds.  So when Evan wakes at say 5:30, I allow him to A) snuggle with Mommy and Daddy or B) turn on the TV in Mommy and Daddy’s bedroom and watch cartoons.  The alarm goes off at 6:15, then at 6:25, and, and if I hadn’t kicked my husband out of bed yet, 6:35.